Welcome to Groups

Here’s a free resource for counselors and group facilitators that you can use for ideas when navigating some of the common obstacles that come up in group therapy.

What’s also worth pointing out is how this resource was created.

I made it using the Taking the Escalator Clinical Consultant, an AI-based consultation tool specifically designed around the Taking the Escalator philosophy and methodology. The Consultant can help clinicians think through challenging situations, generate fresh approaches, strengthen engagement, and develop ideas for building insight and motivation.

Think of this free resource as an example of the kind of practical clinical guidance and brainstorming you can get from the Clinical Consultant.

Access to the Taking the Escalator Clinical Consultant is included as part of a paid Taking the Escalator Premium Membership.

So please enjoy and use this resource and if you find yourself thinking, “I could really use something like this to help…

Shame can be a difficult emotion to recognize because it doesn't always look like shame. Sometimes it shows up as anger, avoidance, defensiveness, shutting down, or just wanting to disappear.

This worksheet, adapted from concepts from ACT, helps people slow things down and look at:

• What triggered the shame

• How it showed up in thoughts, feelings, and behavior

• The important difference between shame and guilt

• What shame may be pushing them to do

If you work with children, adolescents, or families, this is an excellent resource to keep on hand.

Created by the UCLA CARES Center, this one-page handout explains social anxiety in a way that's easy for families to understand while remaining grounded in evidence. It highlights:

• Common signs and symptoms of social anxiety

• When social anxiety becomes more than typical shyness (persistence, distress, and impairment)

• How social anxiety can affect school, friendships, and family life

• An overview of evidence-based treatment, including Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT)

🆓 Free Mental Health Resource

This free guide includes dozens of worksheets, reflection activities, and practical strategies covering topics such as:

• Stress management

• Anxiety

• Self-care

• Boundaries

This week's free resource is Rethinking Drinking, an interesting guide from the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIAAA).

One of the things I appreciate most about this resource is its practical, nonjudgmental, and person-centered approach. Rather than telling people what they "should" do, it encourages them to better understand their relationship with alcohol, explore their own reasons for change, and make informed decisions that fit their goals.

Inside you'll find:

• Information about standard drink sizes and low-risk drinking guidelines

• Education about alcohol use and health

• A balanced pros and cons exercise to explore readiness for change

I'm happy to share The Recovery Blueprint: A 30-Day Guided Journal for Lasting Change, a free recovery journal featuring:

• Daily recovery lessons

• Reflection prompts

• Goal tracking

• Mood, stress, and craving check-ins

• Weekly reviews

Effective treatment begins with effective screening.

No single screening tool is right for every client or every setting. Having a variety of evidence-based screening options allows clinicians to choose the tool that best fits the individual's age, language, literacy level, and clinical needs. Screening also helps identify concerns early, guides appropriate referrals, and supports more informed treatment planning.

To help build your clinical toolbox, the following free resources are now available:

✅ USAUDIT Guide

✅ USAUDIT Guide (Spanish)

✅ USAUDIT Guide with Scoring Guide

See below: Relapse Prevention Handbook created by the treatment team at GDAS and thought it was worth sharing.

It covers many core relapse prevention topics, including cravings, high-risk situations, support networks, self-care, mindfulness, and includes several practical worksheets that can be used with clients.

No resource is perfect, but I always enjoy seeing how other organizations present evidence-based concepts. Hopefully you'll find something useful to add to your own toolbox.

Download:

Being kind to yourself isn't always easy, especially when it's often easier to show compassion to others than to yourself.

This week's free resource explores self-kindness, common humanity, and mindfulness while including a simple daily self-reflection exercise to help put these ideas into practice. It can be used in individual counseling, group therapy, or as a personal wellness activity.

Free Download for Group or Individual Therapy: