405: Transformational Accountability: Fostering Change and Growth in Church-based Recovery Groups

Summary 

With increasing numbers of Christian clients reporting life-dominating struggles and addictions, many churches are launching Christ-centered recovery groups led by licensed mental health professionals to help individuals find freedom from addiction. A common challenge in church-based recovery groups is individuals who attend groups faithfully but continue to struggle with life-dominating behavior. They fail to experience lasting change or spiritual growth since accountability in the group is reduced to members using the group as a confessional to release feelings of guilt rather than a community resource when they feel vulnerable or triggered. In this workshop, the presenters will explain transformational accountability, which is accountability that is effective in promoting enduring change and spiritual maturity and can be developed through implementing an emotionally-focused approach in the group process. This approach targets heart change for clients in the following ways: fostering emotional awareness, uncovering faulty beliefs fueling negative emotions and behaviors, cultivating authentic connection with God and others, developing emotional and spiritual maturity, and enabling self-control. 

Learning Objectives 

Participants will: 

1. Discuss challenges related to accountability in church-based recovery groups and explore the concept of transformational accountability   
2. Describe an emotionally-focused approach that promotes transformational accountability in church-based recovery groups that licensed mental health professionals lead   
3. Develop practical applications and interventions for transformational accountability in church-based recovery groups 
4.