Group Therapy — An underrated, Time and Cost Efficient Form of Therapy?

These days, when one hears the word therapy, they mostly think of one-on-one talk therapy. Or maybe they think of couples counseling, too. Few include group therapy. And for understandable reasons…

1. Finding a group to join is harder than finding a one-on-one therapist.

2. The thought of joining a group can feel scary.

3. Often the best kept secret ingredient to comprehensive therapy, groups are rarely discussed, advertised or mentioned in such conversations.

….What a shame though!

Group therapy is often underrated as an effective treatment for mental health issues. group therapy can be just as, if not more effective, than traditional one-on-one therapy.

Here are 4 ways group therapy can boost your treatment:

1. Group therapy can help you feel less alone and more understood
One of the main benefits of group therapy is that it provides a support system. When going through tough times, it can be difficult to feel like you are alone. Group therapy gives you the opportunity to share your experiences with others who understand what you are going through.

2. It can provide a sense of community and support
Group therapy also offers the opportunity to learn from others in the group and receive feedback from the therapist leading the group.

3. Group therapy can help you learn new coping skills

4. It can be helpful in identifying and addressing underlying issues

Here are the 3 types of groups offered:

1) Workshops & Skills Groups

These groups are generally fixed in length (e.g. 8 meetings) and designed as a kind of educational platform from which to learn coping skills, understand mental patterns, and work on specific concerns, such as excessive anxiety. Workshops can be geared toward topics like anger management, dialectical behavior therapy, or mindfulness.

2) Support Groups

Support groups are a place to give and receive support, both emotional and practical, from others at similar stages of life or going through similar life challenges.

Some examples of support groups would be graduate student groups, mens’ support groups, or new mothers’ support group.

Support groups can be fixed in length, say running a semester for graduate students, or open ended.

3) Interpersonal Process Groups

These groups are designed for those struggling in there relationships, who experience interpersonal tensions, or may be struggling with issues like low self-esteem, depression, and loneliness.

Interpersonal process groups offer a protected environment to understand and express emotions, practice and receive empathy, develop healthier ways of relating to others, foster a sense of belonging, increase ability to connect to others, and develop more satisfying relationships. These groups are usually have an open ended timeframe.

In sum, group therapy has been shown to be at least as effective as individual therapy and, in many cases, more effective!

It really could be the prescription to what ails many of us.

—-And, ready for the icing on the cake? It’s often way cheaper than individual therapy! Cost savings for the win!

At Brighter Life we offer convenient, intimate-sized group therapy at affordable prices.

To learn more about how group therapy might complement your treatment plan, please give us a call anytime at (978) 208-4221.