We’re proud to share with you some fantastic feedback received recently about our Recovery Group.
This is a programme that we run in partnership with CGL – it is part funded by CGL and part funded through our SCC Community Learning programme. It supports adults with alcohol and/or substance misuse issues in partnership with expert local providers. People can be referred into it by their support worker or they can self-refer. The groups have between 8 and 12 people attending each week. Each programme – Jamming Sessions, Beginner Music Making, Vocal Group and Songwriting – is currently ongoing.
βFrom a Change Grow Live perspective, SOCO music groups provide our clients with such a richness of therapeutic assistance with their recovery from addiction.
People struggling with addiction often find isolation, boredom, depression, anxiety and low self-esteem/worth huge obstacles and triggers to relapse and can struggle with motivation when experiencing these difficult emotions. When someone is in recovery from addiction, they often struggle with identity and who they are, or will be, without the addiction which can increase anxiety and vulnerability.
I have observed these groups help and encourage our clients to overcome these issues and evidently increase feelings of confidence and therefore motivation in their recovery from substance abuse. Music, in all the forms that SOCO offer, help people access emotions and needs that may be difficult to express through more traditional forms of communication. Singing, movement, focusing on playing instruments and being involved in a collective experience helps people find a sense of connection, builds confidence and relieves stress which is therefore incredibly motivating and complementary to the prescribed treatment plans.
Since February 2022, there has been a marked increase in service users taking advantage of these groups, especially those clients that find the more talking/recovery programme orientated groups hard to engage with. These groups are powerfully therapeutic and beneficial.
Kate and Louis facilitate a non judgemental, inclusive, empowering and inspiring space for people to reconnect to the joy of their creativity, and indeed to themselves, in a fun, compassionate and completely accepting environment.
Speaking from myself, I feel so lucky to have experienced just how empowering these groups are, and from my experience with trauma and somatic therapies, I know how useful working in an embodied sense i.e being present, movement, free expression etc. is in shifting deeper traumas which are (mostly) the root cause to addiction.β
– Beth Anniston, PSI worker, Change Grow Live
We’re also incredibly proud to be able to share these wonderful words from a vodal group participant.
βI find it (vocal group) really useful; it gives me confidence; it is a brilliant stress relief and a great way to release endorphins. I always come out on a natural high. It has really given me confidence to sing again which I had abandoned for years, basically I love it ο β
– Vocal Group Participant
All sessions are free to attend. To find out more or to refer someone, please contact us
