Hollywood loves to depict group therapy a certain way: always held in a large, sunny, open room, like a church or a community center, with a ring of folding chairs. There’s always coffee. Someone will come in late, and be warmly welcomed — and then immediately lay all of their worries bare.
If that’s what you expect going into your first group therapy session, you might be surprised.
The Hollywood version more closely resembles an ultra-glam support group. The reality’s a little different, but perhaps even more meaningful to those who take part.
What can I expect?
Most groups include five to fifteen people, all struggling with similar concerns, like aeating disorders,social anxiety, orsubstance abuse. Even though (most of the time) everyone will have a similar diagnosis, all group members have differing life experiences — making group therapy a fantastic way to hear new perspectives. It’s also effective:studies showthat group cognitive-behavioral therapy for depression works extremely well.
You’ll probably have one or two licensed facilitators. (Some studies indicate thatgroups with two facilitatorshave improved outcomes.) Their exact license will depend on your state and your group — they may be therapists, social workers, or psychologists. They’ll be guiding the conversation and encouraging you to talk openly.
Yes, talk openly. To strangers. About your feelings. It can be scary! And that’s okay — the other participants are probably anxious about speaking, too. But, in order to actualize the amazing benefits of group therapy, you’ll want to share your story.
What are the benefits?
Group therapy is often undertaken in conjunction with individual therapy, because it offers a number of unique benefits that are hard to achieve in a one-on-one session with a therapist.Benefits of group therapyinclude:
1. Meeting other people with similar problems
When you’re struggling with a mental health condition likepost-traumatic stress disorder(PTSD) ormajor depression, it’s easy to believe you’re suffering alone, or that no one else could understand the struggle you’ve been through. But once you start group therapy, you’ll quickly find that’s not accurate.
2. Sharing your own struggles in a therapeutic setting
3. Learning to relate to strangers
For people struggling with social anxiety,depression,anger management, or other intersocial or socially related mental illnesses, group therapy can be a godsend. Your facilitators will work hard to create a safe atmosphere — letting you ask other members questions about their experiences and giving you the freedom to share something about yourself that makes you anxious.
Group therapy is also a fantastic time to learn more about how you interact with people. Are you an over-apologizer? Do you cut people off mid-sentence? Or do you hang back from the conversation, terrified that your input is unwanted? Facilitators can help you sort through those emotions in the comfort of a patient and understanding group working toward similar goals.
4. Finding insight into yourself and your actions
None of us, unfortunately, can observe our own behavior. You think you’re exceedingly shy — but others read you as blunt. Or, you’ve been working really hard on being more personable…but haven’t realized you’ve crossed the line into “annoying.”
Because facilitators work so hard to make group therapy a safe and welcoming spot, you have the rare opportunity to both learn aboutandimprove yourself.
Going to your firstgroup therapysession may feel frightening. But you may find that group of strangers doesn’t feel lonely at all. In fact, opening up to strangers can help you come to important realizations about yourself and your mental health.
Our goal at Talkspace is to provide the most up-to-date, valuable, and objective information on mental health-related topics in order to help readers make informed decisions.
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