Have you ever wondered what group therapy is, or what the point of group treatment would be for you or your child? Depending on the issue, joining a group can be a helpful choice for making positive changes in life.
Group therapy is a form of therapy where a small, selected group of people meet with a therapist, usually weekly. The purpose of group therapy is to help each person with emotional growth and problem solving. Sometimes a person can do both individual and group therapy, while others may only do a group.
According to Dr. Irvin Yalom in his book The Theory and Practice of Group Psychotherapy identified 11 curative factors that are the “primary agents of change” in group therapy:
1. Installation of Hope: People come to a group to improve their lives. Each person in the group is at a different place in their emotional growth and can offer hope and inspiration to others by showing what they have learned and overcome.
2. Universality: Many who begin group therapy may feel isolated and alone. Being part of a group can help people feel understood and have a sense of belonging.
3. Information Giving: A big part of many therapy groups is increasing knowledge of a common problem. This helps members help themselves and others with the same or similar problems.
4. Altruism: The ability to help others in the group is a source of self esteem and increases self worth, especially in those that don’t think they have anything to offer others.
5. Corrective recapitulation of the primary family: Some people in group therapy may have stress or conflict in their family. The group can become a form of a family that can offer support and acceptance.
6. Improved Social Skills: Social learning, or the development of social skills, is something that occurs in therapy groups. Members offer feedback to each other about their behavior in ways that can improve relationships both in and outside of group.
7. Imitative Behavior: The therapist models appropriate prosocial behaviors such as active listening, non-judgemental feedback, and support. Over the course of the group the members can pick up on these behaviors and integrate them into their own behaviors. This can lead to improved social skills and self esteem.
8. Interpersonal Learning: Being a group can be an opportunity for members to work on their ability to relate to others and improve relationships.
9. Group cohesiveness: Wanting to belong is a human need. Group therapy can help people feel accepted and valued. This is an important healing factor if members have felt isolated.
10. Catharsis: The release of conscious or unconscious feelings gives members a great sense of relief. Yalom states that it is a type of emotional learning, as opposed to intellectual understanding, that can lead to immediate and long lasting change.
11. Existential Factors: Groups can explore and process issues such as death, isolation, and meaninglessness and help them accept difficult realities.
Joining a group of strangers can seem intimidating at first, but joining a group can provide benefits that individual therapy alone may not, such as providing a support network. Other group members can help formulate solutions and hold each member accountable for change. Also talking with and listening to others can help put problems in perspective. Others may share similar struggles and give each member the experience that they are not alone. Diverse feedback is another benefit of participating in a group. Each members’ personality and background can help examine problems in different ways. Members can learn many different strategies for tackling issues.
Young children can benefit from being in social skills or play based groups. Older children and adolescents can benefit from support and process oriented groups. These groups become a valuable source of support as members learn to trust each other. Confidentiality is a very important part of the rules of group therapy. Members need to be able to trust one another so there can be open and honest communication. What is said in the group needs to stay in the group.
Upon completion of a group, it is the hope that members leave with a better understanding of themselves, others, and stronger coping skills. Sometimes members continue in another group or begin individual therapy to strengthen the newly learned skills. Just keep in mind that change takes time and it is important to be patient with yourself!
Written by: Veronica Janer a Licensed Clinical Social Worker (LCSW) in the state of Virginia. She has almost ten years of experience working with children, adolescents, adults, and families dealing with a wide array of issues. She has experience working with kids, teens, and adults with mood disorders, anxiety, behavioral problems, adjustment disorders, and family discord. She has worked in a domestic violence shelter, children’s group homes, assisted in day treatment programs, and most recently worked in community mental health centers. Veronica’s therapeutic approach is from cognitive behavioral, systems, and psychodynamic theories. She believes that working together with families as a team creates change. She enjoys partnering with parents to help children be as successful as possible.
