Group Therapy
Most of the challenges we face in life arise from what we absorbed in groups, starting with the family and moving on to schools, friend groups, sports teams, religious communities and more. We then try to solve our problems with a limited set of skills and resources learned in those earlier groups.
Why join a therapy group?
The reason is straightforward – to become more effective within yourself and your relationships.
When you join a therapy group, you inevitably find yourself engaging your group mates in a similar fashion as with the people in your everyday life. This creates an invaluable opportunity to explore, experiment, and learn about yourself and your social experience within the safe-enough environment of a psychotherapy group.
Here is a brief list of what you can do in a group:
Ask for and receive feedback.
Learn effective ways of dealing with conflict and difference.
Improve your ability to manage tough emotions – both in yourself and in others.
Increase your level of spontaneity and engagement in social situations.
Experiment and discover new ways of being with others.
Some things to consider before joining a group:
“What personal and relationship goals do I have in joining group?”
Research shows that the best outcomes from group therapy involve having discrete goals for your experience. In the preparatory sessions prior to beginning, I will help you clarify tangible, practical goals.
“Do I have any questions about how group operates?”
Be sure to ask them.
“The thought of being in a group scares me.”
Many people feel this way. In the preparation sessions for group, we will discuss what might be of particular concern. Sometimes people fear that a group will exert pressure to indiscriminately share everything. Your decision to speak in group - or not - is yours to make and to be respected.