Alcohol Help

Witton Bank, Blackburn
Provides a caring environment for men 18+ who want to address their drug & alcohol problems.

About us:

Witton Bank offers them the opportunity to rebuild their lives by finding a solution to addiction, giving people a chance to enjoy a life of recovery.

It is a three story spacious building about 2 miles from the centre of Blackburn, Lancashire, offering a 26 week rehabilitation programme, encompassing the Minnesota concept (12-steps), combined with cognitive and psychotherapy techniques. It can accommodate 21 people in single and shared bedrooms.
This takesplace within a group dynamic atmosphere and focuses on:

* Exploring Self
* Managing Feelings
* Interpersonal Skills
* Understanding and Identifying with Others
* Manageability of Life
* Positive Life Review
* Negotiation Skills
* Action Planning

What is a Group Dynamic Programme?
T.H.O.M.A.S. operates a group dynamic programme where each person is encouraged to give feedback to others. Interactions between group members are highly encouraged and it provides each person with an opportunity to try out new ways of behaving and to deal with their addictive behaviours. It is a safe environment in which members work to establish a level of trust that allows them to talk personally and honestly. Group members make a commitment to the group and are instructed that the content of the group sessions is confidential.

How Can this Help?
When people come into a group and interact freely with other group members, they usually recreate those difficulties that brought them to group therapy in the first place. Under the direction of the group facilitator, the group is able to give support, offer alternatives, and comfort members in such a way that these difficulties become resolved and alternative behaviours are learned. This is achieved through integrative development approaches where we introduce substance misusers to an eclectic model of rehabilitation that includes:

* Minnesota Approach
* Psychodynamic Approach
* Cognitive Behavioural Approach
* Creative Approach

What is the Minnesota Approach?
This is characterised by the 12-step philosophy. Its facilitators are ex-addicts who give an in-depth experience of how they apply the 12 step principles to their every day lives.

What is the Cognitive Behavioural Approach?
This approach is based on the assumption that human beings are born with the potential for both rational and irrational thinking. It attempts to change the way in which a person thinks about life experiences and it concentrates on finding ways in which to change negative thought patterns into more constructive ones. It is not ‘Minnesota’ and it can provide an alternative method of manageability or be used collaboratively with the above.

A CBT counsellor facilitates the group with many years experience of working within the NHS in a social work background.

What is the Psychodynamic Approach?
Our psychotherapist uses several techniques within the group setting to bring repressed or forgotten experiences to the mind, helping the client to resolve them and to change patterns of behaviour.

Our psychotherapist is available to all our service users.

What is the Creative Approach?
The Creative Approach offers a nurturing environment for self-exploration, insight and communication. The desired outcome is to unblock inborn creative abilities using creative arts to facilitate emotional healing, resolve inner conflict and awaken individual creativity through the mediums of art, music, drama, imagery, meditation, poetry and writing. It emphasises that it is the process and not the product that is important and recognises that each group member’s individuality is recognised. By using this approach the group member’s self-understanding increases dramatically and communication between the group and the discovery of new insight becomes possible.

Contact Details:

Witton Bank
Spring Lane
Blackburn
BB2 2PW

Telephone: 01254 59240