Group Therapy Uses and Benefits

Group therapy can be helpful for a lot of different mental health conditions. Group therapy involves three to ten individuals and even more in some cases and can be beneficial for several reasons.

 Group therapy can be great for depression, substance use disorder, post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD), and more. This article has some great information about group therapy for PTSD.  In addition, there are other conditions that group therapy may be an effective treatment for.

How Does Group Therapy Work?

Group therapy can do some things that individual therapy cannot. It may not be a good option for every situation, but some people may do better in a group setting than they would in a one-on-one therapy session.

Group therapy can help to inspire someone because the individuals in the group will be at different stages in their mental health journey. Seeing that others are making progress can provide hope. It can also help individuals see that they are not alone, and that other people suffer from similar mental health issues.

The different individuals in the group will be able to offer advice and guidance to each other. This information can be extremely helpful and can help other feel confident in their progress. Not only that, but the advice of others can help individuals learn things that they should avoid.

Benefits of Group Therapy

Group therapy can help individuals develop social skills. It offers a safe place to practice behaviors and to learn how to be more assertive in a healthy way. It is also an important support system that can help people avoid falling back into old negative thought patterns or behavioral habits.

The interaction found in group therapy can help people learn from others. The mistakes and triumphs of people with similar issues can help to provide a better understanding of the self. It can also provide positive role models that individuals can model their behavior after.

A group can also make an individual more comfortable with sharing with a therapist. They may also feel a strong sense of belonging and feel more accepted. Group therapy offers a sense of unity and empathy as well.

In group therapy, you also have the ability to help other people who have similar mental health issues that you struggle with. Helping others can increase your own confidence and self-esteem. This may help you learn to cope with and manage your emotions, behaviors, and thought processes. In fact, research indicates that helping others can be a great way to help manage your own anxiety.

Group therapy can be effective and is often more affordable than individual therapy. This is because the therapist can devote their time to a larger group of people instead of merely one at a time.

Downsides of Group Therapy

Group therapy is not for everyone and it does come with some potential downsides. Group therapy does not offer individuals the one-on-one attention that they would get from an individual therapist. You may not have the time or ability to speak as much about your problems or go in-depth about yourself. However, some people like to combine individual therapy with group therapy sessions to get the best of both worlds.

Group therapy will also have some rules and procedures that have to be followed. This may prevent you from discussing certain topics that may be triggering for the other individuals in the group. This ensures that the group remains a safe and supportive place but can also make it harder for you to discuss certain experiences.

Also, since the group has to accommodate several different people, then there is less of an opportunity to choose session time that fit your personal schedule. It is important to weight the pros and cons for your unique situation, lifestyle, and personality before deciding whether group therapy or individual therapy, or a combination of both, is right for you.

Final Thoughts on Group Therapy

Group therapy can be an affordable and effective treatment option for several different mental health issues. It offers individuals more support and guidance than individual therapy can provide. However, a therapist may also not have the resources to be able to go as far into your own personal issues that they would have in one-on-one therapy sessions. If you are unsure whether group therapy is right for you, then you should speak with a mental health professional.

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