Most people firstly use their friends and family as support when they are dealing with a crisis or a challenge in life. However, some individuals keep their worries to themselves and don’t make use of a support network and find it difficult to sleep, experience worry and anxiety, irritability and moodiness. Usually individuals feel nervous before starting therapy. There are different types of therapy. Have you ever considered group therapy? Depending on the nature of the problem you are experiencing, group therapy can be an ideal choice for addressing your concerns and helping you to make positive changes in your life.
Most people are aware of individual-, relationships- and family therapy, but not many people are aware of group therapy. Groups are set up to address a specific problem, such as depression, panic disorders, social anxiety, substance abuse or eating disorders. Other groups focus more generally on improving social skills in order to help people who are struggling with issues such as anger, shame, loneliness and low self-esteem. Group therapy is an excellent form of therapy that focuses mainly on support and acquire new knowledge and techniques in order to positively influence the quality of your life.
What can I expect?
There are different types of group therapy. Group therapy have open groups and closed groups, groups that exist for a certain number of weeks or groups that don’t have a specific timeline. Open groups are a type of group where an individual can take part in the group anytime during the group’s existence. Closed groups only allow a certain number of individuals for the period that the group is active, and no new members may enter the group once it has started. Most groups have a timeline, for example a 12-week group therapy process that supports individuals who suffers with depression, in coping with their depression and empowering them with new techniques and tools to improve the quality of their lives. Typically, groups meet every week or every second week for one up until three hours, depending on the type of group.
What are the benefits of group therapy?
- Group therapy is very cost effective and a lot less expensive that individual therapy.
- Joining a group of strangers may sound intimidating at first, but group therapy provides benefits that individual therapy may not. Most people are surprised by how rewarding the group experience can be.
- Groups can act as a support network and a sounding board. Other members of the group often help you come up with specific ideas for dealing with a difficult situation or life challenge, and hold you accountable along the way.
- Talking, disclosing and listening to others may also help you to put your own problems in perspective. Many people experience mental health difficulties. You may feel like you are the only one struggling — but you’re not. It can be a relief to hear others discuss what they’re going through, and realise you’re not alone.
- Diversity is another important benefit of group therapy. People have different personalities and backgrounds, and they look at situations in different ways. By seeing how other people tackle problems and make positive changes, you can discover a whole range of strategies for facing your own concerns.