I'm a Licensed Therapist Who Tried Circles Group Therapy. Would it Pass My Test?

Table of ContentsView AllTable of ContentsSign UpThe AppMy First SessionMy Second SessionOur Other Tester’s Experience with CirclesPros & ConsFinal Thoughts

Table of ContentsView All

View All

Table of Contents

The App

My First Session

My Second Session

Our Other Tester’s Experience with Circles

Pros & Cons

Final Thoughts

Since we last tested Circles, the company has drastically changed its format and pricing. As of February 2024, Circles offers weekly, audio-only emotional support groups for things like anxiety, depression, divorce or break-up, grief, and narcissistic relationships. In addition, Circles now also offers 24/7 online messaging support from mental health professionals like therapists, clinicians, and coaches—we did not test this service.Additionally, Circles now offers its services through two different subscriptions: $15 per month for a yearly subscription or $29 per month for a monthly subscription. It no longer offers its services for free, which was true when we tested Circles in May of 2023.Verywell Mind readers get a discount of 22% off a monthly or yearly subscription with the code VERYWELL22, applied at checkout.

Additionally, Circles now offers its services through two different subscriptions: $15 per month for a yearly subscription or $29 per month for a monthly subscription. It no longer offers its services for free, which was true when we tested Circles in May of 2023.

Verywell Mind readers get a discount of 22% off a monthly or yearly subscription with the code VERYWELL22, applied at checkout.

Our Online Therapy MethodologyCurious about the extensive work we did to research and evaluate online therapy companies? Take a look at ouronline therapy methodology.

Our Online Therapy Methodology

Curious about the extensive work we did to research and evaluate online therapy companies? Take a look at ouronline therapy methodology.

I’m a psychotherapist who specializes in treatinganxiety,depression, andtraumaand has run various therapy groups. Beyond that, I am a Black woman who has navigated my own journey of healing and has engaged in various forms of therapy and support groups along the way. Holding space professionally for folks to heal their hurts together and engaging in the process ofgroup therapywith those who can understand my experience has been greatly impactful in all areas of my life.

I know firsthand how hard it can be to get help and I am glad online services are making mental health treatment more accessible. In my own journey, there was stigma, a lack of financial accessibility, and trouble finding providers who looked like me—but online therapy is pushing through these problems. This increased accessibility gives me hope that more will be able to get the help they need, when they need it.

The Best Online Group Therapy, Tried and Tested

Signing Up at Circles

While reviewing and writing about online therapy companies in 2022, I was familiar with Circles as a support group platform that cost $79 per month. It offered video sessions ongrief and lossanddivorce and separation. Since my initial research, the company has undergone a massive change. It shifted to offering audio-only emotional support groups for free for a variety of issues, fromsobrietytoparentingtobody imagetochronic illness. It is rare to find quality emotional support services that are free, and lack of affordability deters many from seeking mental health care.

It is impressive to see the company shifted to a free model and gives me hope that others will consider following suit.

This format helps it make good on its mission to make support accessible to all and realizes connecting with others in a safe space can be deeply healing.

To get started with Circles, you need to download the app, which is available for iOS and Android. Signing up is easy. I was first asked what brought me to seek out support. I was offered different options for concerns I might have, includingemotional health,separationordivorce,narcissistic relationships,autism, andbody image.

Then, I was asked to share my first name, email address, and phone number. After that, I was asked to select the topics I was interested in exploring on the platform. I noticed that all of these options were the ones presented when I was asked what brought me to seek out support, so it felt a bit repetitive. I went ahead and selected the same topics. Then, I was done! Once I finished the sign-up process, I was in the app.

How the Circles App Works

The app itself has a very clean and minimalist design. I had the option to upload a photo of myself, which would show up in a small icon whenever I joined a group. I also liked that there was an option not to, which would facilitate anonymity. The app was essentially one continuous page that showed me the groups related to my interests that were currently happening as well as upcoming groups, and it also offered the opportunity to start my own group if I couldn’t find an existing group that suited my needs. While I had my eye on groups I’d like to join, specifically aboutchildhood traumaandmental health and boundaries, I was curious what it would be like to jump into a session that was already running.

It was around 7:30 p.m. on a weekday and I dropped into a group focused on emotional wellness that had been running since 7 p.m. While the group facilitator was there, there were no other participants. The idea of jumping into a group that wasn’t quite a group was off-putting, so I hopped out of the group session immediately and decided to wait to join a group at the start.

This is something to keep in mind. While there are groups running throughout the day, some have lower attendance than others, and you can’t count on the same people attending groups each time. This might make it difficult for some to feel comfortable opening up and sharing in a group—being able to develop trust and acceptance in a consistent group of people is very different than talking to a new group of strangers every time.

My First Circles Session

After my brush with an empty Circles group, I reviewed which upcoming groups I wanted to join. The app has a schedule of upcoming groups with an option to set a reminder. I did so and received a reminder right when a group was starting.

Each group has two different functions: an audio discussion and a group chat that is available to all members of the group throughout the session. I liked this option. Group experiences can be overwhelming and the option to chime in via chat rather than speaking is fantastic.

The facilitator gave the group information on her background and set expectations for our time together. She explained that she’d speak about the topic at hand for the first half of the session and the second half would be open discussion. She reiterated that the group is a safe space to be vulnerable and connect with others. She was enthusiastic and warm as she shared about her own challenges with mental health and how childhood trauma impacted her as an adult. It almost felt like a motivational speech—which made sense, given her background.

