The Benefits of Groups
01
You're Not Alone
Certain mental conditions, such as depression and anxiety, lead individuals to believe that they are completely alone, even if that isn’t true. During individual counseling, your therapist may provide you with the support and tools you need to overcome those thoughts and feelings, but when you engage in group therapy, it’s much easier to see that you aren’t alone in what you’re going through. During your group therapy sessions, you will interact with others who are going through the same or similar experiences, and hearing their stories can help you feel support in a way that individual therapy can’t.
03
Promote Social Skills
Many mental health conditions can result in feelings of isolation or a lower desire to hang out with friends or engage with peers. When you attend group therapy, it can help promote social skills. Because it is a required part of the program, you are automatically placed in a setting with others whom you may need to interact with. As a result, you may find yourself making friends with new people!
02
New Perspectives
Group therapy encourages individuals to talk about their feelings as well as situations or experiences that may have triggered the symptoms of their mental health condition. Talking about these situations will give you the chance to hear other perspectives. Others in your group therapy session may reflect on how they would have acted in your situation or give you advice on how to handle similar situations in the future. As a result, their feedback may give you ideas or perspectives that you never considered.
04
Builds Awareness
You may be under the impression that the main goal of group therapy is to provide you with support from others in addition to your therapist. However, another benefit of attending group therapy is that it can help teach you about yourself. As you engage and interact with others in your session, not only will you receive their perspective on situations, but as the therapy progresses, you may start to learn about yourself, how you react to certain stimuli, and what you need to get out of the healing process to truly overcome your condition.
05
Move Forward
Likely one of the most important benefits of therapy is learning how to move on. When you begin the healing process, you may feel as though you are stuck in a certain place. However, as you progress through the program, you will not only learn more about yourself, but you will also receive unconditional support. Support and encouragement are a necessary part of the healing process, and both can be found in a group therapy session.
Contact Community Counseling Services
If you aren’t finding the support you need from individual counseling alone, or you’re currently transitioning out of a hospital setting, then Community Counseling Services is here to help. Our counseling services are designed to help struggling children, teens, and adults. Explore our website to learn more and give us a call to request a consultation.
