Taking the Escalator

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Taking the Escalator

Starting where you are and moving upward. Buidling motivation and insight for inspiration and progress

Taking the Escalator is an easy to understand method developing the inspiration to overcome the struggle with managing addictions. This exciting new book is different than the 12 steps and other methods simply because the focus is not based on a predetermined path made by others years ago. Rather, Taking the Escalator instead allows each person to consider their own personal values, beliefs and ci

rcumstances and then develop an individualized road map toward inspired progress. The process outlined in this method is simple yet effective as the focus is driven by enhancing your own motivation and insight then using those strengths for building lasting success in overcoming substance abuse and for shaping a better life.

06/09/2026

New Taking The Escalator Group Activity: Dreams for Sale

Participants receive a limited amount of auction money and bid on some of life's most desired outcomes, including love, health, wealth, family, purpose, and success.

What begins as a fun and interactive exercise quickly becomes a meaningful discussion about values, priorities, and how we invest our most important resources: time, energy, attention, and effort.

A versatile activity for mental health, substance use, educational, and personal growth groups.

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 desires. • A guaranteed soulmate. • Perfect health. • A long life. • Fame. • Financial wealth. • A happy family. • A meaningful purpose. You cannot b...

06/02/2026

Many people are fighting battles that nobody else can see.
They show up to work. They take care of their families. They smile. They function.

Yet beneath the surface they may be carrying anxiety, depression, grief, trauma, loneliness, cravings, shame, self-doubt, or emotional exhaustion.

Our newest worksheet, Invisible Battles, explores the struggles people often hide, why they keep them hidden, and practical steps toward healing. The activity includes reflection questions, discussion prompts, and a simple framework to help participants acknowledge their struggles, reach out for support, and begin moving forward.

One of the most important lessons we learn in behavioral health is that appearances can be deceiving.The person who seems calm may be battling severe anxiety. The person who looks successful may be carrying overwhelming shame. The individual who appears strong and independent may be struggling with....

05/26/2026

New on Taking the Escalator: The Mansion of Emotion, a creative art therapy-inspired activity designed to promote emotional insight, self-awareness, and meaningful group discussion.

Participants explore emotions, memories, fears, strengths, struggles, and hopes by imagining their emotional life as a mansion filled with different rooms.

The activity can be completed through drawing, writing, discussion, or a combination of approaches. Printable room templates are also included.

At Taking the Escalator, some of our favorite ideas come directly from the creativity and feedback of our members.Recently, a member reached out looking for more art therapy-style activities that could still connect meaningfully to emotional insight, recovery, mental health, and group discussion. We...

05/20/2026

New Resource Release: “Been There, Done That” – An Early Intervention Group Activity for Substance Use and Co-Occurring Disorders

Many early intervention clients do not initially identify themselves as having a “serious problem,” which can make engagement and honest discussion more challenging.

“Been There, Done That” was designed to address that challenge in a practical and non-threatening way.

Sometimes the best group discussions do not start with the words addiction, mental health, or treatment. Sometimes they start with something much more relatable: • Staying up too late • Buying something you never use • Saying “starting Monday” for the tenth time • Feeling emotionally exh...

05/12/2026

Many people become very skilled at hiding stress, insecurity, emotional pain, loneliness, or pressure behind humor, routines, appearance, social media, or the role they play in everyday life.

This new worksheet uses the relatable idea of being “in front of” and “behind” the camera to help group members explore the difference between what people see externally and what may really be happening internally.

The activity begins with a fun and modern social media/influencer-style icebreaker, then gradually moves into deeper discussion involving:

• Public image vs. private struggles

• Emotional patterns and coping

• Misunderstandings and assumptions

• Identity and self-awareness

• What people don’t always see behind the scenes

Designed to encourage insight, empathy, honesty, and meaningful discussion in a nonthreatening and highly relatable way.

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, personality, humor, appearance, or the role we play in everyday life. But behind the scenes, many people carry stress, insecurities, fears, painful memories, pr...

05/05/2026

Not all decision-making struggles are about knowledge.

Often, it’s about competing internal “voices” pulling in different directions in the moment.

Our new Voices and Choices worksheet helps clients:

• Recognize common internal thought patterns

• Understand how those patterns influence behavior

• Practice simple strategies to slow down and choose differently

This approach is especially effective in group settings because it feels relatable, not overly clinical, and opens the door to meaningful discussion.

Most people don’t struggle with making decisions because they don’t know what to do.They struggle because they’re hearing multiple “voices” at the same time, each pulling them in a different direction.VIDEO INTRO - https://youtube.com/shorts/C93Lu37q2XQ?si=SPqwAwo16xFFELBOOne voice pushes ...

04/29/2026

Not all groups are ready for in-depth exploration of addiction at the outset.

For groups that are quieter, less engaged, or early in the process, a different entry point can make a meaningful difference.

Our new Taking The Escalator worksheet, Understanding Addiction: A Complex Issue in Simple Terms, introduces the topic in a clear, accessible way without relying on heavy clinical language.

By using relatable ideas like rewards, “power-ups,” and “borrowing from tomorrow,” it supports engagement and encourages discussion in a low-pressure format.

This approach is particularly effective for:

• Lower engagement groups

• Early-stage clients

• Adolescents

Not every group is ready for deep insight right away.Some groups are quieter, less engaged, or just not connecting with traditional ways of talking about addiction. This worksheet was created with that in mind.It breaks addiction down into something simple and non-threatening: how the brain can get....

04/21/2026

New Worksheet: Famous Experiments → Practical Lessons

Some of the most well-known psychology experiments highlight patterns we see every day, such as: getting stuck, giving in to urges, losing momentum, or being impacted by expectations.

This worksheet translates those concepts into practical discussion:
• Real-life meaning
• Connections to mental health and recovery
• Clear takeaways for change

It’s designed to be easy to use and effective across different group dynamics, with minimal setup required.

Premium Members also get the Facilitator Guide with structured guidance, engagement strategies, and follow-up ideas.

What Research Teaches Us About Behavior Change▶️ Watch the short video intro here: https://www.youtube.com/shorts/o-r6PhWNb4UWhat do dogs, marshmallows, monkeys, and classroom studies have to do with real-life change?...More than you might think.Some of the most well-known experiments in psychol...

04/15/2026

Two new features are now live on Taking the Escalator.

Our focus has been simple: help clinicians find better ways to use what’s already there in real clinical settings.

• A worksheet recommendation tool that helps match the right material to what’s happening in the room

• An AI-powered clinical consultant designed to support clinical thinking, clarify motivation, and guide next steps

Both tools were built to reduce time spent searching and second-guessing and increase confidence and effectiveness in the moment.

If you’ve ever needed to make a quick clinical decision or find the right direction for a group, these tools were designed with that in mind.

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 better ways to use what’s already there.Two new features are now live, and both are designed to help you think more clearly, move faster, and feel more conf...

04/06/2026

New Release: 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.”

This new Taking the Escalator Member Worksheet breaks down:

Where imposter syndrome shows up
What’s underneath it
Where it comes from
How to challenge those thoughts

A practical, real-world tool for groups or individual work....

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 often than we think.In work. In relationships.Even in recovery.What This CoversThis worksheet helps break it down in a real, usable way: • Where it ...

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