Group therapy

Group psychotherapy or group therapy is a form of psychotherapy in which one or more therapists treat a small group of clients together as a group. In group therapy the context and process is explicitly utilized as a mechanism of change by developing, exploring and examining interpersonal relationships within the group and intrapersonal processes as an agent of change.

Members of the group share with others personal issues which they are facing. A participant can talk about his/her experiences, her/his responses to these events, problems , difficulties , issues dealt with etc. The participant may also share feelings and thoughts about what happened in previous sessions, and relate to issues raised by other members or the group processes in general .Participants offer feedback, encourage, give support or share their thoughts and feelings.
The subjects for discussion are not determined by the leader but rise spontaneously from the group. The group can become a source of support and strength in times of stress for the participant, a safe setting for gaining insight, becoming aware of maladaptive patterns of thinking-feeling-behaviors , and help the participant adopt more constructive ways of thinking and behaving. It can become a safe setting for trying out new behaviors.

WHO CAN BENEFIT FROM GROUP PSYCHOTHERAPY?

Group psychotherapy is suitable for a large variety of problems and difficulties, beginning with people who would like to develop their interpersonal skills and ending with people with emotional problems like anxiety, depression. The group is especially effective for people with interpersonal difficulties and problems in relations. Whether these difficulties are in social, working, couple or even sexual relations, the participant can benefit a lot in these areas.

Groups are ideally suited to people who are struggling with relationship issues like intimacy, trust, self-esteem. The group interactions help the participants to identify, get feedback, and change the patterns that are sabotaging the relations. The great advantage of group psychotherapy is working on these patterns in the “here and now” – in a group situation more similar to reality and close to the interpersonal events.

How do I get started?

Your first step is to call us to schedule your initial appointment. You will be asked to provide some initial information over the telephone to help us evaluate if our counseling center can provide best treatment option for you! You may t be scheduled for an initial evaluation session which provides an opportunity for you to build rapport with the therapist and provide him/her with some background about yourself and the reasons you are seeking counseling. In addition, the intake therapist will be able to answer your questions regarding services, fees, confidentiality and what to expect in therapy.