Group Therapy
In last week’s blog post, I spoke about relationships and Gottman’s Four Horsemen. Today, I’ll speak about other services we provide at Thrive Psychology.
Group therapy is one such service. In my experience, I’ve found that there are a lot of misconceptions about group therapy. Today, let’s discuss what group therapy is, how it can be beneficial and some of the myths associated with it.
Group therapy can be described as a therapeutic approach involving several individuals with the same or similar difficulties, facilitated by a psychologist. In group therapy, individuals with the same or similar challenges come together with the shared aim of growth and healing a specific difficulty.
“We are wounded in relationships, it is ultimately through relationships that we must heal and grow” – Harville Hendrix
Group therapy differs from a support group. Support groups consist of individuals with similar difficulties, where said individuals encourage or comfort each other. In group therapy, a psychologist facilitates the therapeutic process
Group therapy has been found to be effective for difficulties such loss/grief, depression, anxiety, substance use, chronic pain and more. Several types of psychotherapy can also be delivered in a group setting, for example, DBT (Dialectical Behaviour Therapy). Group therapy can also involve teaching specific skills, for example teaching of interpersonal communication.
In the group context we have the opportunity to share our own experiences, and hear about others’ similar experiences. Being able to share in a safe, supportive space is very powerful. For example, individuals with chronic pain often struggle to express their experiences to friends and family. This is because loved ones may not fully understand how pervasive and unrelenting chronic pain can be.
Beyond sharing experiences, group therapy provides an environment to learn new strategies and tools to manage pain. This kind of shared learning does not occur in individual therapy.
Myths and Misconceptions about Group Therapy
‘Group therapy looks like what happens in the Movies with people’
Group therapy often gets misrepresented in film and TV. In reality, group therapy is more structured, guided and far more effective than how it portrayed.
‘I will be judged in group therapy’
I think this is a common fear for many people. Sharing your thoughts with a group of people can feel intimidating, and we worry we may or will be judged. In reality, group therapy is a safe and non-judgmental space where we can share our experiences and thoughts without fear.
‘There is no confidentiality in group therapy’
Another common fear with group therapy, is that what is shared in group therapy might be repeated outside of sessions. However, in reality, during the first group session, we collaboratively create a set of rules that each person in the group must adhere to.
‘Group therapy is just a support group’
As discussed above, a support group is different from therapy. Group therapy is facilitated by a trained psychologist, ensuring a structured and therapeutic process. That being said, it is of huge benefit to be able to share and receive empathy from individuals who are going through similar events. For example, individuals in a grief group all have recently experience a loss.
‘Group therapy isn’t as effective as individual therapy’
There is a wealth of research that shows group therapy is effective. Both group and individual therapy have been shown to improve a wide variety of psychological difficulties and disorders.
‘I don’t feel comfortable sharing in a group or I will be forced to share in a group’
Many people initially find it difficult to share in a group setting. However, group therapy is a safe space, and as sessions progress, members often feel more comfortable sharing. You will never be forced to share if you do not feel ready
‘Group therapy is just sharing’
While sharing is an important aspect of group therapy, it goes beyond that. For example, a group on chronic pain might involve: sharing of experiences, learning about pain, learning about pain management techniques, practising stress reduction strategies, applying principles from CBT and DBT in the management of chronic pain.
Why Consider Group Therapy?
Group therapy can be extremely powerful and beneficial for a variety of psychological difficulties. Group therapy has some unique aspects that are not available in individual therapy. At Thrive Psychology, we offer group therapy for grief, chronic pain and more. If you’re interested in learning more, feel free to reach out to us.
Stay tuned for our next blog post, where we’ll discuss individual therapy and explain acronyms like DBT and CBT in more detail.
Steven Levitas