Group therapy is a powerful and highly effective method of addressing interpersonal issues. Problems that are well-suited to group therapy include: patterns of relationship dysfunction, social skills and communication enhancement, and issues related to intimacy and trust. When people enter group therapy and interact freely with other group members, they often recreate the difficulties that brought them to therapy in the first place. While interpersonal issues are often initially addressed during individual therapy, group therapy offers multiple relationships to assist the individual in further growth and problem solving.

People who make good candidates for group therapy may have:

• Desire for personal growth
• Shyness
• Interpersonal difficulties
• Social anxiety
• Have problems “fitting in”
• Problematic behaviors
• Conflict with coworkers or peers
• Difficulties with assertiveness
• Feel misunderstood by others
• Frequent feelings of anger
• Patterns of family or relationship problems
• Problems with trust and intimacy
• Existential concerns
  
  

Group therapy provides the unique opportunity to observe and reflect on your own and others’ interpersonal skills and to give and receive feedback in an interpersonal context that more accurately reflects real life. Under the skilled direction of the therapist, the group is able to give support, offer alternatives, or gently confront the person. Through this process, insight is gained, alternative behaviors are learned, and the person develops new and more effective ways of relating to others.

Some of the benefits of group therapy may include:

• Hope
• Guidance
• Social skills building
• Catharsis
• Existential factors
• Interpersonal learning
• Resolution of family issues
• Altruism

While most people have some fear of opening up to others, after a few sessions members usually find that they are able to open up in the group. Members learn through active participation as well as observation. Typically groups consist of 6 to 10 members that meet weekly for 90 minutes. Groups range in duration, from 10 weeks to one year. A minimum of one individual evaluation session is required of all candidates for group therapy in order to determine if group therapy could be an effective approach and which group would be most beneficial to the specific goals of the client. Individuals who are suicidal, homicidal, psychotic, or in the midst of a major crisis are typically not good candidates for group therapy until their emotional and behavior states have stabilized.