Making Most Out Of Group Therapy: 8 Tips For Effective Group Therapy
Last Update on June 10, 2021 : Published on June 11, 2021
Various researches have proved that group therapy is as effective as individual therapy for conditions like depression, social anxiety, post-traumatic stress disorder, addiction, grief or loss, anger management, and relationship issues.
Sitting in a group and speaking amidst different individuals allows you to learn about multiple other experiences but on another side comes overwhelmingness which may appear due to the thought of speaking to random people.
However, this blog will give you tips for group therapy so that you can make the most out of it smoothly.
An Ohio counseling psychologist says, ‘Group therapy isn’t just individual therapy in a group. It has its own techniques, its own processes and its own strategies, and unless you really understand those, you’re going to struggle. You need to be a part of a community of people who are committed to learning and growing in this work.’
Before we give you a strategy for group therapy and how you can help yourself during the process, let’s quickly look at the reasons for choosing it.
*Note that we support both individual and group therapy on the same level and this comparison table is meant to show the general difference between the two.
| Individual Therapy | Group Therapy |
|---|---|
| It gives you a chance to interact with a therapist only. | It gives you a chance to interact with others who are also going through similar situations as you along with the counselor |
| It may prove to be a little expensive on pockets. For example, some therapies begin from $100 per session. | It can be accommodated in your budget and in fact, some sessions are organized by non-profit groups as well. For example, $25 per session. |
Tips To Get Most Of Group Therapy
1. Go With An Intention To Open Up
Although a little daunting, make up your mind to calmly listen to others and slowly open about yourself. Be a little more courageous as no one is judging you or thinking ifs and buts of your reflective nature.
In fact, if you speak about your inner thoughts and feelings to everyone without having a second thought, you look engaged as well as get a chance to reconnect with self.
2. Group Boundaries
As group therapy is all about confidentiality and anonymity of fellow members, these boundaries must be respected to make the most of group therapy.
Also, it is required to be present on time and attend the following session thoroughly. If the group boundaries are breached in any case, bring the attention back to the group. You can even speak about how you feel about others’ behavior within the group and respect every human being’s individuality at the same time.
3. Identify & Address Disagreements
A group can have disagreements and it’s usually the group leader who tries to manage the rupture while addressing the issue properly. If some other signs like eye-rolling, fidgeting, showing up late for sessions, avoiding eye contact or getting frustrated are showing up, you can become an active part to resolve the situation with the therapist.
If it’s happening with you, be sure to be open about your feelings and let the problems resolve. Understand that addressing such disagreements is an active strategy to make the most of group therapy.
4. Avoid Giving Advice
Many times, we advise someone who is struggling with certain issues thinking that it will help them. However, understand the difference between therapy and advice and avoid dropping your inputs without fully knowing the feelings of someone else.
5. Be Open For Feedbacks
Feedbacks are no less than gifts from your team members or the coordinator and must be received peacefully.
1. If the feedback is not what you were expecting, just acknowledge it with a smile and try to pitch in your life positively if it feels right.
2. In case your views do not align with what has been advised, try to seek clarification from the particular member or verify it with other members.
3. Avoid being defensive or don’t let yourself get offended with the process.
6. Bring Any Topic & Examine Choices
Be it any topic, confusion, suffering, worries or failures, confront them with your group members and be courageous to make positive changes in your life regarding it. You must also bring happy news and success stories, love or hate stories, spirituality and talk about it without thinking what others would make out of it.
If you have major life decisions coming up, share it with your group. Even if you have a thought of leaving the group therapy then also it must be shared openly as a part of making most of group therapy.
7. Trust The Process
By sharing what’s stirring inside you, you are contributing to the group therapy and giving chances to other members to understand you. Although remember that everything takes time to evolve and it requires you to keep hold on to it and trust the process of recovery in an authentic manner.
In The End..
Adding a few more tips to make the most of group therapy, treat the therapy group like your own group. If you are happy or discontent, voice your opinion. If you do not feel you belong here and are not comfortable, voice your concerns. Point out what’s not been acknowledged yet.
Speak out your mind, speak out your thoughts and this is certainly the best tip to make most of your group therapy. With that, find out:
Let us also help you connect with a group therapy session by emailing us at info@calmsage.com.
About The Author
Akanksha Soni
Akanksha is an active lifestyle blogger and writer at Calmsage. She has learnt various lessons on happiness and methods to fight depression through 'Gurus' as well as own experiences. An ardent practitioner of Yoga and meditation, she keeps traveling, writes and interacts with people to feel alive.
