Is Group Therapy for Me?

Most of us have certain images or cliches that readily come to mind when we think of group therapy. You might think of the typical support group, like a 12-Step meeting, or perhaps strangers in a circle talking about feelings or having cathartic releases a-la rehab scenes from the movies (28 Days, Anger Management, A Star is Born).

Unlike support groups, skills-based groups, or psychoeducation groups, I am focusing on my passion which is interpersonal process groups and how they can offer powerful growth and insight that simply can’t be achieved in an individual therapy setting.

An interpersonal process group is typically made up of anywhere from 6-10 group members and the group therapist. The focus of each session is on the interactions between the members and how they relate to one another, as well as how they may be influenced by their past and their life outside of the group in the “here-and-now”. Process groups typically place a great value on the here-and-now, which means rather than talking about what is going on outside of the group (e.g. “I had a really bad day at work”), there is more importance placed on what is experienced in the present moment (e.g. “When you turned away from me, I wondered if I made you angry”). The goal is to enhance our understanding of how we show up in the world, how others experience us in real time, practice interpersonal skills, and as a result we often can leave group feeling connected, understood, and empowered.

But I’m already in individual therapy. Why do I need group therapy?

1.      Practicing new behaviors: group provides the opportunity to practice and experiment with things we often are only talking about in individual therapy. For example: handling conflict, being assertive, overcoming people-pleasing tendencies, or increasing empathy are all therapeutic goals that can be actively experimented with in group.

2.      Common Humanity: a healing aspect of group is understanding that our struggles, our past, and our inner challenges are not so unique. Connecting with others in this way offers a benefit that individual therapy can’t, as therapists typically don’t self-disclose. Groups often end up delving into existential themes like purpose, meaning, death, loss, and other themes pertinent to the human experience. This offers a unique opportunity to process or make sense of some of life’s difficult, yet inevitable challenges.

3.      Corrective Experiences: a group setting can often recreate other groups or systems in our lives, such as family—however, the environment of group therapy offers the opportunity to have a corrective “do-over” as we become consciously aware of what is being enacted.

4.      Vicarious learning/healing: when one group member is working through something or having a breakthrough, the entire group benefits. They benefit from the installation of hope by bearing witness, and they often benefit from experiencing how someone else’s story and insight can shed light and deeper understanding on their own experience.

5.      Connection and Belonging: To know and be known is increasingly rare. In 2023 the U.S. Surgeon General published a study detailing the “Loneliness Epidemic” which states that we are living in a time of social isolation that is so dire it is impacting our physical health. The data shows that time spent alone is increasing, while time spent in face-to-face interaction is decreasing (you can see this study here). Group therapy provides the opportunity to reignite the tools for navigating connection, relationship building and even learning how to connect despite differences or disagreements—something that I argue we need now more than ever.

To learn more about group, you can check out the webpage here or call for a consultation. I would love to talk about it with you and answer any questions you have to help you determine if it’s the right next step for you.