What Should You Expect With Group Therapy?
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- Group therapy involves one or more therapists who lead a group of roughly three to 12 people. Some people attend individual therapy in addition to groups, while others participate in groups only.
- Some Groups are offered weekly while others may meet only once per month. Group sessions usually last for 1-2 hours.
- Many groups are designed to target a specific problem, such as depression, anxiety, managing emotions, focusing better, managing relationships, etc… Other groups focus more generally on improving social skills or increasing self esteem.
Benefits of Group Therapy
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- Joining a group of strangers may sound intimidating at first, but group therapy provides benefits that individual therapy may not. Therapists say, in fact, that group members are almost always surprised by how rewarding the group experience can be.
- Groups can act as a support network and a sounding board. Other members of the group often help you come up with specific ideas for improving a difficult situation or life challenge, and hold you accountable along the way.
- Regularly talking and listening to others also helps you put your own problems in perspective. Many people experience mental health difficulties, but few speak openly about them to people they don’t know well. Oftentimes, you may feel like you are the only one struggling — but you’re not. It can be a relief to hear others discuss what they’re going through, and realize you’re not alone.
- Diversity is another important benefit of group therapy. People have different personalities and backgrounds, and they look at situations in different ways. By seeing how other people tackle problems and make positive changes, you can discover a whole range of strategies for facing your own concerns.
Groups are available for all ages–Brighter Futures Counseling has groups focused for Early Childhood, School Aged Children, and Adolescents. Groups are available for a variety of issues and goals. New groups are developed regularly.
