Group Therapy
Group Therapy
Dependent on the nature of your problem, group therapy can be an ideal choice for addressing your concerns and making positive changes in your life. Goal-directed activity is offered to small treatment groups aimed at meeting socio-emotional, organisational, and personal needs to accomplish tasks. This activity is directed to individual members in a group and as the group within a system of service delivery and who have shared similar issues and are willing to learn and grow from their experiences. In most group therapy settings, clients explore different topics in-depth and participate in activities; however, there are other approaches to group therapy that are more specialized and issue-focused.
Issues we can help with
Group therapy can help with a wide range of psychological difficulties including:
- Depression
- Anxiety
- Relationship difficulties
- Post-traumatic symptoms
- Addictions & other Substance Abuse Issues
- Family & Parenting Issues
- Aggression and other Mental Health Issues
- Student Development
- Child Abuse Issues (physical, sexual, emotional, etc.)
- Gay, Bi, Lesbian, transgender – questioning (GBLT-Q)
Types of Groups
There are many different types of groups for different purposes. Some are specialized, clinical and some are general and supportive. Some can also be highly structured or casual.
- General Therapeutic Groups: This type of group deals mainly with self-understanding and improving your overall relationships with others. Most times, group members will be asked to define goals they would like to achieve, within the timeframe of the group therapy program.
- Specialized Therapeutic Groups: There are several therapy groups for people with specific needs. These include groups that deal with women's issues, sexual assault, stress management, men's issues, parenting, and divorce, different diagnoses. Before you join the group, an assessment is completed to determine the need and fit for the group.
- Psychoeducational Support Group: This type of group is less focused on developing relationships between clients, as an alternative, focused on providing education through information-sharing and the development of healthy coping mechanisms. Rather than allowing the group to guide the direction of therapy sessions, a qualified therapist leads discussions and guides clients by setting goals. Support groups are intended to offer general support by having members offer support to each other, while therapeutic groups improve behavioral patterns and social interactions in all types of relationships.
What should I expect?
Group therapy involves one or more therapist who leads the group. They may have various specialties. The facilitators create a non-judgmental, confidential environment during the process of programme delivery as a means of fostering trust, and deepening the group process, thereby allowing participants to comfortably share their personal experiences as a means of introducing ‘realistic’ examples.
Typically, groups meet for an hour or two each week. 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.
Benefits of Group Therapy
- Joining a group of strangers may sound intimidating at first, but group therapy provides benefits that individual therapy may not. Clinicians always express 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.
- By talking and listening to others, this helps you put your problems into 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, this helps as they see situations in different ways. This can help you see how other people confront their problems and make positive changes.
- Gain opportunities to approach your life with an awareness of a specific state of, physical, emotional, mental, and social development to establish a greater sense of well-being.
- Gain skills-based competencies that will enable you to address issues such as conflict, interpersonal communication, and critical decision making.
- Be exposed to information and activities that would enable you to overcome any limitations your life circumstances may present, allowing you to discover and pursue your full potential.
- Gain opportunities towards empowerment with the insights and skills to create and follow your vision regarding family, community, and other aspects of social life.
What should I expect?
Many people find it’s helpful to participate in both group therapy and individual therapy. Participating in both types of modalities can boost your chances of making valuable, lasting changes. If you’ve been involved in individual therapy and your progress has stalled, joining a group may jump-start your personal growth.