Group Therapy
Group therapy is defined as a form of psychotherapy in which a group of people meets to discuss a common problem. Group counseling sessions takes place under the guidance and supervision of a counselor or psychologist. A group therapy session is not a free-for-all conversation; rather, the leader gives the group a set of rules designed to help facilitate conversation, connection, and growth among the individuals assembled.
The size of therapy groups may vary and the number of participants is not a critical factor when setting up a group therapeutic session. More important is that the individuals who are assembled have similar experiences. The process of sharing personal information with the group and learning from others’ stories is the foundation of a successful group therapy session.
Group therapy tends to be most beneficial for those who are working through issues that affect many people. Most frequently, group therapy is recommended as part of a larger therapeutic strategy to help encourage sharing, bonding, and coping through the two primary goals in group therapy, the process goals and outcome goals. Understanding personal concerns and relating to other individuals is the prime motto during a group session. This is often thought of as the healing process. The individuals seek to achieve behavior changes by participating in group therapy.
The fundamental goal of group therapy is to initiate a sense of belonging or reliability through understanding, which is achieved by sharing common experiences.
The group therapy also aims in
- helping individuals to identify manipulative behavior.
- providing help with emotional difficulties through positive feedback.
- offering individuals a supportive environment of peers with similar life experiences.
- reducing feelings of loneliness and alienation by bringing together individuals with shared experiences and emotional patterns.
For a group therapy session to be successful, it must be structured and facilitated by a mental health counselor or psychologist who is able to move conversation forward and initiate proper sharing.
A group therapy is often recommended to help individuals who address concerns such as:
- PTSD
- post-partum depression and parenting,
- depression
- anxiety
- suicide
- grief and loss
- disordered eating
- addiction and dependency
- anger management
- relationship problems
- low self-esteem
- communication and social skills deficits.
This is not a comprehensive list of the concerns for which group therapy may be beneficial; rather, it is a list of the most common issues addressed through group counseling.
Seeing another person who has lived through the same problem but is better off after experiencing personal growth can encourage hope. Connecting with others who have had similar life experiences presents the opportunity for interpersonal learning and the introduction of practical, proven coping strategies.
Finally, group therapy offers individuals the opportunity to share their stories with those who can understand, and this enables a type of catharsis that talking to a family member or a counselor may not provide.
Joining a group of like-minded individuals with shared perspective can encourage people to relate to others in healthier ways, ultimately helping them to grow personally and cope effectively with the challenges in their lives.