07/18/2025
Group therapy is a type of psychotherapy in which one to two therapists see multiple clients simultaneously. It can be as effective as individual sessions for many mental health conditions, including anxiety, Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder, depression, Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder, substance abuse and trauma. Group therapy provides healing and a sense of belonging and connection, allowing participants to practice active listening and empathy and benefit from the lived experience of other members. Through its multiple perspectives and opportunities for social learning, group therapy has the benefits of a support group with the enhancement of professional guidance.
Groups have specific purposes, such as treatment for a particular diagnosis, learning a set of skills or processing specific traumatic events. New members typically complete an intake process that helps to determine if they are a good fit for the group and vice versa. (A group should have enough similarity between members for it to be cohesive and each participant should readily identify with at least one other attendee.) It is important for prospective members to inquire about attendance policies, confidentiality, costs and how long the group will continue and to understand the group’s function, goals and structure. Groups usually develop their own cultures and norms, which may already exist if you join an open one. (Closed groups begin and end at a set time. Open ones allow individuals to enroll whenever space is available.)
Confidentiality should be expected in a group, yet cannot be guaranteed as it is in individual therapy. (Each member should sign a confidentiality agreement as part of joining.) Groups often range from six to twelve participants and possible focuses include interpersonal process (intended for those trying to build healthier and more secure relationships), psychoeductional (meant to provide information on a specific condition or issue), skill-development and support. Sessions, which can be led by nurse practitioners, psychiatrists, psychologists, social workers or therapists, usually last between 90 minutes and 2 hours.
Types of group therapy range from Cognitive behavioral, which typically is highly structured with a preset number of sessions and significant psychoeducation and examines the relationships between behavior, emotion and thought; to Psychodrama, where group members create performances based on their experiences and learn from both playing themselves and roles in others’ dramatizations; and Psychodynamic, which is based on the belief that all thoughts and behaviors stem from pre or unconscious processes and through which participants gain self-insight.
Therapeutic improvements related to group therapy can result from altruism (helping other members and then developing a better self-image), catharsis (releasing strong emotions), cohesiveness (forming positive emotional connections between group participants), hope (seeing attendees have success and believing you can experience that too), imitation (observing others work through their issues/problems), socialization and interpersonal learning (including gaining effective communication skills and receiving feedback from the group), and universality (realizing that others have similar feelings and problems).
If you are already attending individual therapy, your practitioner may know about groups within his or her own practice or professional network. Mental health organizations, outpatient psychiatric hospitals, university counseling centers and Veterans Affairs facilities also typically offer group therapy. Psychology Today (https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/groups/virginia) has an online list of local groups by state and the American Group Psychotherapy Association allows you to search for Certified Group Psychotherapists (https://portal.agpa.org/certifications/directory?_gl=1*nijwwz*_ga*OTg4ODMyODAyLjE3NTA3OTM4NzU.*_ga_T8P9C6FCEY*czE3NTA3OTM4NzUkbzEkZzAkdDE3NTA3OTM4NzUkajYwJGwwJGgw).
For an individual to be an ideal fit for group therapy, he or she should not be in acute distress or have low motivation for treatment. Being extroverted and conscientious often predicts success as a group member. Group therapy is not only effective, it is efficient with one therapist able to treat multiple patients at once. It is estimated that on average, group therapy costs one-third to one-half less than individual treatment and through it, individuals become members of a supportive community, receiving assistance from both their therapist(s) and peers.
