Group Therapy: Benefits, Uses, & Finding the Right Support Group

Group therapy supports psychological well-being because group members can learn and receive feedback from their peers as well as the therapist. For instance, a group focused on addiction can help a group member learn coping strategies that other peers use for managing substance cravings.

As such, group therapy is as effective in treating mental health conditions and addiction as individual therapy and comes with its own unique benefits.

The Benefits of Group Therapy

Emotional support from peers and a sense of universality are two key benefits of group therapy. People in similar situations come together, which helps alleviate the feeling of isolation. Those involved can receive sympathy from others in the same situation.

Skill development, particularly interpersonal skills, is another benefit of group therapy. Those who find it difficult to connect with others can use group therapy to foster communication skills. The therapist provides observations and feedback on how you’re relating to others in the group.

Drug abuse group therapy is as effective as group therapy for other mental health conditions like eating disorders, trauma, obsessive-compulsive disorder, anxiety and depression.

Group Therapy for Eating Disorders

Researchers have found group therapy effective in treating eating disorders. Group discussions have helped people abstain from binging and purging behaviors.

Group therapy has also been shown to decrease eating disorder-related symptoms like body dissatisfaction, concerns of body shape and weight and motivation for thinness.

Group Therapy for Trauma

Researchers have indicated that group therapy benefits trauma survivors. One study found that group therapy decreased social isolation among veterans who were deployed to Iraq and Afghanistan.

Another study found that group therapy reduced depressive symptoms and severity of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) symptoms among active duty military personnel. Group therapy for active-duty and veteran couples can improve PTSD and anger among active-duty and former service members.

Researchers have also noted that military members’ partners also experienced improvement in mental health and relationship satisfaction as a result of this couples group therapy.

Group Therapy for Obsessive-compulsive Disorder

Group therapy also benefits those with obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD). Effects are comparable to those of individual therapy. Group members have a sense of belonging and further assistance with problem-solving.

Researchers have found that the improvement in OCD symptoms from group therapy was comparable to that of individual therapy. They also observed how more people stayed in group therapy than others who participated in individual therapy.

Group Therapy for Anxiety and Depression

Symptoms of anxiety and depression can decrease because of group therapy. University students, adults in primary care, those with coronary heart disease and older folks who partake in group therapy show greater chances of recovery and demonstrate a higher degree of coping skills.

Common Group Therapy Activities

Group therapy activities in mental health and addiction recovery include evidence-based strategies like cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT). Regardless of the activity, therapists pay attention to each group member’s reactions and ensure that everyone has the opportunity to participate in each session.

Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy

Cognitive-behavioral Therapy (CBT) works from the premise that your thoughts, emotions and behaviors are interrelated. Changing negative core beliefs to more positive ones leads you to experience happier emotions and develop healthier behaviors.

Group therapists may express their observations of negative core beliefs shared among the group members. This can normalize thought processes for group members and highlight that they aren’t alone in having such thoughts. This shared experience can help reduce personal stigma a person may have for their core beliefs.

The therapist then encourages members to work together and empower each other. For instance, a group member who deals with social anxiety can enlist peers as “in vivo exposure” so they can face their fears then and there. They can then start becoming more comfortable being themselves in a group setting.

Through observation, challenging unhelpful thought patterns, and practicing new behaviors, group members learn to cope and redirect themselves in their daily lives. This change can also be solidified with validation and positive reinforcement from other group members.

Role Playing

Role playing can be part of a CBT group or used as a standalone activity. By role playing, you can practice different types of interpersonal interactions, such as with parents, peers at work, bosses, friends or multiple individuals in a social gathering.

Let’s say a group member is dealing with significant anxiety about an upcoming job interview, another group member can play the role of an interviewer and “interview” this group member.

After the mock interview, the therapist and other group members share their observations. This can positively reinforce the interviewee’s strengths and learn tips to use during actual interviews.

Open Discussions

Open discussions allow group members to ask questions and share their ideas. You’ll end up learning much from your peers and vice versa. One example can be a group focused on grief and loss.

Adjusting to a similar, profound change can bring group members together as each person has a different perspective and meaning on their loss. Learning from others can help you develop your thoughts and come to a place of greater peace with grief.

Guided Exercises

Varied guided exercises help group members reach insights or learn coping skills. A therapist might guide group therapy activities like purposeful breathing exercises that clear the mind or relax you when feeling overwhelmed.

Another guided exercise is a body scan in which the therapist leads the group step-by-step to pay attention to sensations in various parts of the body and consider what they may mean.

