The Primary Treatment Education Programme (PTE) is a twelve week group which takes place on Wednesdays 2.15pm - 4.00pm. It provides education on the following: 

• Understanding addiction, which includes information that will help participants determine whether they may have an addiction to alcohol, other mood altering substances, gambling, or other addictive behaviours in their own lives.
• Understanding the continuum of addiction and its cycle.
• The impact of alcohol and other addictive substances on the human body.
• Information outlining levels of risk regarding alcohol consumption.
• Fetal Alcohol Syndrome.
• The impact of problem drinking and other addictions on the family.
• Denial, managing emotions, and outlining stages of change involved in the recovery process.
• Relapse Prevention, managing cravings, post actue withdrawal syndrome.
• The importance of effective support groups in the recovery process, with special emphasis on understanding Alcoholics Anonymous (AA) and LifeRing.

The goal of the group is (1) to enable participants increase their awareness, and obtain greater calrity and understanding of their relationship with alcohol, other mood altering substances and addictive behaviours. (2) Instil hope and encouragement by providing them with a pathway to address this relationship when it has become problematic. (3) Provide participants with knowledge that will assist them to engage more effectively in individual counselling and other groups that they may attend at Stanhope Centre.