Group Therapy

What is Group Psychotherapy?

Group psychotherapy, like individual psychotherapy, is intended to help people who would like to improve their ability to cope with difficulties and problems in their lives, and/or for individuals seeking personal growth and development.  Whereas, in individual therapy the client meets with only one therapist, in group therapy the client meets with a group of clients and one or two therapists.  This not only allows for a wider range of interpersonal interactions, but provides the client with a unique opportunity to receive feedback from a number of different people, each with their own experiences and background to draw upon.

As part of group psychotherapy, members of the group share with others personal issues which they fell relevant.  Other group members can react to the client by giving him/her feedback, encouragement, or sharing with the group similar thoughts or experiences they have had.  Often times the client will realize that he/she is not alone in their situation and that others have had similar thoughts or experiences.  In addition, the feedback a client gets from the other members can help them become aware of maladaptive patterns of behavior, change their point of view, and help them adopt more constructive and effective attitudes and behaviors.  The group itself can also serve as safe environment and “laboratory” for practicing these new attitudes and behaviors.

A great deal of research has shown that group psychotherapy is an effective tool which mental health professionals can use to deal with a variety of issues.  These include:

            Anger Management                            Life Transitions

            Anxiety/Depression                            Motivational Problems

            Chronic Illness                                   Relationship Difficulties

            Eating Disorders                                Sexual Problems

            Gay and Lesbian Issues                     Substance Abuse

            Grief and Loss                                   Stress Reduction