Biomedical Psychoeducation Group

This weekly group, led by Dr. Aaronson, is an opportunity to discuss or ask questions about psychiatric illness, diagnosis and treatment. It is a free flowing group without an agenda other than educating Residents about their illnesses or questions they have about mental health. Questions range from what side effects can be expected from a particular medication to philosophical discussion on the nature of mental illness to the effects drugs both licit and illicit can have on the brain. Areas of discussion are picked by The Retreat Residents.

Psychodynamics Group

This group meets twice a week and provides an opportunity to explore the “leading edge of anxiety and despair.” Residents can talk to each other, give feedback, and expand on issues they are working on in therapy or that are active in the milieu. Open communication is very important in this group. You can say anything – talk about yourself, community issues, or say nothing at all. What you say will not be judged or criticized. This is a group to let others know your feelings and help them with their issues and your issues.

Cognitive Behavioral Strategies

This is a teaching seminar for residents designed to cover common cognitive therapy-based strategies for working with anxiety, depression, obsessions, and other maladaptive ways of handling emotions, behaviors, and stress. The staff of the Anxiety and Stress Disorders Institute of Maryland teaches this seminar with a series of informal talks with plenty of time for discussion and questions and answers from the residents. The emphasis is on practical considerations based on solid theoretical foundations of cognitive behavioral principles. See also the link to www.anxietyandstress.com

Dialectical Behavioral Therapy

Here the focus is on structured exercises designed to improve decision making; handle problematic emotions such as anger, anxiety, and depression; and identify automatic thought patterns that have become dysfunctional in the patient’s relationships and view of him or herself. Self-destructive behaviors or relational patterns are given specific focus. Learning to recognize cognitive distortions and better manage uncomfortable affects are skills that are transferable to real life situations once the patient leaves The Retreat

Art Therapy

At The Retreat, patients are seen in Art Therapy group twice a week and individual Art Therapy at least once each week. The artwork taps a pre-verbal part of the mind and can serve as a transitional object, helping to bridge the patient’s hard-to-reach experiences within the multi-faceted treatment program.

Open Art Studio

During the Open Art Studio time the art room will be open for residents from both Retreat East and West to come in and express themselves through art. Residents may utilize as much or as little time as they need to work. They are encouraged to explore different mediums and techniques with assistance from the Art Therapist without the usual Art Therapy group structure. This is mainly a skills development time with the option of further evaluating the artwork during individual Art Therapy sessions. It provides the residents with the opportunity to further explore what they have learned in Art Therapy, as well as to utilize art-making as a way to distract, relax, and have a playful start to their weekend.

Movement and Meditation Group

Movement facilitates the connection between body and mind and involves the direct expression and experience of one’s self through one’s body. The Movement and Meditation Group uses the creative and expressive qualities of stillness and movement to increase group members’ awareness of their physical, emotional, and thinking selves. In a group setting, participants practice releasing tension, identifying and expressing feelings, and relating to others verbally and through movement.

Generating Energy Group

Residents will learn a specific “exercise” series based on the principles of T’ai Chi Chuan. The goal of this group is to regain the experience of natural rhythm, thus producing both relaxation and alertness. This routine fosters a feeling of integration of the body, mind and emotions. With practice this routine can help residents modulate their moods, recover their balance and better deal with daily stress.

Emotions In Motion Group

Residents will first learn to recognize and then alter the physical manifestation they feel with the real and imagined slights and criticisms of others, i.e. their buttons being pushed. These physical manifestations can include such things as facial tension, aggressive or passive posturing, a glazed stare, increased heartbeat and breathing, loss of balance and temperature changes. Using specific listening and attention techniques that come from the ancient practice of T’ai Chi Chuan, Residents will learn to transform their previous aggressive reactions into calmer and more thoughtful responses. By adopting the metaphor of “internal self defense,” Residents gradually use methods to recenter themselves, become more flexible and to stop feeling like victims. Often individuals with emotional challenges describe lifelong patterns of conflicted and unsatisfying relationships. After practicing these exercises, they will have techniques to better deal with how they respond to others and thus have the opportunity to improve the relationships that are important to them.

Self Massage and Listening Hands

Residents will learn the principles of self administered massage based on T’ai Chi Chuan techniques. This massage emphasized the integration of the body and mind. When the inflammation in the body is soothed, the thoughts become calm and vice versa. In addition, this group will focus on how to recognize and release tension in the body through a T’ai Chi Chuan practice known as push hands. Stress can be easily observed as tension in the hands and this tension then spreads throughout the body. A clenched fist, for example, will precede an anger outburst, leading to a tensed abdomen and facial muscles. For each individual the tension response always follows the same pattern and can be easily recognized in the body. In practicing “listening hands” residents learn to recognize this physical tension and develop new methods to relax themselves and bring their bodies and minds back into balance. Individuals who experience a range of emotional struggles often find themselves frequently or even constantly tense. When feelings such as anger and hopelessness surface, using this simple T’ai Chi based centering routine can settle the thoughts and refresh the body. This object is being able to choose a less reactive pattern and to become more in tune to one’s own emotions and bodily sensations as well as those of others.

