When it comes to working with challenging life changes, relationships, health and mental conditions, group therapy can be highly beneficial. However, there are some guidelines that must be followed for all members so that group therapy can be effective.
What is group therapy?
Group therapy is not about having individual therapy within a group. It has its own techniques, its own processes and its own strategies, and the therapists have a special set of skills to manage these sessions. One or more psychologists oversee a group of five or more patients during group therapy. Group sessions usually meet once or twice a week for an hour. While some people exclusively attend groups, others also go to individual treatment sessions.
The therapist selects the participants who will be a good fit within a group setting to focus on a particular issue like obesity, depression, addiction, or trauma. While group therapy works to address issues, it includes another component to help you improve social skills, coping mechanisms, and low self-esteem.
What can group therapy help with?
Group therapy provides a support network and a sounding board for all members. Therapy allows the group to help each other by coming up with ways for improving a difficult situation or life challenge.
1. Alcohol and Substance Abuse
Group therapy helps participants find out more about their addiction and identify the factors that may be motivating the addictive behavior. Understanding triggers can be extremely helpful in recovery and in preventing a relapse.
2. Family Issues
Many people seek counseling in group therapy to help them deal with difficult or dysfunctional family dynamics. As a therapist, you need to know exactly what to talk about in therapy, so that it doesn’t hurt the sentiment and personal state of mind of the patient who is undergoing a mental abuse therapy, especially if it is a family one.
3. Mental Health Conditions
People with mental health disorders, including depression, anxiety, post-traumatic stress, disorders find group therapy is effective. People gain knowledge on a variety of topics, including coping skills, self-acceptance, establishing healthy boundaries, and facing fears.
4. Grief
Grief can be any big loss in life, such as the death of a loved one, moving house, losing a job, or divorce. Talking about your loss with others who are in the same situation is an invaluable way to understand and accept the mourning process.
5. Trauma
Healing from trauma is a difficult journey and group therapy is often used as a form of treatment. If you’ve experienced any sort of trauma such as abuse, or near-death experience, group therapy can help with mental and emotional recovery.
6. Body Image and Weight
Support groups for weight reduction or body image can be quite helpful in assisting individuals in understanding why they have the relationship with food that they do. As a group, you can learn to recognize and manage triggers, and discuss the impact on self-image.
What are the most common group therapy rules you must follow for a successful treatment?
Setting the ground rules is the first step to a successful group therapy session. Learn about the rules for group therapy and recommendations that will support a secure and productive treatment environment:
1. Maintain Confidentiality
Therapists have a duty of privacy to their clients, but the same legalities do not necessarily apply to the group. However, therapists should set the expectation that all group members need to keep any information disclosed during sessions private. Additionally, group members’ identities should not be publicly revealed.
2. Respect
It is not mandatory for any group member to talk or participate and other members need to respect this. People open up in their own time without being pressured by the group. Everyone must be respected and not made to feel inferior or mistreated in any way.
3. Attendance
It is important for treatment progress to commit to attending every group therapy session and being punctual. Excuses, absences, late arrivals, or early departure can disrupt the group dynamics in addition to the member missing important knowledge and practice.
4. No threatening behavior
It is never acceptable to use violence, intimidation, or to harass another group member. It will create a toxic atmosphere and distract from the therapy objectives as well as causing emotional harm to others who are receiving treatment.
5. Communication with words
Developing communication skills through awareness, instruction, and practice is an important part of therapy. The words and phrases used in a group setting are critical to convey our thoughts and emotions. Clear communication has a positive impact on the group’s therapeutic alliance.
6. Prohibition on building close relationships with group members
Another one of the common group therapy rules you will come across is that dating and romantic interludes between group members is not allowed. It can affect the way the couple interacts with the group and if the relationship sours, it can become an unpleasant environment for everyone.
7. No substance abuse
Alcohol and other drugs are when in group therapy. People who are intoxicated or high have limited control over their emotions, words, and actions. Disruptive behavior of any kind and especially from substance abuse is not tolerated.
Benefits of group therapy
Group therapy has several benefits that make it a rewarding and effective treatment approach.
- When group therapy rules and expectations are adhered to, connecting with people who are dealing with the same issues is a significant advantage in that it offers a support network. This is important for those who feel alienated and isolated because of their condition.
- Group therapy includes input from a range of viewpoints. People view difficulties and situations differently due to their varied personalities and experiences and this provides different perspectives.
- A sense of accountability arises from the desire to satisfy and be accepted by the group, with other group members offering constructive criticism and recommendations for addressing difficulties.
- Having the friendship, support, and camaraderie of fellow group members acts as a safety net and boosts confidence.
- You might discover blind spots about yourself or your condition through interaction with other group members. The discoveries can propel you forward in treatment progress.
- It can be tremendously motivating to hear how other group members dealt with their problems, which can be a positive, therapeutic experience.
