Group Psychotherapy

Main page What to Expect About My Practice Services Offered Dr. Townes Bio Schedule an Appointment

The Power of Groups

People surround us in our lives everywhere; we exist in connection, yet often when considering psychotherapy, we assume that one-on-one individual psychotherapy will be the best form of treatment. Research has demonstrated that group psychotherapy is extremely powerful for many types of difficulties and often is better than individual therapy alone. 

Groups are ideally suited for people who are struggling with relationship issues like intimacy, trust, and self-esteem. The group interactions help the participants to identify, get feedback, and change the patterns that are sabotaging their relations. The great advantage of group therapy is working on these patterns in the “here and now”, in a group situation more similar to reality and close to the interpersonal events.

What is Group Psychotherapy?

In group psychotherapy approximately 6-8 individuals meet face-to-face with a trained group psychologist. During the group meeting time, members decide what they want to talk about.

Members are encouraged to give feedback to others. Feedback includes expressing your own feelings about what someone says or does. Interaction between group members is highly encouraged and provides each person with an opportunity to try out new ways of behaving; it also provides members with an opportunity to learn more about the way they interact with others. It is a safe environment in which members work to establish a level of trust that allows them to talk personally and honestly. Group members make a commitment to the group and are instructed that the content of the group sessions are confidential. It is not appropriate for group members to disclose events of the group to an outside person.

Why is Group Psychotherapy Helpful?

1. When people come into a group and interact freely with other group members, they usually recreate those difficulties that brought them to group therapy in the first place. Under the direction of the group therapist, the group is able to give support, offer alternatives, and comfort members in such a way that these difficulties become resolved and alternative behaviors learned.
2. The group allows a person to develop new ways of relating to people.
3. During group psychotherapy, people begin to see that they are not alone and that there is hope and help. It is comforting to hear that other people have a similar difficulty or have already worked through a problem that deeply disturbs another group member.
4. Another reason for the success of group therapy is that people feel free to care about each other because of the climate of trust in a group. As the group members begin to feel more comfortable, they are able to speak freely. The psychological safety of the group will allow the expression of those feelings that are often difficult to express outside of group. A person will be able to ask for the support that he/she needs and will be encouraged to tell others what he/she expects of them.
5. In a group, you will probably be most helped and satisfied if you talk about your feelings. It is important to keep in mind that you are the one who determines how much you disclose in a group. You will not be forced to tell your deepest and innermost thoughts.