It takes some courage to “jump in” and join a therapy group. Anyone that has been to group therapy, and then tried to explain it to others, can recognize how challenging it can be to communicate the experience to others. It is kind of like explaining swimming to someone that has never gotten in the water themselves. No matter how well you explain things, the person will never really “get it” until they have actually gotten in the water themselves. I’ve heard plenty of people say after their first group session, “now I get why people really value group work!”
We do sit in a circle (or enter a Zoom room for online group therapy), and we do talk about the painful things that brought us to group. Some groups are focused around a specific issue (e.g. recovery from disordered eating) and for specific identities (e.g. groups for teenagers), while therapy groups are open to people with a variety of mental health concerns and life challenges. The groups that we run at Northfield Dynamic Therapy have members with a wide variety of mental health concerns: anxieties, depression, disordered eating, trauma, addiction, perfectionism, shame.
It is also important to note that everyone feels some anxiety showing up to their first group session. So if you are experiencing some nervousness about your first session, you can trust that everyone else is feeling something similar.
What do we talk about in group therapy?
We talk about anything that is meaningful to group members, and continually work to help group members change in the ways they desire. Our discussions usually focus on the unmet emotional needs of group members. A common goal is to help group members have “corrective emotional experiences’. For example, if you typically feel shame when talking about your struggles we work to help you feel a sense of love and belonging when you talk about your concerns.
Group discussions will explore member’s lives outside of group (family of origin, life challenges, career development, etc.), yet we always bring our attention back to what is happening INSIDE the group. We are curious how your outside struggles are showing up in the here-and-now of our group sessions…within our relationships in group. For example, if you struggle with asserting yourself in your relationships outside of group, we will attune to when that plays out in group (and help you practice asserting yourself). If a fellow group member talks about their tendency to isolate and withdraw from relationships when they feel depressed, we will draw attention to this when that pattern is occurring in group (and aid that group member in re-establishing connection with group members).
A person’s concerns outside of group will always show up in group (anxieties, depression, perfectionism, troubles with emotional intimacy, anger concerns, etc.). This is exactly what we want because it gives us a chance to work on those issues together. As group members get better at changing those things in group, they can start to do that outside of group.
How does group therapy help me change?
Group therapy is a powerful tool to help members change through relationships. In fact, many researchers assert that in individual therapy the relationship between the therapist and client is what accounts for most of the therapeutic change. My colleague Emily Price PsyD, LP says, “When it comes to therapy, the quality of the relationship is everything.” For any of you research nerds, here in an article on the “heart and soul” of therapy to learn more about this concept that the relationship is what matters most in therapy. This means that the therapeutic relationship matters more than other factors (e.g. level of training of the therapist, the psychological theories that are applied, the amount money that the client pays, diagnosis of client).
So, if the relationship matters so much in individual therapy, imagine what the possibilities are in group therapy. There are so many relationships to work on. Each interpersonal relationships between members, between each member and the group leader(s), and also the relationship entirety of the group-as-a-whole. The word we use in group therapy to describe all these relationships is group cohesion. Again, for you research nerds, group cohesion is defined as “a dynamic process which is reflected in the tendency for a group to stick together and remain united in the pursuit of its instrumental objectives and/or for the satisfaction of member affective needs“ (Carron, Brawley, & Widmeyer, 1998, p. 213).
Most of our work in group is focused on our relationships. We talk about how we feel about each other. This includes feeling safe, trusting, compassion, concern, excitement, joy, playful, protective, or any other pleasant feelings. We also explore our unpleasant experiences like frustration, shame, anxiety, boredom, distrust, or grief. Through exploring these experiences we learn how to better support and challenge each other, how to resolve conflicts, how to deepen emotional intimacy and strengthen our bonds, and how each member can grow and change in the ways they want and need.
Would I be a good fit for group therapy?
Probably! Most of the concerns that bring people into individual therapy are good fits for group therapy as well. Some concerns are a better fit for group therapy, including social anxiety, certain kinds of depression, perfectionism, and most concerns where shame is a central component to the psychological pain. Here is a video that we made a few years ago entitled, Are You A Good Fit For Group Therapy, which can help you answer this question.
How can I find group therapy near me?
Great question! Finding good quality group therapy can sometimes be a struggle. One of the best resources would be this article called How to Find Group Therapy Near Me. It discusses how to use the American Group Psychotherapy Association website to find a certified group psychotherapist in your area, and also a bit about finding groups on the Psychology Today online directory of therapists. We also highlight the importance of considering online group therapy options, which can open the door to connecting with high quality group leaders from across the United States.
If you are interested in learning more about our groups at Northfield Dynamic Therapy, please schedule a free 15-minute consult with me, Nate Page. I am a licensed psychologist and certified group psychotherapist, and can help you determine if one of our groups is a good fit, or direct you to group opportunities with colleagues of mine.