At one point, she began to share about the concept offorgiveness. This is where things felt a bit uncomfortable. She preached the importance of forgiving those who have harmed us, sharing an example of an interpersonal experience she had. While I do think this approach could work for some, it can be especially alienating for those who have been abused and do not wish to forgive their abusers. I felt my defenses go up at this point, but waited to see how the rest of the session would play out.

When it came time for discussion, I relaxed again. Everyone was warm, open, and honest. There was no trauma dumping—meaning, there were no extraneous details about abusive experiences, which can lead to re-traumatization. Instead, folks were sharing words of support. We talked about differenttrauma therapymodalities, likeEMDR therapy(eye movement desensitization and reprocessing, an evidence-based treatment for trauma)andhypnotherapy, and shared book recommendations. Some shared about the abuse they survived and how their healing has given them hope. Others explored how forgiveness isn’t a goal for them, leading to civil dialogue about how we may all come to different conclusions about our abusers.

All in all, I found the group to be supportive and helpful.

I loved how convenient it was to join—since it is audio-only, free, and takes place on an app, there isn’t much excuse to not try a session out. Plus, even if you did decide a session wasn’t for you, you can simply leave without announcing your departure and try another one.

My Second Circles Session

She didn’t waste any time getting started, explaining that we will be learning aboutboundariesand how to set them in our lives. Allowing time for brief intros, some participants chimed in and shared that they’d been using the groups for a while, or that they had participated in a different session with the facilitator.

I noticed that the structure of this session was different. It was equal parts educational and supportive.

Between giving examples of how to set boundaries and navigate tricky situations, she invited each of us to share what we could relate to or struggle with. By the end of the session, I felt supported to know I wasn’t alone and appreciated the dialogue on boundary setting.

The 10 Best Online Grief Counseling Services We Tried and Tested

We tested Circles one other time, also in California, and the format and price of Circles’ services were very different from our other experience—at that time, it cost us $79 per month to join, and group members (capped at 10-15 people per group) were asked to commit to a 12-week group therapy program.

We also appreciated the chat function in our Circle, which allowed us to connect with the other members via text anytime in or out of the session. While only four or five people out of the 10 in the group utilized this (and we were not one of them—it felt more like homework to us than anything else), we could see how this resource could be good for someone who needed extra support in between group sessions.

My experience with Circles was generally positive, but keep these pros and cons in mind if you’re considering it.

ProsFreeEasy to useMany different groupsYou can start your own groupWide variety of group facilitators

Free

Easy to use

Many different groups

You can start your own group

Wide variety of group facilitators

Some groups have low attendance

Audio-only format may not be a fit for everyone

The quality of care was solid and this service would be a great adjunct to individual psychotherapy with a clinician. Additionally, if you can’t afford any mental health support, this could be a good place to start.

I’m confident in stating that Circles achieves its mission to make emotional support accessible to all. While I’m pleased with my experience, we also surveyed 105 Circles users on their experiences with the platform. It is worth noting that this data was gathered before it transitioned into a free, audio-only platform.

Overall, 97% of users were pleased with their experience on the app. Ninety-two percent felt their facilitator met most, if not all, of their needs, and 93% would recommend Circles to a friend or someone like them. I’m right there with that majority: Give Circles a try. It is free, so there’s nothing to lose in trying—but you have a lot to gain.

8 Online Text Therapy Companies We Tested and Recommend

2 SourcesVerywell Mind uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.Coombs NC, Meriwether WE, Caringi J, Newcomer SR.Barriers to healthcare access among U.S. adults with mental health challenges: A population-based study.SSM Popul Health. 2021;15:100847. doi:10.1016/j.ssmph.2021.100847Cuijpers P, Veen SC van, Sijbrandij M, Yoder W, Cristea IA.Eye movement desensitization and reprocessing for mental health problems: a systematic review and meta-analysis.Cogn Behav Ther. 2020;49(3):165-180. doi:10.1080/16506073.2019.1703801

2 Sources

Verywell Mind uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.Coombs NC, Meriwether WE, Caringi J, Newcomer SR.Barriers to healthcare access among U.S. adults with mental health challenges: A population-based study.SSM Popul Health. 2021;15:100847. doi:10.1016/j.ssmph.2021.100847Cuijpers P, Veen SC van, Sijbrandij M, Yoder W, Cristea IA.Eye movement desensitization and reprocessing for mental health problems: a systematic review and meta-analysis.Cogn Behav Ther. 2020;49(3):165-180. doi:10.1080/16506073.2019.1703801

Coombs NC, Meriwether WE, Caringi J, Newcomer SR.Barriers to healthcare access among U.S. adults with mental health challenges: A population-based study.SSM Popul Health. 2021;15:100847. doi:10.1016/j.ssmph.2021.100847Cuijpers P, Veen SC van, Sijbrandij M, Yoder W, Cristea IA.Eye movement desensitization and reprocessing for mental health problems: a systematic review and meta-analysis.Cogn Behav Ther. 2020;49(3):165-180. doi:10.1080/16506073.2019.1703801

Cuijpers P, Veen SC van, Sijbrandij M, Yoder W, Cristea IA.Eye movement desensitization and reprocessing for mental health problems: a systematic review and meta-analysis.Cogn Behav Ther. 2020;49(3):165-180. doi:10.1080/16506073.2019.1703801

Hannah Owens, LMSW

andSimone Scully

Simone Scully

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Our Online Therapy Methodology#

Signing Up at Circles#

How the Circles App Works#

My First Circles Session#

My Second Circles Session#

Our Online Therapy Methodology

Signing Up at Circles

How the Circles App Works

My First Circles Session

My Second Circles Session