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Essay On Treatment Meetings

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Attending three different types of treatment meetings helped me understand more clearly the ways that addicts mostly benefit from the provided services and support during their recovery processes. I say mostly because, although the benefits received from these meetings seem to outweigh the negatives for members, the meetings may lack the additional support offered via counseling or psychotherapy. I will share my experiences with the three types of groups I attended to demonstrate my understanding, impressions, and suggestions of possible ways to utilize and improve upon these supportive structures when working with substance abusing clients. Specifically, I intend to offer constructive feedback and criticism of ways I would like to…show more content…
The main teaching of humility, as defined as deference to a higher power and consciousness of one’s failings, became the main talking point for the sharing portion of the meeting. I found the discussion in line with the second step of the twelve step credo, specifically which mentions that addicts “came to believe that Power greater than ourselves could restore us to sanity” (Fisher & Harrison, 2017, p. 191). However, I initially became frustrated from my belief that self-efficacy and empowerment, arguably core tenants I intend to foster for our clients as counselors, appeared subjugated by members “giving up” their power to something else. I further disagreed with the credo’s ambiance centered towards what I thought was shame upon the members, which they focused on instead of their pride for courageously and publicly fighting their drug challenges. Ironically, I gained insight from my next meeting in AA why my perception of shame was actually guilt, and that guilt can be used constructively to alter substance abusing behaviors. I will expand upon these ideas in the next section. I gained an additional insight when reflecting upon my initial feelings about my NA meeting: I realized that my bias comes from my ignorance to relate to some of
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