As I prepare to start another group cycle, I thought it would be a good time to talk a bit about why groups are so incredibly wonderful. This isn’t something that I just believe as a therapist, but also something that I understand as a participant of groups. When I recently broke my humerus bone, the first thing I did was look online to find a humerus fracture support group. I found not only people who understood what I was going through, but I also became educated in how bones heal, found questions to ask my physical therapist, and adjusted my own ideas about how the fracture might impact my daily life. One lovely woman even posted a video of how to put your hair in a ponytail with one hand! So yeah… I love my group.
Top 10 Reasons to Try Group Therapy!
Vicarious Learning: Sometimes in the process of a group, an individual will ask a question that you never even thought of - but realize once asked, that it is something that you could also use the answer to. Maybe you aren’t ready to ask a particular question, but another group member is. This happens more often than people can even imagine. In individual therapy, many of those questions never get asked.
Universality: Recognition that we are not alone in how we feel, can be extremely validating, even when those feelings are intensely negative. Understanding that given a situation, it is “normal” to feel sad, angry, scared, happy, resentful… helps us to feel less out of control and more able to recognize our emotions as a “normal” part of the healing process.
Support: Having a safe place to share our feelings and get the support of others is an invaluable experience. To have someone, other than your therapist, hear your story and give you empathy can be life affirming. It is also powerful to be able to offer support to someone who is struggling.
Perspective: Group members will come from a variety of backgrounds with a ton of both shared and divergent experiences. Through the sharing of stories and experiences, group members not only further connect with one another, they also can gain the perspective of someone outside of themselves.
Social Practice: Group therapy experiences allow us to practice social interactions. How do you ask meaningful questions? How do you apologize when you overstep a boundary? How do you set boundaries? With the help of a therapist, these awkward experiences can feel manageable - and group members can take this learning into their relationships outside of the group.
Role Models: In the group, we can often times witness how others manage relationships or issues in their daily lives. We might notice how “Mary” is able to set boundaries with her coworkers, and begin to emulate “Mary” in our own life.
Sharing Secrets: There is a saying often used in 12 step groups that goes, “You are only as sick as your secrets.” Many secrets can create anxiety, depression, and even panic. When we share our secrets and pain with others, it can feel like a weight has been lifted. We can get the support that we need and we can begin the process of healing that which was once in darkness.
Building Hope: Group members will often be in different parts of their own healing journey. In my humerus fracture support group, a man posted a video of himself raising his arm high above his head with a big smile on his face. “Eighteen weeks of physical therapy” he wrote. For myself, who was just beginning physical therapy and could barely lift my arm 20 degrees, this was hugely impactful. Yes… it might take some time, but I can do it too. We see others succeed and we can visualize our own success.
Group therapy is often economical. Whereas an individual session might cost you anywhere between 90 - 150 dollars for 45-60 minutes… Group therapy is generally much less expensive for more time in the office. The DBT/Art Therapy Group offered through Art & Therapy is only $200 for the entire group cycle! That’s four 90 minutes groups - which comes to just $50 per session!
Fun! It is not unusual that group therapy involves not only the sharing of challenging experiences, but also lots of laughter and camaraderie. Group members begin to care about one another and impact each other in positive ways.