Yoga

Deborah Quirk is a Registered Yoga Teacher (RYT 200) focusing on the Kripalv and Vinyosa schools of yoga in her teaching yoga on The Retreat. Yoga on The Retreat is focused on flexibility, self-body awareness, and designed to enhance relaxation skills using yogic breathing techniques. Yoga props and mats are provided on The Retreat. Deborah is available for individual yoga sessions to address specific needs for a home yoga practice.

Alcohol/Addiction Education Lecture Series

This is a series of lectures which are open to the public. Eight topics are covered in an overview of the disease of addiction and recovery from it. The series discusses Alcohol and Alcoholics, The Disease Concept, Signs and Symptoms, The Dynamics of Dependency, Recovery, Attitudes, Use Abuse Addiction, and The Family Illness.

Addiction Group

This group meets for an hour each week to provide patients who suffer from addiction as well as those who are considering the extent to which their involvement with alcohol and other drugs has been problematic, excessive or, in fact, addictive.

Addictions and Family Relationships

The use and abuse of substances has vast and significant impacts on the relationships between family members, which have been researched and described in various sources for over thirty years. Whether the substance abuse occurred in one’s family of origin, even several generations back, or in one’s current family, it is important to learn the impact that addictions have on the relationships which are crucial in our self-identity. This group provides that education, as well as strategies to grow beyond the experiences which we have learned to date.

Self Esteem Group

Self-esteem describes the values, beliefs, attitudes, and overall opinion that individuals have about themselves. This group focuses on helping participants understand the early influences on their self esteem as well as recognizing how their current thinking patterns foster negative or positive self esteem. Methods of challenging negative messages are offered as are ideas for fostering a healthier self image.

Body/Self Awareness Group

How people feel in their bodies often determines their sense of themselves and the way in which they function in the world. Discussion and experiential activities are used to help group members increase awareness of their body and self images. They are encouraged to understand the formation of their self image and invited to shift their thoughts and feelings toward a more positive view of themselves and their bodies.

Stress Management

This group offers a variety of relaxation and stress management techniques from both Eastern and Western traditions. Residents will have the opportunity to practice guided imagery, progressive muscle relaxation, walking meditation, yoga stretches, and sitting meditation. Stress management skills will be designed to meet the needs of individual Residents.

Writing Group

Bibliotherapy uses literature to increase self-understanding by helping people value their thoughts, feelings, and become more accurate about self-perceptions. Clients will have time to express responses to the written material (i.e. poetry) and time to write their own response to material presented. Participants will then share their writing with the group.

Feelings Awareness

Based on Cognitive Behavior Therapy principles, this didactic discussion group will focus on the connection between mind, body, and behaviors stemming from how thoughts influence feelings and resulting responses. Participants will explore ways to address self-responsibility in regard to thoughts, feelings, and behaviors. Special attention will be given to management of anger and maladaptive coping mechanisms when experiencing troublesome feelings.

Psychotherapeutic Themes

Using popular music, movies, poems, and short stories, various common themes in psychotherapy and psychopathology are explored with the residents as they relate to and expand their individual issues and concerns.

Experiential Therapy

Experiential Therapy is run by out Recreational Therapists. This is a hands-on group in which residents must work together to complete a challenge. These groups encourage personal growth, and enable our residents to gain new perspectives and coping skills. As Confucius said, “I hear and I forget. I see and I remember. I do and I understand.” Experiential Therapy groups are grounded in the philosophy that active participation often allows participants to identify patterns of behavior that may be helping or hindering them in treatment and in life.

Rock Climbing

At The Retreat, rock climbing is more than just recreation. The experience of climbing can be a powerful tool for self-discovery. Often times, it helps residents to explore risk taking and overcoming self-imposed limitations. It can also be utilized as a metaphor for many issues dealt with in other components of the program. We embrace the concept of challenge by choice, allowing residents to choose their own level of challenge during the rock climbing sessions.

Goals Group

Each weekday at The Retreat begins with goals group. This group encourages residents to take an active role in their treatment by setting a personal, treatment-related goal for that day. Goals are then discussed within the group to gain feedback and support from fellow residents, as well as from nursing staff and the Recreational Therapist. Progress toward accomplishment of these goals is reviewed each evening.

Recreational Therapy

Recreational Therapy groups utilize a wide range of interventions, and shift focus depending on what the resident’s needs are at the time. Topics may include leisure educations, self-esteem, enjoyment and management of free time, gratitude, creative expression of emotions, physical activity, stress management, or pure leisure participation.

Active Lifestyle

Active Lifestyle exercise has numerous benefits ranging from improved cardiovascular fitness and muscular endurance to increased energy, self-esteem, and overall sense of well-being. For a variety of reasons, including depression and anxiety, many people do not include exercise as part of their life. Through education and practical experience, this group defines and highlights the benefits of an active lifestyle. Group participants will have the opportunity to engage in aerobic conditioning, strength training, and flexibility and core exercises.

Animal Assisted Therapy

Every other week, we have a therapy dog and his handler come in to interact with our residents. Animal assisted therapy has been shown to reduce anxiety, reduce loneliness, increase self esteem, improve attention skills, and increase resident’s interactions with each other. For more information on animal assisted therapy, click on the link: www.deltasociety.org

Weekend Attending

Each wing meets on Saturday and Sunday morning with the attending psychiatrist on call and a member of the nursing staff to review group and individual issues. Additionally, they plan the activities for the upcoming day. The attending psychiatrist is available for any changes to patients’ medications or treatment plan that are required over the weekend.