Are some topics not acceptable within a Recovery Group?
Recovery group is not the place for detailed or lengthy talk of past trauma or abuse. Talk in general of how those issues may challenge your recovery today. Listen and talk in detail of how recovery can help you and others to heal today.

“We have a large sign on the wall of our group room.

It says to ‘Use the I Word.’

It is so easy to give advice - to tell another what they should or should not do. But it is also obvious in group how empty and of little value is this type of advice.

It is far more powerful to hear someone talk of their own experience - of what they had to do for this or that recovery challenge - to share their experience without pointing a finger or giving advice.

I find that I just shut off when I hear a phrase like ‘you should.’

I hear better when a group member talks of their own experience in recovery - when they use the ‘I’ word.”

Talk of drugs, drug dealing or paraphernalia are not recovery topics. These may trigger other group members. A recovery group is not the place for drug talk.