Taking the Escalator

An Alternative to the 12 Steps

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What's Your Price? A Reverse Auction Game About Values and Choices

Using Values to Build Motivation Through Meaningful DiscussionWhat would someone have to offer you to give up your favorite hobby? Lie to pr

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New Free Worksheet and More: All or Nothing Thinking

All-or-nothing thinking is one of the most common cognitive patterns seen in substance use, mental health, and co-occurring treatment. It ca

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Choose Your Depth: One Activity, Hundreds of Meaningful Conversations

Every group includes participants with different personalities, comfort levels, life experiences, and readiness to share. Some enjoy speakin

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Distraction is the Action: Why Healthy Distractions Matter

A counselor once asked a group a simple question: "What is the difference between going for a walk when you're stressed and having a drink w

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Same Symptom, Different Story – Understanding Co-occurring Disorders

Trouble sleeping.Difficulty concentrating.Feeling overwhelmed.Low motivation.Many symptoms can have more than one cause.Click for Video Intr

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Dreams for Sale: The Auction of Hopes and Dreams

What would you be willing to pay for the life you want?Imagine you are given the opportunity to bid on some of life's biggest dreams and des

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Invisible Battles: The Struggles Nobody Else Can See

One of the most important lessons we learn in behavioral health is that appearances can be deceiving.The person who seems calm may be battli

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The Mansion of Emotion – A Creative Art Therapy Activity for Reflection, Insight, and Discussion

At Taking the Escalator, some of our favorite ideas come directly from the creativity and feedback of our members.Recently, a member reached

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Been There, Done That: An Early Intervention Group Activity for Substance Use and Co-Occurring Disorders

Sometimes the best group discussions do not start with the words addiction, mental health, or treatment. Sometimes they start with something

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In Front of and Behind the Camera

Most people only see part of who we are.They see the version we show publicly, how we act around others, what we post online, our routines,

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Voices (and Choices) - A Relatable Way to Help Make Better Decisions

Most people don’t struggle with making decisions because they don’t know what to do.They struggle because they’re hearing multiple “voices”

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Understanding Addiction: A Complex Issue in Simple Terms

Not every group is ready for deep insight right away.Some groups are quieter, less engaged, or just not connecting with traditional ways of

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Famous Experiments – Practical Lessons

What Research Teaches Us About Behavior Change▶️ Watch the short video intro here: https://www.youtube.com/shorts/o-r6PhWNb4UWhat do dogs, m

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Two New Features Just Launched on Taking the Escalator

Over the past few weeks, I’ve been working on building tools that make your job easier in real, practical ways—not just more content, but be

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Imposter Syndrome – “I Don’t Belong Here?"

Ever have the thought:“If people really knew me… they wouldn’t think I’m doing this well.”That’s imposter syndrome—and it shows up more ofte

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The Honest Search for Insight: A Three-Level Experience for Real Growth

A Three-Level Approach to Building InsightThis release is designed to meet people at different levels, depending on where they are and how d

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Best / Worst Therapy Activity: A Simple Tool That Builds Insight and Engagement

Plus Bonus Material for Premium Members (See Below)Looking for an easy, engaging group therapy activity that actually gets people talking?Th