“Trauma degrades the victim; the group exalts her. Trauma dehumanizes the victim; the group restores her humanity. Repeatedly in the testimony of survivors there comes a moment when a sense of connection is restored by another person’s unaffected display of generosity. Something in herself that the victim believes to be irretrievably destroyed—faith, decency, courage—is reawakened by an example of common altruism. Mirrored in the actions of others, the survivor recognizes and reclaims a lost part of herself. At that moment, the survivor begins to rejoin the human commonality…”
Virtually all well-designed recovery programs emphasize the importance of structure and ongoing community support. The Project New Day Program model offers this support through online (Zoom) community sessions that participants may join after completing their coaching series.
Project New Day weekly or semiweekly community sessions are grounded in the belief that people benefit from environments where they are valued, heard, and supported for who they are.
Trauma in its various forms is often associated with a sense of disconnection from oneself and from others. Research suggests that strong social bonds play an important role in emotional well-being and resilience. When people feel isolated, they may be more vulnerable to hopelessness and unhealthy coping patterns.
Addictive behaviors can sometimes provide temporary relief from emotional pain, but they often lead to diminishing returns and increased struggle over time. Supportive social connection, especially within a group of peers focused on growth and healing, can offer a healthier and more sustainable source of encouragement and accountability.
To help participants maintain and build on insights gained during coaching sessions, the Project New Day Program model encourages weekly or semiweekly Zoom-based community meetings. Research has shown that social support and recovery-focused peer networks are associated with reduced risk of relapse across multiple forms of addiction (Havassy, Hall, & Wasserman, 1991).
“People need people – for initial and continued survival, for socialization, for the pursuit of satisfaction. No one – not the dying, not the outcast, not the mighty – transcends the need for human contact.”
The benefits of supportive group experiences are widely recognized. In his landmark work Theory and Practice of Group Psychotherapy, Irvin Yalom describes eleven “therapeutic factors” commonly observed in structured group settings, particularly those that meet consistently over time. These include:
While Project New Day community sessions are educational and supportive rather than clinical group therapy, many of these positive group dynamics can naturally emerge when people come together with shared intentions for growth and healing.