Group Therapy
Interested in Group Therapy?
Group therapy involves one or more psychotherapists who facilitate a group of roughly five to 15 patients. The group meets for an hour or two hours each week or every other week. Some people attend individual therapy in addition to groups, while others participate in groups only.
Groups can be homogeneous or heterogeneous, depending on whether the members have similar or diverse backgrounds and concerns. Therapists often have specialized training in group therapy. Therapists look for the dynamics between group members as they happen in the moment—the here and now—which reflect the current issues in the members’ lives. In other words, the interaction between the members reveals the dynamics that have emerged from their family of origin, other intimate relationships, and less intimate interpersonal settings (such as the workplace). The therapist understands the emerging interactions, elicits feedback from the members about these behaviors, and helps initiate a correction in the interaction through these insights.
Support groups often do not analyze or employ the interaction features between the members, but rather talk about the themes and insights brought forward by the membership.
(Adapted from Psychology Today)
Many groups are designed to target a specific problem, such as depression, obesity, panic disorder, social anxiety, chronic pain or substance abuse. Other groups focus more generally on improving social skills, helping people deal with a range of issues such as anger, shyness, loneliness and low self-esteem. Groups often help those who have experienced loss, whether it be a spouse, a child or someone who died by suicide.
The cost for group therapy is usually less and research shows it can be just as effective as individual therapy.
Joining a group of strangers may sound intimidating at first, but group therapy provides benefits that individual therapy may not. Psychologists say, in fact, that group members are almost always surprised by how rewarding the group experience can be.
Groups can act as a support network and a sounding board. Other members of the group often help you come up with specific ideas for improving a difficult situation or life challenge, and hold you accountable along the way.
Regularly talking and listening to others also helps you put your own problems in perspective. Many people experience mental health difficulties, but few speak openly about them to people they don’t know well. Oftentimes, you may feel like you are the only one struggling — but you’re not. It can be a relief to hear others discuss what they’re going through, and realize you’re not alone.
Diversity is another important benefit of group therapy. People have different personalities and backgrounds, and they look at situations in different ways. By seeing how other people tackle problems and make positive changes, you can discover a whole range of strategies for facing your own concerns.
(Source: American Psychology Association – APA)