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Your Olds, Alberta Choice for Group Therapy!

Warm & Welcoming Team | Evergreen Wellness | Integrated Mental & Physical Wellness Centre | Olds and Didsbury Alberta

At Evergreen Wellness, we are committed to helping you work towards your specific goals, whatever they may be. We believe strongly in the many benefits of group therapy, which provides individuals with strong therapy treatment by mixing therapy with group personal processing and experiences. Through discussion and expression of feelings, group therapy aims to help people change behaviour, attitudes and habits that may not be helpful, and promote better and more adaptive and constructive ways of coping. Evergreen Wellness is here to help you on the road to better health and wellness, and we invite you to take advantage of our group therapy services!

Warm & Welcoming Team | Evergreen Wellness | Integrated Mental & Physical Wellness Centre | Olds and Didsbury Alberta
Warm & Welcoming Team | Evergreen Wellness | Integrated Mental & Physical Wellness Centre | Olds and Didsbury Alberta

What is Group Therapy?

Warm & Welcoming Team | Evergreen Wellness | Integrated Mental & Physical Wellness Centre | Olds and Didsbury Alberta

Group therapy involves therapy treatment of multiple patients at one time by one or more therapists. It can be utilized to treat a wide variety of conditions including, but not limited to, anxiety, post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), emotional trauma, depression and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). During a group therapy session, the therapist might ask questions to help participants talk about their experiences and learn about what they have in common with others there. Participants might also share their personal stories or speak about their feelings while they listen to others.

What are the Benefits of Group Therapy?

Warm & Welcoming Team | Evergreen Wellness | Integrated Mental & Physical Wellness Centre | Olds and Didsbury Alberta

When you experience an environment where you can connect with other individuals going through very similar experiences and you can share therapy with a group, wonderful things can happen. Group therapy has many benefits including:

  • The recognition that you are not alone in your problems, feelings, opinions, impulses and other issues.
  • A feeling of hope that can create a sense of optimism that may lead to faster success.
  • Selflessness, by opening up and sharing with others, allows individuals to gain a sense of significance and value.
  • Socializing in a group setting promotes a sense of empathy, social development, tolerance and other interpersonal skills.
  • Seeing others deal with their problems can allow members to learn to adopt better or more successful coping strategies and perspectives.
  • A feeling of cohesiveness in the group can provide individuals with a sense of acceptance, belonging, value and security.
  • Catharsis is often able to release suppressed emotions and can encourage healing by sharing experiences and information with group members.
  • Learning how to exist as something bigger than oneself can bring a sense of awareness that life will continue on with all the things that life includes, like joy, pain, sadness, death and regret etc.
Warm & Welcoming Team | Evergreen Wellness | Integrated Mental & Physical Wellness Centre | Olds and Didsbury Alberta
Warm & Welcoming Team | Evergreen Wellness | Integrated Mental & Physical Wellness Centre | Olds and Didsbury Alberta

How Does Group Therapy Work?

Warm & Welcoming Team | Evergreen Wellness | Integrated Mental & Physical Wellness Centre | Olds and Didsbury Alberta

There is no absolute way group therapy must work, but it typically has up to 15 participants, meeting for one to two hours, often weekly. Those in attendance, including the therapist(s), sit in a way that allows everyone to see everyone else. The therapist(s) manage and guide the group process and provide the session with structure. Oftentimes therapy groups are formed around a specific shared issue. For example, group members may be living with an eating disorder or addiction, or struggling with a loss or with parenting difficulties. As with any form of therapy, what is discussed in group therapy remains confidential. It is always expected that members will respect other participant’s privacy by not disclosing their identity or talking about the content of the sessions outside of the therapy room.

Evergreen Wellness understands that mental health is a deeply personal and dynamic experience, and we are dedicated to providing compassionate support through a range of therapeutic modalities, including group therapy. With group therapy we hope to help people process their feelings and experiences, as well as learn from other people who understand their challenges and struggles. Our team of Registered Social Workers and Certified Counselors is here for you, to listen, understand and help guide you on your journey to a healthier and more fulfilling life.

The signs and symptoms of anxiety, depression, and stress can be similar and are often interconnected. The Evergreen Wellness Counselling Team is here to help you take the first step towards better health and wellness.

Clients are encouraged to participate in group therapy sessions, but they are welcome to engage at their own comfort level.

Current Groups Offered

Facilitator: Jennifer Keough
Assistants: Master of Counselling Interns
Cost: Free
Enrollment: Ongoing (Participants can join at any point in the group)
Schedule: Every Wednesday at 9:00am MST
Start Date: January 31st

Space is limited to a capacity (8)

Sign up by giving us a call.

Clients can join anytime. They can come for one session or attend all sessions and receive a letter of completion. Clients can join at whatever week and then remain in the rotation until they have completed all the sessions.

Letter of completion will require:

  • Attendance of all 7 sessions
  • Full participation in each session
  • Completion of all homework
  • Completion and submission of the test your knowledge material
  • Completion and submission of an anger control plan
  • Completion and submission of closing exercise

Session Schedule:

Every session will begin with a formal introduction of the program including overview of materials, purpose of the group, and rules of the group.

