Folks often think of therapy or counseling as one person, or perhaps a couple or family, interacting with a licensed mental health professional in an office or via telehealth.
What about therapy that involves a group? What comes to mind when you hear/read the words “group therapy”? If you’re basing your image on portrayals in pop culture, your response to that question could be a bit scary.
I am a licensed mental health counselor who has experience facilitating a wide variety of therapy groups for teens and adults. I’ve also participated in a few therapy groups. In this post, I share some insight from my experience and help to de-mystify group therapy a bit.
What is group therapy?
When you boil it down, group therapy is 3 or more people who are not from the same family unit gathering, either in person or virtually, for a specified amount of time to have a discussion/experience facilitated by a licensed mental health professional. Therapy groups may be open, meaning anyone can join or exit at any time, or closed, where a specified group of people meet and others are not able to join once the group has been formed. Groups may vary in size, often dependent on the type and purpose of the group.
Some therapy groups are educational, allowing multiple people to gather and gain information about a specific topic. These groups often tend to be larger and include less discussion than other types of groups. There are also therapy groups that may focus on providing time for group members to discuss and process experiences, allowing for much more discussion amongst the group members.
Learning specific skills, such as ways to cope more effectively with anxiety or skills to help you be more assertive in your relationships, may be a focus of a therapy group. Group therapy could also be focused around a specific topic which affects all the group members.
Many therapy groups include a combination of these aspects.
You may be wondering why someone would choose to participate in a group therapy experience.
What’s so special about group therapy?
Practicality
Some folks are drawn to group therapy based on practical logistics. Group therapy appointments generally occur on the same day/time of the week, offering a regularity for therapy that may not be accessible otherwise. Often, group therapy is a time-limited commitment that is pre-determined before you begin. You know what you’re getting into timewise. Group therapy may also be a more accessible option financially because the price per session is generally lower than individual sessions and you may feel that you receive a good value for your money with the focused nature of some therapy groups.
Relationships
Therapy groups often provide a sense of connection with others – recognizing ‘I’m not the only one struggling with this.’ In a skills-focused group, you may have opportunities to practice what you’re learning with other group members. The interactions within a group therapy setting can also allow for healing of some of the hurts you may have experienced in other relationships.
The Power of a Group
Group therapy provides a unique experience to join with others and experience the power of hope. At times, you may be the one in need of hope that things can be different, and experience that hope through other folks involved in the group. At other times, you may be able to offer that hope to your fellow group members. It’s a phenomenon where somehow the individual group members become something bigger than the sum of the parts when they come together in the group setting. Participants in group therapy can gain knowledge, skills, healing, connection, and hope through their involvement.
Taking the Next Step
Maybe you’re thinking you might like to try out group therapy. I regularly facilitate a religious trauma group for folks who have experienced harm within a religious or spiritual context. Participants are invited to put on their comfy clothes, grab their favorite (non-alcoholic) beverage or snack, and spend some time healing from their experience and exploring opportunities to connect with others who understand. If you’re in NC, and this sounds like something you might be interested in, I invite you to learn more and complete an interest form to schedule a free, virtual consultation.
Michelle F. Moseley (she/her) is a Licensed Clinical Mental Health Counselor in NC. She believes ALL people deserve respect, compassion, and access to mental and physical healthcare. Michelle specializes in working with survivors of religious trauma, and with those who have body image concerns, finding there is frequent overlap in these areas. She also frequently supports late-identified neurodivergent individuals as they navigate the grief and relief of a new understanding of self. You can learn more about Michelle by visiting her website at MichelleFMoseley.com or following her on Instagram – @therapy_with_michelle
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