Why You Should Try Group Therapy
I get a lot of clients who are willing to try individual therapy. Being vulnerable in front of one non-judgmental professional is one thing . . . but when it comes to the idea of group therapy? Yikes!
Sometimes people literally recoil. And I get it; it’s really scary to open up to a group of strangers. But you may be surprised by how effective and rewarding an experience group therapy can be.
8 Reasons to Try Group Therapy
We are literally wired for social connection. Once you get past the initial discomfort of sitting down with a group of strangers, you start to experience social feedback that feels really good. By the end of many groups, group members feel a sense of loss because they have thrived in a setting of social support and camaraderie.
In groups, we learn that this isolating, painful experience is more universal than we initially thought. You learn you are not alone in this challenge. Others can understand your pain and your struggles. Experiencing this validation can help reduce feelings of shame. Unlike in individual therapy, there are other people in the room who will eagerly say “Yeah, me too!”
Group therapy gives us a chance to practice social and communication skills in a lower stakes, safe, and supportive space. Group members provide one another with constructive feedback under the supervision and guidance of a trained mental health professional. We learn new ways of communicating and interacting that are often to our benefit.
Sometimes hearing other people describe their issues can help give us new insight into our own struggles. We learn to reframe some of our ways of thinking, and it can help us feel more empathetic for others in our lives that we may not have understood before.
Group therapy is typically more affordable than individual therapy. A group therapy session is typically at least half the cost of an individual session.
Being part of a group can help hold you more accountable. You may feel more propelled into action because you know the group is rooting for you (and that if you go back to group having not done what you said, you have to tell them about it).
Group Therapy is a safe space to really develop and explore your voice. Similar to individual therapy, having a space to express yourself is often in itself healing. You have more opportunities to speak up than you may in non-therapeutic social spaces, and the more you do this, the more confident you feel doing so outside of therapy, as well.
Sometimes being in a group can be like you’re sitting in a group with each person holding up a mirror. We’re forced to look at the parts of ourselves that we typically avoid. And because everyone else there can relate, they aren’t going to judge you for those parts you like to keep hidden. Instead they’ll probably feel relieved you shared it and made them feel less alone.
Group therapy is so much more than a social hour. It’s a place to come together for support, insight, and honest feedback. It can be difficult but rewarding work. It can also be a fantastic complement to individual therapy.
If you are thinking of trying group therapy, try to make a commitment to participate. As with any therapy, the more you put in, the more you’ll get out of it.
Have questions about group therapy? Still have lingering doubts?
Feel free to shoot me a message at mmalone@rosebudpsychotherapy.com.
You can also check out the groups I offer at Rosebud Psych: