Group Therapy

How does group therapy work?

Group therapy involves one or more therapist who lead a group of clients roughly receiving counseling services for similar problems. Typically, groups meet for 1-2 hours each week.

Some people attend individual therapy in addition to groups, while others only participate in a therapy group.

What Should I Expect?

Many groups are designed to target a specific problem, such as depression, panic disorder, anxiety, or substance abuse. Groups often help those who have experienced loss, whether it be a spouse, a child or someone who died by suicide.

By participating in group therapy, you will be heard, you will not be judged, and you have opportunities to gain new perspectives and strategies on how to deal with your challenges.

Benefits of Group Therapy

Joining a group of strangers may sound intimidating, but group therapy provides benefits that individual therapy may not. 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.

Regularly talking and listening to others also helps you put your own problems in perspective. Many people experience mental health difficulties, but few speak openly about them. 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, and they look at situations in different ways. By seeing how other people tackle problems and make positive changes, you can discover a whole range of strategies for facing your own concerns.

If group therapy is right for you…

Group therapy can be very effective, especially in certain situations. Studies have shown that group therapy can be an effective treatment choice for depression, traumatic stress, substance abuse and a host of other mental health challenges.