Seeking therapy is an important step in improving or maintaining your mental health. While most therapy sessions are confidential conversations between you and your therapist, individual therapy isn’t for everyone. In those cases, group therapy is an excellent alternative.
While group therapy isn’t as private as individual therapy, it is just as confidential. And unlike a private therapy session, a group therapy session allows you to hear and learn from others in a similar situation. This can lead to unexpected insights and solutions you and your therapists may not have considered.
So, what is group therapy like, and what can you expect from it?
What Is Group Therapy?
Group therapy is an alternative to individual therapy sessions, though you can use it in conjunction with individual therapy. Group therapy and individual therapy are similar in that you discuss your concerns and the challenges you’re facing and devise a solution or strategy for handling them. However, in group therapy, these discussions happen in a supportive environment with other individuals facing the same or similar concerns.
Most groups have between five and 15 group members and are led by one or two therapists who ensure the group stays on topic, follows the rules, and helps people navigate conflicts or other difficult situations.
How Is a Group Therapy Session Different From a Support Group?
Group therapy is a recognized mental health treatment modality that includes therapeutic elements. For example, some groups focus on using cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) to help with your mental health challenges. Group therapy sessions are led by a trained therapist and focus on a specific topic or concern, like enhancing social skills or reducing anxiety.
Support groups are also centered around a specific topic or concern, like substance abuse or grief. The difference is that support groups are generally led by other group members, not therapists. While a support group is a safe and supportive space for people to process what they’re feeling and connect with others who are in a similar situation, they don’t include therapeutic elements and are not considered mental health care or treatment like group therapy is.
While only group therapy is a form of mental health treatment, support groups and group therapy offer connection, encouragement, and solutions to the challenges group members face.
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What Can Group Therapy Help With?
Several analyses and studies have found that group therapy can be an effective treatment modality for a variety of mental health concerns. One meta-analysis found that group therapy helps reduce post-traumatic stress symptoms (PTSS) and depression in refugee and immigrant children and adolescents. And a study of CBT group therapy for LGBTQ+ youth found that the therapy sessions help them improve coping skills and reduce feelings of depression.
Group therapy sessions exist for mental health concerns like:
- Depression
- Anxiety disorders
- Trauma and PTSD
- ADHD
- Eating disorders
- Social or behavioral challenges
- Grief or loss
- Chronic pain
- Obesity
- Substance abuse
What to Expect During Group Therapy
You may not want to share much during the first few sessions, and that’s OK. Sometimes, listening to other people is best. As you learn more about the group and build trust with it, you’ll begin to open up and share more.
Equally crucial is that you never have to share anything you don’t want to, and it’s not your responsibility to “fix” or treat anyone else in the group. That’s what the therapist is for!
The Logistics
Therapy groups generally meet once a week, though they can meet more often. Each group therapy session lasts an hour, though some people stay after the formal meeting has ended to connect with others.
Some groups have an “open” start date, meaning you can join whenever you want. Others have a “closed” date. They usually follow a specific curriculum that works best when someone starts at the beginning instead of halfway through the material. In other cases, the therapy works better when participants start at the same time. This encourages them to build safety and trust with each other and can improve the overall group therapy experience.
Depending on the specifics, some groups meet for a short time, like six weeks. Others may go for months, and still others may go indefinitely.
During group therapy, you’ll likely participate in several different types of therapeutic activities. The specific activities are selected based on the group’s focus, the needs of the members, and how the therapist approaches treatment.
Some group therapy sessions may encourage each group member to share something personal to help build trust within the group. Other times, you may meditate or draw something based on a prompt.
Build Trust
In the early stages of group therapy, the focus will be on establishing trust between members. The therapist will help create ground rules so everyone understands what behavior is and is not acceptable. There may be some required rules (like no talking unless you were called on), and others may be set by group members.
Start Sharing
During the first few sessions or even at the beginning of every session, the therapist may ask each member to engage in an icebreaker. This activity eases everyone into the more intense work that will happen during group therapy.
Most icebreakers are “light,” meaning you won’t be expected to share deeply personal information.
Interact and Reflect
During a typical group therapy session, you’ll interact with other participants. You might participate in a structured therapeutic activity or pair off with someone. You may work alone, then come back as a group and discuss the activity.
You’ll also reflect on what’s happening in the group. This is a time for you to learn and grow, either by discussing what you’ve learned or by giving useful feedback to others.
Build Skills and Solve Problems
Another critical aspect of each group therapy session is building skills and solving problems. A large part of group therapy is learning how to approach your situation differently. This requires a new set of skills, and each session will help you develop these skills through group interactions.
Who Should Not Pursue Group Therapy
While group therapy can be an effective alternative to individual therapy for all genders, races, and almost every age, group therapy isn’t appropriate for everyone.
Someone in a crisis situation should attend individual therapy to address their immediate needs. Once that happens, they can gradually add group therapy to their treatment plan. Those with certain mental health concerns may not be a good fit for group therapy, like people who are extremely shy or anxious speaking in front of a group — at first. As they work with a therapist, the individual may overcome these issues, and speaking in front of a group in a group therapy setting may be the next right step for their progress.