Session 1

Defining Anger
When Does Anger Become a Problem?
Payoffs and Consequences
Myths About Anger
Breaking the Anger Habit
Anger Meter Homework

Session 2

Review of Homework
Events That Lead to Anger
Cues to Anger: Physical, Behavioral, Emotional, Cognitive
Self-Monitoring for Anger
Monitoring Anger for the Week Homework

Session 3

Review of Homework
Anger Control Plans
Management Strategies (time outs, identifying positive supports, breathing techniques)
Create an Anger Control Plan Homework
Monitoring Anger for the Week Homework

Session 4

Review of Homework
The Aggression Cycle
Management Strategies (progressive muscle relaxation)
Monitoring Anger for the Week Homework
Continued Work on Anger Control Plan Homework

Session 5 

Review of Homework
Cognitive Restructuring (The A-B-C-D Model)
Management Strategies (though stopping)
Monitoring Anger for the Week Homework
Continued Work on Anger Control Plan Homework

Session 6

Review of Homework
Assertiveness Training
Conflict Resolution Model
Monitoring Anger for the Week Homework
Continued Work on Anger Control Plan Homework

Session 7 

Review of Homework
Anger and the Family
Monitoring Anger for the Week Homework
Continued Work on Anger Control Plan Homework

Facilitator: Jennifer Keough MA, RSW, CCC.
Assistants: Master of Counselling Interns
Cost: Free
Enrollment: Ongoing (Participants can join at any point in the group)
Schedule: Every Wednesday at 9:00am MST
Start Date: March 20 th , 2024.

Space is limited to 8 participants.

Sign up by calling us.

Description:

Join our Anxiety Management Group, a supportive community dedicated to navigating life’s
challenges together. This facilitator led group offers a safe space to share, learn coping
strategies, and build resilience. Through mindfulness exercises, cognitive-behavioural
techniques, and peer support, we empower each other to conquer anxiety and reclaim control
over our lives. Take the first step towards peace of mind with us.

Outline:

Session 1: Introduction and Group Norms
Welcome and introductions
Overview of the group purpose and goals
Icebreaker activity to create a comfortable atmosphere.
Psychoeducation on anxiety: Understanding the fight-or-flight response.
Establishing group norms and confidentiality
Homework: Keep a daily anxiety journal

Session 2: Types and Triggers of Anxiety
Review of anxiety journals
Psychoeducation on different types of anxiety disorders
Identifying personal triggers and stressors
Group discussion on common triggers
Introduction to relaxation techniques: deep breathing and progressive muscle relaxation
Homework: Practice relaxation techniques and identify triggers

Session 3: Cognitive Restructuring
Sharing experiences from practicing relaxation techniques
Psychoeducation on cognitive restructuring: challenging negative thoughts
Group exercise: Identifying and reframing irrational thoughts
Introduction to mindfulness meditation
Homework: Practice mindfulness meditation and continue cognitive restructuring

Session 4: Behavioral Strategies for Anxiety
Review of mindfulness meditation and cognitive restructuring experiences
Psychoeducation on behavioural strategies: exposure therapy and systematic desensitization
Group activity: creating personal exposure hierarchies
Introduction to assertiveness training
Homework: Gradual exposure exercises and assertiveness practice

Session 5: Self-Care and Lifestyle Changes
Check-in on exposure exercises and assertiveness practice
Psychoeducation on the impact of lifestyle on anxiety
Group discussion on healthy lifestyle habits
Interactive activity: creating personalized self-care plans
Homework: Implementing self-care activities in daily routine

Session 6: Building a Support System
Sharing experiences from self-care and lifestyle changes
Psychoeducation on the importance of social support
Group discussion on building and maintaining a support system
Role-playing exercises: effective communication with friends and family
Homework: Strengthening connections with the support system

Session 7: Reflection and Future Steps
Reflect on the progress made throughout the sessions
Group sharing: highlights and challenges.
Psychoeducation on relapse prevention strategies
Goal-setting activity: individual and group goals for the future
Closing remarks and celebration of achievements
Provide resources for ongoing support

Number of participants: 8
Start date: June 4
Time: Every Tuesday at 12:30pm MST
Total sessions: 7

Goals:

  1. Learn about grief and the grieving process
  2. Learn about the impacts of grief.
  3. Learn about healthy coping strategies.
  4. Receive support from the group.
  5. Learn how to find meaning and purpose.
  6. Implement learned strategies in daily life.

Description:

Join our supportive grief group where understanding hearts come together to navigate the journey of loss. In a safe and compassionate environment, we offer solace, companionship, and coping strategies for those grappling with the challenges of grief. Led by experienced facilitators, our group provides a space for sharing stories, memories, and emotions while finding comfort in the understanding of others who have walked similar paths. Whether you’re recently bereaved or further along in your healing journey, our group welcomes you to find strength, resilience, and hope amidst the shared experience of loss.

If you have any questions about our group therapy, or you would like to join one of the group therapy groups, please call us today at (403) 507-5650 and we will be happy to help!