There are many misconceptions and misunderstandings about what group therapy is, whom it’s for, and how it works. Eliminating misunderstandings about group therapy can go a long way towards getting people the help that they need. Group therapy, like individual therapy, is intended to help people who want to improve their quality of life by learning how to effectively manage and cope with a wide array of difficulties and problems. However, while individual therapy is a one to one model, group therapy is structured in order to include several clients and one, sometimes two counsellor(s).

Why chose group therapy over individual therapy?

Group therapy has the added benefit of interpersonal interactions, wherein relationship and social problems can be addressed as well as any specific problems an individual may seek counselling on. The dynamic of the group effectively helps solve emotional difficulties, encourages personal development, and helps build self-esteem as clients begin to help other members of the group.

Many people benefit from a combination of both group and individual therapy, but engaging in both is not a requirement. Some people choose to enter group therapy after spending time in individual therapy while others enter group therapy without ever having done individual therapy at all.

The two models compliment each other.

Individual therapy will allow the client to talk in private and focus on their issues with little to no distraction. Conversely, in a group, time is shared amongst participants. Discussion may move quickly, and you may need to focus a bit more on being engaged in order to keep up with a spontaneous pace. This dynamic is indispensable in helping people grow, solve problems, and become the person they want to be.

Group therapy is often the first safe place for people to begin practicing the interpersonal skills they’ll be using for the rest of their lives.

Group therapy is an effective counselling model for several reasons. It offers an opportunity for individuals to experience situations that are problematic for them, but, by the facilitation of a group counsellor, the group is able to give support and offer alternatives. The individual is in an environment that nurtures the development of new social skills; individuals in this environment find that they become much more willing to help, trust, and care for others. Lastly, and sometimes most powerfully, individuals participating in group therapy find out that they are not alone. They find encouragement in seeing and hearing other people that have faced similar problems and have worked through them.

Group therapy is very different than the misleading, incorrect representations you’ll find on television or in some Hollywood movie. It’s not some out of control or melodramatic soap opera. It’s an environment where people develop the skills they need to effectively live the life they’ve wanted for years. It’s a very real alternative and/or compliment to individual therapy. If you’ve been considering therapy, or are interested in learning more about group therapy, please contact me.

As human beings, our greatness lies not so much in being able to remake the world – that is the myth of the atomic age – as in being able to remake ourselves.
Mahatma Gandhi