Table 2.

Mindfulness and Acceptance Group Session Outline.

Session Theme	Topics Covered	Experiential Exercises
1. Automatic Pilot and Control is the Problem	Discussion of “automatic pilot” mode of being and attempts to “control” cravings and risk for relapse. Mindfulness and acceptance as a method to counter automatic pilot and control.	Body scan; polygraph metaphor; jelly donut metaphor
2. Acceptance	How acceptance of “things we cannot change”, with compassion and kindness, can aid in the process of recovery	Mindful movement; Chinese handcuffs; tug-of-war with a monster; body scan
3. Awareness of Triggers and Craving	How mindfulness can help us to become more aware of triggers/cravings; mindfulness as a way to reduce reactive behavior	Mindful movement; walking down the street; SOBER space; urge surfing; mountain mediation
4. Defusion	How thoughts are related to substance use and how we can “defuse” from them	Sitting meditation; “milk” exercise; leaves on a stream
5. High Risk Situations	High-risk situations for substance use are discussed and mindful awareness as an alternative to reactive behaviors	Sitting meditation; SOBER space; quicksand metaphor; walking meditation
6. Values	Defining and identifying values and elucidating how mindfulness and acceptance can help us to live our lives consistent with our values	Compassion meditation; passengers on the bus; funeral metaphor; mountain meditation
7. Kindness and Compassion	Introduction to kindness and compassion toward ourselves and others; how compassion can reduce risk for relapse	Body scan; kindness and compassion meditation; daily activities worksheet
8. Mindfulness and Acceptance in Daily Life	Eliciting ways in which mindfulness and acceptance can be integrated into daily life	Sitting meditation; raisin exercise; SOBER space