What is Group Therapy?
It is a form of psychotherapy that involves one or more therapists working with a group of several people at the same time.
Types of Group Therapy
Cognitive behavioral groups- focus on changing distorted thinking patterns, emotional responses, and behaviors
Interpersonal groups- focus on social interactions and relationships, including the impact of relationships have on mental health
Psychoeducational groups- focus on educating of their disorders and ways of coping
Skills development groups- focus on improving social skills of those with mental disorders or developmental disabilities
Support groups- provide a wide range of benefits for people with mental health conditions as well as for their loved ones
Techniques:
Group will meet in a room with chairs arranged in a circle, so everyone can see each other
Session might begin with members introducing each other or if continuation, share progress or experiences since last meeting
Flow of meeting and activities during meeting depend on therapist
Some therapist might encourage a more freestyle form
Others might have a specific plan for each session
Group therapy activities include:
Icebreakers
Gratitude activities (ex: “I am thankful…”)
Sharing, where group members ask each other questions
Writing activities to explore experiences and emotions
Goal visualization to help set goals and accomplish them
What Group Therapy can help with:
ADHD
Depression
Eating disorders
Anxiety
Panic disorder
Phobias
PTSD
Anger management
Divorce
Grief and loss
Weight management
Benefits:
Get support and encouragement from a community of people
People can see others going through the same thing and feel less alone
Other members can serve as role models, seeing someone with successful coping can give hope to recovery for them
The therapist can see how each individual interacts and behaves in social situation
Is group therapy for you? In order to consider group therapy’s benefits, the willingness to share with a group should be considered. Being open and transparent with strangers is hard, but if this is a right fit for you it will be beneficial.