Group Therapy
Teens & Adults
What is Group Therapy?
Group psychotherapy usually consists of between 4 to 10 individual members, and one or two group therapists. Groups typically meet for 1 to 2 hours and for an agreed-upon number of sessions. Some groups, however, may be more open-ended in scope. The group therapist will meet/speak with group members individually prior to the first group session to discuss the nature of the group, clarify areas that the individual would like to work on, and address any other questions.
Adults & Teens Process Groups
Process groups are comprised of 4-10 members and a facilitator. They are typically unstructured, in that the facilitator does not set an agenda for sessions and the members initiate discussion. As rapport develops, the facilitator encourages members to explore their interaction patterns as an evolving “process” that influences the content and flow of discussion. In process groups, how members discuss something is just as important as what they discuss.
By focusing on this process, members work-through interpersonal hang-ups and gain a fuller appreciation of self and other. In addition to helping each other with specific issues or topics, members learn to step outside their own reaction patterns and focus on the reality of the group. This leads members to adopt a consistently empathic view of each other, which fosters more mutually fulfilling explorations. Attention to the how enriches discussion of the what.