Six Ways Group Therapy Can Support Your Journey

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Group therapy can be a powerful tool to help you find your way to a better life, but fear and uncertainty stop many from seeking it. Therapy in all forms can be difficult for many to embrace as a helpful step in their journey, and group therapy may seem even more difficult. But with the right group and therapist, group therapy provides a host of benefits that can help you better manage your challenges.

Validation

Validation is an important aspect of anyone’s life. No matter how secure we are in our own feelings, it’s validating to know that someone else agrees with us and can understand where we’re coming from. Rather than individual sessions, where only your therapist gives you feedback, in group therapy you’ll hear affirmation from others who share similar experiences. 

Community

Therapy requires a lot of openness and vulnerability. While this can be intimidating, it’s also the quickest way to feel connected to a community. Social groups depend on trust and communication to thrive. When you attend group therapy sessions, you’ll form strong bonds with others in your group.

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Feedback

When you’re struggling with a difficult situation, group therapy can be a valuable source of feedback. In individual therapy, you have one person providing insight into your situation. And while that person may be qualified to do so, they may not have personal experience that aligns with yours. However, in a group session, you’ll hear feedback from multiple people who may share a similar experience, which can be extremely beneficial to help you navigate your unique challenges.

Low-Pressure Sessions

Individual therapy can be intimidating because it’s only you and your therapist in a room. However, in group sessions, there are others who will talk while you listen. There’s no pressure to get up and discuss your life or dig into uncomfortable topics right away. In fact, you can go to a few sessions without speaking up much at all if that feels more comfortable.

While there’s no pressure to talk about your own life, you’re still getting valuable help with your journey. By listening to others, you’re learning about different situations and how to overcome them. Someone’s feedback and suggestions about a different person’s experience might be a good starting point for your own. By actively listening to what others have to say, you can still achieve positive growth on your own.

Helping Others

Group therapy is unique because it allows you to provide help for others rather than just receiving it for yourself. Not only will you feel better by helping someone else, but sometimes your advice can help you as well. When we’re stuck in our own situations, it can be hard to take a step back and examine them with a clear head. But when you help someone through their problems, you may stumble upon solutions for yourself that you may never have thought of otherwise.

Counselor-Led

While getting a variety of feedback and helping others is great by itself, group therapy sessions are led by a trained professional. Not every suggestion is going to be useful, and not every problem will have readily-available answers. In a group session, a counselor is there to help lead the discussion. It’s also helpful to know that a trained mental health specialist is there to provide feedback and confirm certain situations or suggestions. Having that professional on the sidelines supporting everyone increases the benefits of group therapy even more.

Group Therapy & Your Journey

At Connected Roots, our goal is to provide everyone with the tools they need to find a better life. No matter what you’re struggling with, our counselors and therapy sessions will help you understand your problems and find transformative solutions. We offer group therapy sessions for young adults (18-23) and adults (24+) that will help you process your emotions and learn healthy coping skills to navigate your journey. With group therapy, you can find validation, build a strong community, and help others - all while also receiving meaningful feedback you need for your situation. If you’re ready to find a better future and improve your life, give us a call at 720-593-1062 to learn more about our individual and group therapy services.