What is Group Therapy?

Group therapy typically involves 5 to 15 patients, designed to target a specific concern or a general issue.

Concerns may include depression, obesity, anxiety, chronic pain or substance addiction. Other groups may focus on a more general issue such as improving social skills, anger management or grief. Group therapy may be especially helpful for those who have experienced loss and have trouble coping with grief.

Each group therapy is generally facilitated by a lead clinician, and will help the group through a programme to better understand their thoughts and emotions. Therapy groups may meet for a set length of time with a consistent group of members, or may be an indefinite period of time with members joining and leaving.

Clinicians will teach the group evidence-based strategies for managing specific issues, and have undergone training to facilitate group therapy. For example, a clinician who is leading an addiction management group will guide participants through scientifically validated strategies for curbing addictions.

Benefits

While group therapy may sound intimidating at first, it can afford advantages due to its unique group dynamics. Groups can act as a support network. Being with a group of individuals that have a common understanding and experience in an issue may be empowering, as it can help you realise that you are not alone.

Regularly listening to others, coupled with introspection allows you to learn more about yourself. You may recognise aspects of yourself in others, which can help you find patterns you may not notice before. Members may also offer insights into difficult issues that they have had personally experienced.

Group therapy can encourage empathy and self-acceptance. Through stories of others and their struggles, you may come to see your life differently. It also promotes forgiveness, especially when relating to others within the group.

Concerns

Confidentiality in Group Therapy

Confidentiality within a group setting is a cornerstone of group therapy. It is always strictly laid down as one of the first one ground rules when a new Group is formed. This means that members are not allowed to share personal information of other group members. Therapy works when there is open and honest communication between members hence you are encouraged to be as open as you are comfortable with. You may find that the members in your group grow to be some of your trusted pillars of support!

Is Group Therapy a substitute for individual therapy?

You may find group therapy to be a useful supplement to individual therapy. Many patients find that having both individual and group therapy running concurrently helps reinforce the concepts covered during individual therapy, and make lasting change. However, there are many mental health concerns that will benefit from therapy is both individual and group settings.

More information on group therapy can be found here. To make an appointment with us, click here.