As a graduate social work student in 2008, my vision for helping people was exhilarating and somewhat idealistic. My favorite part of the school semester was going to the NYU bookstore to purchase the required books for my classes and browse through some of the other sections to see what the future would bring for the other courses that would be coming my way. I didn’t know what to expect from the group therapy course I was about to begin, but from the looks of the big fat books I was purchasing, it seemed I had a whole bunch of information to learn. As with all the knowledge that I gained in graduate school, my hope was always to bring it back to my community as a way to help others. And, as it turns out, group therapy has tremendous potential to help people on their road to recovery.

Groups vary in style, structure and content. Whether it is a support group, self-help group, psychotherapy group, open-ended or closed group, confidentiality remains the central premise for helping groups succeed and be used as an important intervention. Group therapy programs are becoming a growing modality for community mental health centers and for private practitioners, as it can be cost effective and have lasting and satisfactory results.

Group therapy has the potential to help people in various ways that individual therapy cannot. Social group work requires leaders to bring hidden and underlying issues and feelings to the surface, in a public way. Many times this can be a deviation from societal norms, as well as a crossing of boundaries that clients think are taboo. However, it lies within the skill of the group leader to be able to break through individuals’ inhibitions and facilitate the group in a way that allows the client to examine and grapple with all positions and options involved, which will make the process a success. The leader can be vulnerable and flexible, but at the same time, be able to take and give control in ways that benefit the group and the individual at the same time. The group interaction becomes valuable for reflection and understanding by members. When members are experiencing similar situations, they can effectively come together to provide each other with acceptance, reassurance and encouragement. This decreases isolation and stigma, promotes problem solving, accesses strengths, develops common interests, provides information and education, facilitates mutual aid, changes attitudes and behaviors and allows clients to find new ways of relating to others.

Regularly talking and listening to others can be a helpful way of putting your problems in perspective. When hearing others speak about similar experiences and issues, group members feel some relief knowing that they are not alone. Being part of a group offers diversity from people with different personalities and different backgrounds, which helps to see things from a new lens. By understanding how other people tackle problems and make positive changes, members can discover a whole range of strategies for facing their own concerns. Group therapy allows for an expert facilitator, as well as group members, to help contribute to learning many ways of coping with anxiety, depression, trauma, bereavement and emotion dysregulation.

When choosing a group, one thing to consider is whether it is an open or closed group. An open group allows for new members to join at any time, while a closed group is when all the members join the group at the same time. Like most things, both have their advantages and disadvantages. An open group means you can join at any time, but it also means there may be an adjustment period for a newcomer to be part of an existing group. Closed groups will only contain the same members you started the cycle with, but it may mean having to wait for the next group to start.

Another thing to take into account is how many members are in the group. Small groups may allow for more individual attention, but larger groups offer more diversity and variety of opinions from more of its members.

It is common for people to participate in both individual and group therapy as methods of treatment. With the support of both, one can boost his/her chances of making lasting and valuable changes. Group therapy may enhance personal growth when progress in individual therapy has been stalled. Open and honest communication and confidentiality make for good, solid groups. The bond formed from a group of people who are at first strangers, can be amazingly strong, supportive and healing.

Audrey Grazi, LCSW currently has a private practice providing individual and group therapy. DBT group forming now, Dialectical Behavioral Therapy groups help individuals regulate emotions using effective coping skills. For more information, email [email protected].