Pros of Group Therapy
Like any treatment modality, group therapy may not be for everyone. Talking about your personal issues in a group setting may not appeal to you, and even if it does, the group’s size may impact how long or how often you have the opportunity. But the benefits of group therapy may outweigh your concerns.
- Costs less. Because one therapist is working with multiple people, they can and often will charge less per session than what they charge for an individual therapy session.
- Multiple viewpoints. Though every group member faces similar circumstances and challenges, not every person sees it through the same lens. Talking to others in your situation with a different view can give you a new perspective on your situation.
- Connection and comfort. Group therapy tends to be more formal than a support group. However, you can still connect with and find comfort in talking with others.
Improve communication skills. Talking about yourself, providing feedback, and active listening are all valuable communication skills. Even if you possess these skills, you may find that they’re improved during group therapy. - Give and receive support. It’s not uncommon to feel alone before and even during therapy. But as you bond with the group, you’ll learn how to give and receive support in a healthy way that can improve how you feel about yourself and your journey.
- Improve self-awareness. As you attend group therapy sessions and learn from others, you’ll learn more about yourself. You’ll improve your ability to identify negative emotions and which situations trigger them.
Cons of Group Therapy
While there are many benefits of group therapy, it’s not the right treatment modality for everyone.
- It’s a group. Group therapy meets for a limited time, generally an hour. As a result, not everyone may have the chance to speak or speak as much as they want. That’s expected in a group setting, but it may not be right for your needs.
- Less flexible. The group meets on a set day or days and at a set time. If you can’t go when the group meets, you can’t participate.
- Group conflicts. Conflict is bound to happen in any group, and group therapy is no exception. While a licensed therapist will help diffuse the situation and get the group on track, that can reduce the time you have to speak. And ongoing conflicts can derail the group and your progress.
- Confidentiality breaches. Group therapy is supposed to remain confidential — what happens in the group stays in the group. However, that requires that every group member follows the rules, and sometimes they don’t. Even an accidental breach of confidentiality can disrupt the group dynamic and create trust issues.
Types of Group Therapy
While group therapy targets a specific mental health concern, each group may use a different treatment modality to achieve results. Some common types of group therapy are:
- Psychoeducational. In this model, the therapist acts as a teacher, educating group members about their condition and how to cope with it.
- Cognitive-behavioral. The therapist uses CBT to help members identify and change unhelpful or negative thinking and behaviors.
- Skills development. These groups help people learn specific skills. For example, a social skills group teaches people how to interact with others, while an ADHD group helps members cope with their condition.
What to Look for in a Therapy Group
Choosing a therapy group is similar to choosing a therapist. You should ask a few questions to see if this particular group seems like a good fit, and you may need to try a few groups before finding one that works.
Open or Closed?
Open groups allow new members to join at any time. Closed groups require group members to start and end the group therapy sessions at the same time.
The advantage of an open group is that you don’t have to wait for something to end in order to get started. You can join the group whenever it’s convenient, something that may appeal to you as you’re searching for the right group. The disadvantage is that you’re joining an established group. While the therapist will help you feel welcome and integrate you into the group, it may take some time before you feel comfortable sharing or find it difficult to establish supportive connections.
Building safety and trust is generally easier in a closed group. When everyone starts at the same time, it’s easier to build connections, particularly as the group grows and people share more about themselves. The disadvantage is that you have to wait until a new session starts. If you miss that date, you’ll have to wait until the next one, which may be too long for you.
How Many Group Members?
Some groups have as few as five people, while others may have as many as 15 or 20. While you’ll likely have more opportunities to talk about yourself and for longer in a small group, if you don’t mesh with other group members or the therapist, you may not get as much out of the group therapy sessions.
Larger groups are often more diverse than smaller ones. While everyone in the group is confronting a similar challenge or issue, more members means it’s more likely someone will be a different age, race, or religion (as examples) and may have a different perspective you can learn from. However, large groups make it more difficult for you to have the attention and time you can get in a smaller group setting.
How Long Does the Therapy Group Last?
Many groups run on a set schedule that can last several weeks or even months, and with that comes the expectation you’ll attend every session. While it’s important to attend every meeting, you may not be able to attend group therapy every week for six months in a row. Understanding how long the group runs for and what the attendance expectations are can help you connect with the right group.
Does the Group’s Focus Match Yours?
Each group focuses on a different concern. While the title and description of the group may match what you think you’re looking for, you may discover a mismatch between what you want and what you need.
For example, a social skills group that works on anxiety may sound like a good fit for you if you’re shy. However, these anxiety and shyness are different concerns and the strategies to overcome each are different. You may not get anything out of therapy if your goals and needs don’t align with the group’s.
Will You Be Comfortable?
Finally, just like you should be comfortable with your therapist, you need to be comfortable in group therapy. This means feeling accepted by the group and the therapist, as well as feeling safe and supported. You may not be able to tell whether or not you’ll be comfortable just hearing about a group, but after a few meetings, you should have a strong feeling one way or the other.
A Group Solution
Group therapy can be a cost-effective alternative to individual therapy that can achieve the same or similar results as private therapy. You’ll still work with a licensed therapist who can guide you on your mental health journey, but you’ll also have the advantage of learning from others who are experiencing the same things you are.
If you’re looking for group therapy, Anchor Light Therapy Collective can help. Schedule an assessment today to see if you’re a good fit for one of our groups.
