Group Therapy

Working as a group provides power.

There is something powerful in group therapy. When a group of people come together and share intimate life issues, it can create a strong bond.

It can feel uncomfortable at first, but it can lead to deep, meaningful work and growth, both of which are part of the therapy process.

Groups provide mutual benefits.

The unit of treatment in group therapy is the whole group. However, what makes the group whole is you and other individuals sitting together for a session.

Everyone is important to the process. Although the work occurs in the group, your individual experience and learning are the focus for your process, because you share both similar and different issues.

You are going to relate, disagree, connect, argue, and provide support. At the same time, you will learn to listen and to acknowledge each other’s experiences, while working on yourself.

Working together brings a lot of depth into the process of therapy, as well as into your own experiences, challenges, recovery, change, and growth.

Individual therapy or group therapy?

Those two are very different modes of therapy.

In an individual session, it is just about you. The session is your “me time.” You are the primary actor on the stage, and we dedicate all the time to you. It is a connection between you and the therapist and the process of your treatment.

You have the freedom to talk about issues which you may not feel comfortable bringing up among others.

In the group therapy, it is not just about you. You share the stage when it is your turn, and everyone gets time to share.

The connection involves others beyond your therapist. It requires relating to others, learning from each other, receiving, and giving feedback to each other, and providing support, while bonding with each other.

Support from peers can be beneficial, and you can form strong relationships.

You are seen, understood, and not alone.

At times, you may feel that some people “don’t get it.” You may feel that the struggle with which you are dealing is misunderstood, making you feel all alone.

When you attend a group therapy that brings in people who are struggling with the same issue, it provides a sensation of connection. You will feel that your group peers get it. They get you. They relate to you, and you relate to them.

This makes you feel less alone and misunderstood than you may have felt before talking with others.

Not everything will be rosy. Disagreements will arise among peers in the group. As a result, we set boundaries, and every person needs to feel respected and fully seen and heard.

It may be that someone triggers something in you. This triggering provides a time to explore and share why they rubbed you the wrong way. If you choose not to open up, it is your choice, and it will be respected.

Group confidentiality is important.

I ask everyone in the group to respect each other’s confidentiality.

This is necessary for creating a safe space where people can open up, share, be vulnerable to one another, and trust that their voice and identity stay in the therapy room.

Respect is an essential component of group therapy, no matter what one feels about another person.

This is about the safety of the whole group as a unit and as individuals.

You gain a sense of belonging.

Having a community and people who can “get you” and relate to you and your experiences is important for your well-being.

So, if you sense that you need that kind of support that includes another form of community and friends, then let’s talk about group therapy and see what is right for you.

I am welcoming you into the group.