After the completion of such guided exercises, the therapist leads a discussion to help group members share their experience of the exercise and what they learned. Group members might notice that they feel much calmer after the breathing exercise and are motivated to use it at home or work.

The body scan can help people recognize where stress and tension is located in their bodies and how they feel at any moment.

FAQs

How Do I Know if Group Therapy is Right for Me?

One way to consider if group therapy is right for you is to start identifying your therapy goals. If you’re looking to reduce social anxiety, enhance interpersonal skills or want to see if others share your concerns, group therapy may be a good fit for you. Note that group and individual therapy are effective for all mental health conditions.

What Types of Mental Health Group Therapy Exist?

Various types of mental health group therapy exist. CBT group therapy is a popular choice, along with interpersonal, psychoeducational, and support groups. Support groups, however, are not therapy groups because they are often peer-led and not necessarily facilitated by a mental health professional.

Examples of support groups are SMART Recovery or 12-step programs like Alcoholics Anonymous. Other specific themes that often fall under support groups include first-time parents, family members of those with addiction, or first-generation college students.

Psychoeducational groups seek to inform participants about mental health conditions and provide skills training and support. They’re more structured than support groups and work through training modules. Psychoeducational groups can focus on trauma, interpersonal violence or stress management.

Interpersonal therapy groups focus on how group members relate to each other, whereas CBT groups focus on changing core beliefs. In therapy groups, therapists might integrate more than one theoretical strategy over the course of the group.

Can I Attend Group Therapy and Individual Therapy at the Same Time?

It’s possible to attend both at the same time and that does occur in some settings like addiction rehab. But it’s actually more helpful to participate in either individual or group therapy at one time.

Participating in individual therapy can dilute the effectiveness of group therapy and vice versa. Someone may use individual therapy as a safety net for not feeling ready to discuss something in the group when addressing the issue in the group could be very beneficial.

Participation in one or both formats at the same time also depends on the style and recommendations of the therapist. You can certainly voice your concerns when consulting a therapist who conducts both individual and group therapy.

If you have two distinct therapy goals and aren’t ready to discuss one or both in a group setting, participating in both therapies may be appropriate.

What Happens in a Group Therapy Session?

In a psychoeducational group, therapists tend to guide sessions and discussions since their job is to convey key information about the specific topic. Each session has a goal or theme that the facilitators adhere to.

Typically, after presenting information or teaching skills, they’ll open the floor up for questions or reactions to the material.

Therapy groups are much less structured. The therapists encourage group members to start discussions that last throughout the session. Depending on what the group needs, therapists provide feedback and lead specific activities. Leaders can also enhance group members’ communication.

Support groups, on the other hand, are led by peers, although some may be led by mental health professionals. A session typically begins with the therapist asking who has specific topics or problems they would like time to address with the group. Time is then allocated for each group member accordingly.

Where Can I Find Free or Low-Cost Group Therapy Options?

Methods to locate affordable group therapy include searching for private therapists or mental health clinics in your community who offer sliding scale fees. Depending on your health coverage, you might be able to use insurance to pay for group therapy.

Group Therapy for Drug Addiction and Substance Abuse

Group therapy is commonly used in substance use disorder treatment. Stigma related to addiction still exists, so individuals dealing with addiction may also deal with self-stigmas. Addiction group therapy can help reduce self-stigma because you’re in a supportive environment with others also dealing with addiction.

Substance abuse group therapy provides a sense of camaraderie and defuses relapse because members can learn tips from each other for dealing with cravings and triggers.

Support groups like Alcoholics Anonymous (AA) and Narcotics Anonymous (NA) play an important role throughout treatment and recovery. Ongoing participation in these peer groups helps participants maintain sobriety and get support from peers who’ve been in their situation before.

How Can I Find Group Therapy Near Me?

There are a few different ways to locate support therapy groups near you. These include searching online therapist directories and locating ones that offer group therapy. You can also ask for direction or referrals from your other health providers.

Less formal approaches include heading to your local community centers to see if they offer any therapy or support groups. You can check out bulletin boards in your library. You can also ask friends or family members for recommendations, especially those who have gone through therapy.

Things to consider or do when choosing support group therapy are being able to identify your priorities for therapy. You should also call your insurance company to find out what your health insurance plan covers regarding psychotherapy.

An important step is to speak with therapists in your area who provide group therapy to (1) gauge your comfort level with them and (2) seek their thoughts or recommendations based on your goals and what you hope to get out of therapy.

Group therapy benefits are many, including reduction in symptoms, increased life satisfaction, enhanced relationships, and a sense of belonging. It’s a worthy option to consider as you seek out psychotherapy options.