Group therapy can help you overcome a mental health issue or challenging life situation. It also offers several other benefits, including interpersonal learning and introducing coping strategies.
According to mental healthcare practitioners, having others who are going through the same thing as you helps reduce feelings of isolation and loneliness. It’s also an opportunity to feel supported by people who understand your situation, which can encourage hope and catharsis.
It’s a Safe Place
Whether you’re a shy, introverted person or thrive in a more extroverted environment, group therapy can help you overcome your fears and learn how to communicate with others without feeling threatened. It can also help you break the habit of withdrawing when you’re anxious or depressed.
In some cases, group therapy is designed to allow clients to share their trauma narratives with a therapist. It can be helpful for people who have been abused by a loved one or suffered from domestic violence, but it is not required.
The therapist can use the Secure Place or Establishing a Space resource to explain to clients the value of a stable attachment and how PTSD trauma robs us of that. It can be a physical location, like the waiting area of a therapist’s office or a relative’s “safe enough” house, or it can be imagined through a sand tray or a sketch. Based on the client’s needs, a therapist may permit or ban the presence of anybody else in the Safe Place, believing that the client’s brain understands what they need for healing. Read more about how the Securing a Space technique might aid therapy and recovery.
It’s a Place to Learn
Group therapy can be an excellent place to learn about yourself and others. It can help you see how other people handle their issues and develop new strategies for dealing with your problems.
Members in a group are also likely to receive feedback from each other about how they come across in social situations and their interpersonal skills. This type of feedback can help you learn how to communicate more effectively and break habits that make social interaction difficult.
During therapy sessions, group members might share information about their life circumstances or struggles with their families. They might also share their successes in overcoming their challenges.
Group members often serve as role models for others, helping them see that they can overcome their issues. It can give hope to those beginning the treatment process and inspire them to keep going.
It’s a Place to Share
Group therapy is often a great place to share what you are going through. Sharing the darkest thoughts or the most painful memories can be cathartic.
Seeing others work through similar challenges can give you hope that you can overcome your own. It also shows you that you are not alone, says John Chase, Psy.D, a clinical psychologist in Los Angeles.
Being in a group can release dopamine, the feel-good chemical messenger, into your brain.
Some therapists may encourage a more free-form approach where participants participate as they wish. Still, most groups are set up around a specific issue requiring members to work together. It may include physical activities such as cooking or dancing, or it might involve role-playing or wilderness ventures that cultivate trust and confidence among the group.
It’s a Place to Grow
During group therapy, members learn to observe and relate to each other as they work to overcome emotional problems. This learning can provide them with inspiration and hope for recovery, as well as improve their self-esteem.
Another positive impact of group therapy is that it allows individuals to explore their identities and perspectives. It is a benefit that is often not present in individual therapy sessions.
One study suggests that people in group therapy who are vulnerable may find it easier to share their emotions with others. It can help build self-esteem,confidence, and trust.
It’s also a safe place to try new behaviors and to experiment without the fear of failure. It can be helpful when dealing with issues like anxiety or depression.
Group therapists encourage members to speak freely about their emotions, but they must respect confidentiality. Moreover, they must follow policies and guidelines to ensure the safety of their patients and maintain an ethical and professional atmosphere.
