Recovery Groups: Membership Has Its Rewards

Abstract

The power of groups in the world of recovery, whether professionally facilitated or of the mutual-help/self-help type, is due in large part to the opportunities that exist for mutual-aid processes and their resonance with the demands of recovery. While occurring naturalistically in mutual-help/selfhelp groups and professionally encouraged in various treatment approaches, the concept of mutual aid elevates the role of the recovering person from passive recipient to member of a supportive community, wherein his contribution as both receiver as well as giver of help has therapeutic value (Riessman, 1965; Roberts et al., 1999). The potential for mutual aid that exists in all group types can be harnessed in service of enhanced motivation, erosion of denial, behavioral change, skill acquisition, and personal growth. The cultivation of mutual aid in treatment groups enables the group to become more than individual therapy in a group setting. The concept of mutual aid as an element of group process bears great resonance with Yalom’s construction of therapeutic factors and Corsini and Rosenburg’s elaboration of change mechanisms (Crouch, Bloch, & Wanlass, 1994; Yalom, 1995) and is an integral aspect of social work approaches to group treatment (Papell & Rothman, 1966; Shulman, 2006). We encourage authors to submit rich descriptions of their practice illuminating successful elements of the group process, useful interventions, and lessons learned. Where possible, we would benefit from researchers who are able to articulate the salient elements of the group process of the intervention as well as the theoretical underpinnings employed through both qualitative and quantitative designs. Understanding more fully how, why, and under what conditions these elements of group process help group members is essential in strengthening our capacity as practitioners to be of clinical value. In many ways, this journal is a mutual-aid system as it presents an opportunity for us all to learn from each other. Having said that, we are pleased to present this edition’s contributions, which in many ways illuminate the power of groups in recovery from addictions. Parkman, Lloyd, and Splisbury of the United Kingdom present a scoping review of the mutual-aid self-help literature regarding alcohol dependency and utilize a thematic analysis approach to analyze the results. Their analysis suggests an association between Alcoholics Anonymous (AA) and other non-AA self-help groups and improved recovery related to the following fac-