Lesson Plans

Identifying a challenge… 

How do we teach psychoeducational content to treatment participants?

Treatment providers would benefit from consistent lesson formats that focus on teaching the topics related to understanding, managing, and living with co-occurring psychiatric and substance disorders. Ideally, that would be a tailor-made psychoeducational treatment program that can be adapted to meet the needs of any facility or treatment agency. Yet, where is that located?

The search for psychoeducational content typically results in three formats:

1. Books written to the professional: the professional then needs to transfer the learning and education into a curriculum format.
2. Brief workbooks with processing and group discussion questions: the professional then needs to find the comprehensive psychoeducation to fully learn the information on specific topics such as Self-Esteem, Nutrition, Stress Management, and even Neurochemistry, etc.
3. Curriculum content without interactive group exercises: the professional needs to develop the skill building exercises to help the person implement the education presented in group into an actual learning experience.

THE BASICS, Second Edition does have divisions within each of the Eight Subjects – yet there is still a great deal of material in two volumes that span 1,200 pages. The curriculum also has worksheets and handouts to expand the learning experience.

Yet, it still posed a challenge because facilities and agencies wanted to teach a specific topic at a time while also maintaining a consistent group structure. They wanted more assistance in exploring particular topics – like stress management or anger. In other words, they asked for ideas of what to say or ask to help each person turn the group or 1X1 into an individual learning experience – What helps you manage your stress? How do you manage your anger? What did we talk about today that you might try in your recovery program?

Offering a lesson plan solution…

1. Divide the entire curriculum into 103 single group topics of approximately 10-15 pages of THE BASICS, Second Edition each.
2. Design lesson plans to transfer the psychoeducation into a clear format providing consistency within each group setting.
3. Include suggested instructions to group facilitators in each lesson format and suggested timeframes for each section.
4. Strive to enhance the learning opportunity for each group participant by including suggestions for processing questions and skill building exercises.
5. Structure the skill building discussions and exercises to help each person individualize the psychoeducation in the lesson plan and/or the skill to be practiced.

Refer to the Developing a Psychoeducational Program and the Lesson Plan Division & Treatment Program Examples. As you develop your program – or choose from one of the already designed ones available on this website – click on the individual Lesson Plans below by clicking the Download Button.