The Benefits of Group Therapy

When people think of therapy, they often picture one on one sessions with a counselor. While one on one sessions can be and are beneficial for many clients, group therapy can be a great tool in your treatment. 

Group therapy helps you know you’re not alone. While a therapist can validate your feelings and what you are going through, group can give you that with the addition to meeting others with similar situations. When you join a group, you already have a commonality with other group members. Whether its a support group, an identity based group, or just a general skills group, therapy groups allow for clients to come together and acknowledge that they are all in similar situations. This can feel extremely comforting to many people. In addition to feeling support from others, you can often learn from your other group members about what works for them. Hearing first hand experiences about positive coping skills can be very moving and impactful. 

Group can also help quieter individuals find their voice. Some people can feel that therapy is intimidating and group can allow them to ease into a therapeutic setting. The attention isn’t on one person for the entire session, it bounces around the room and allows for some one who is more shy to find their footing. 

Another great positive of group therapy is the social aspect. Even 3 years later, many of us are navigating a world post covid. Many of us work from home and we can lose out on the social factor of our daily or weekly routine. By adding group to your schedule you are providing yourself with not only a time to be social, but also with valuable social skills. It provides us with a space to re-engage and connect with others. 

The next time you are looking into therapy settings, check out group options. Many groups, like ours, are even offered online and offer and more inclusive way to receive treatment.