Locate an open recovery or support group in your local community. Please note this should be a non-clinical meeting. Attend one of the group’s meeting. The group can be for any type of substance or process addiction. It must be  a peer-led support group to help with the recovery from any addictive disorder. Ensure that the meeting is considered “open” prior to attending it.

Important Note:  The group must be attended in person. It is not appropriate to take notes while in the meeting, so please refrain and just take notes for yourself immediately after the meeting.

Write a two-part paper of 750-1,000 words that summarizes your experience at the meeting. Be sure to include important concepts presented in the meeting while maintaining the privacy of all group participants. Include the following in your paper:

Part 1: Attending the Meeting

• Attend a recovery support group meeting (include the name, time, and place of the meeting)
• Describe the format of the meeting that you attended and provide details about the atmosphere or experience of being in the meeting.
• Describe each of the following: Closed meeting, open meeting, steps, sponsor, and home group. Please note: These terms are specific to AA and NA.

Part 2: Individual Recovery Methods

• Based on your observations during the meeting, identify the impact of a substance use disorder on an individual’s life problems based on the meeting attended.  
• List two examples of Participant Recovery Goals and the benefits of entering into the maintenance stage of recovery with these goals as identified in research. 
• Identify two specific actions a counselor can take during the therapy session and related follow-up that can help someone with a substance use disorder be successful.
• List one specific example of how a counselor can help a client overcome self-defeating behaviors. 
• Include at least three scholarly resources in your paper.

Prepare this assignment according to the guidelines found in the APA Style Guide.

Do you take vision for granted? Many of us do. Select an activity you can do safely with your eyes closed (e.g. play catch with something soft, fold laundry, put away dishes, water plants, walk the dog). You will likely need a person to help you. First, perform the activity with both eyes open. Cover one eye gently with a patch of some sort or close one (if you can do it!) and do the activity again. Then try it with both eyes closed. (PLEASE pick something you can be safe doing!  Check for sharp objects, don’t go in the street, etc.)  Then, answer the following questions:

1. What differences did you note in your ability to judge the shape, distance, speed, and direction of the objects with which you were working?
2. How did your attention change or focus differently in each situation?
3. Which situation was the most difficult for you? Now, practice doing the activity several times under these most difficult circumstances. Did you adapt? How long did it take?
4. Do you think there are some activities that are easier to perform completely blindfolded than with one eye patched? If so, what might be an example? If not, why not?

Citing Guidelines:

You shouldn’t need to cite this week, but if you use an outside source beyond your experience for some reason, use APA style.

Writing Guidelines: 

Delete the questions themselves as it makes it look nicer (and we all know what the questions were), but refer to the questions in your answers.  Also, number them!  For example:

1. I decided to try ____ as an activity.  I noted several differences in my judgments.  First, I noticed that ___.  Second, I noticed _____.  I also noticed that ___ was not different.

Construct proper paragraphs and use complete sentences.  It may be appropriate (and necessary) to use several paragraphs for each numbered response.  Also, edit your work.