Group Psychotherapy

Group psychotherapy can provide a safe and supportive environment for individuals dealing with mental health issues, but it's essential to weigh the benefits and disadvantages of individual and group psychotherapy before deciding which is the right option for you.

What is group therapy?

According to the American Group Psychotherapy Association, group psychotherapy is “an effective form of therapy in which a small number of people meet together under the guidance of a professionally trained therapist to help themselves and one another.”

Psychotherapy is the treatment of mental health concerns and illnesses through psychological means. Although it’s also known as talk psychotherapy, it can often be much more involved than simply talking and being counseled, depending on the circumstances. Psychotherapy can take many different forms, and some can be more suitable for different conditions than others.

Below are some of the types of psychotherapy that you can engage in:

• Interpersonal therapy
• Psychodynamic therapy
• Cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT)
• Transference-focused therapy
• Narrative therapy
• Imago therapy
• The Gottman Method (a type of couples therapy)

All of these different psychotherapy techniques utilize varied approaches and methods. While some may be better suited for individual sessions, others have been notably effective when practiced in a group setting, such as group psychotherapy, which has proven to be beneficial for individuals dealing with depression, anxiety, panic disorder, substance use disorders, and low self-esteem.

In this article, we will discuss the advantages and disadvantages of group psychotherapy.

The benefits of group therapy

Group psychotherapy can be a valuable resource for several mental health concerns and conditions, including eating disorders and anger management issues. The following are the main benefits of a psychotherapy group.

The ability to relate to others

Knowing that many others are in a similar situation as you can be comforting since some of your problems can make it seem like you are alone. As an individual, having support groups comprising others with similar experiences can be invaluable.

Usually, these group meetings are small to medium-sized and allow everyone to express their thoughts. In addition, it also allows group members to build a working relationship and psychotherapeutic alliance with one or more psychologists and the other group members in their psychotherapy session. This can be invaluable for those dealing with things like bipolar disorder, substance abuse, and chronic pain.

It's designed to be judgment-free

In addition to allowing you to connect with others, group psychotherapy is designed to offer a place to speak your mind without worrying about being judged, even if the others in the group have not had the same experiences as you.

Worrying about what others might think is a common concern people have when deciding whether or not to try group psychotherapy. It’s likely that a few of the other clients in psychotherapy groups are also worried about the same thing, so you're not alone. Psychotherapy is intended to be a safe space for everyone, and often policies are put in place to create that environment and avoid any potential issues.

Group sessions are also beneficial for providing valuable feedback to the other members of the group. Everyone in the group can share their experiences and feelings in a supportive environment, which can help to foster a sense of understanding and compassion between the group members.

Silence is OK

There are times when you just don’t want to talk or you are not ready to speak about a certain topic, and it's completely acceptable.

One of the advantages of group psychotherapy is that you can decide how much to participate in psychotherapy sessions.
In a group session, you are not obligated to talk if you don't wish to do so. Some group members may be more comfortable sharing their thoughts and feelings than others. Listening can be psychotherapeutic as well and may even make you more open to talking about a certain topic if you find something you can relate to.

One of the goals of the psychotherapist is to make clients as comfortable as possible so that they eventually begin talking about their concerns.

However, even if remaining silent is OK, you will likely get the most value out of your sessions if you share your thoughts because you can receive constructive input and feedback on your situation.

It's a cost-effective option

Individual sessions tend to be more costly than sessions that take place in a group setting. The primary reason why group meetings are usually more affordable is that it is an efficient way to conduct them —a psychotherapist can work with multiple people simultaneously.

For instance, if the psychotherapist charges $150 for one-on-one sessions, this can work out to $30 per person between five people. However, depending on the clinic and psychotherapist, splitting the cost might not be that straightforward. Nonetheless, it can still be more than half-off of an individual session.

Some forms of group psychotherapy, such as Alcoholics Anonymous, which can be an important part of addiction treatment for substance use disorder, may even be free. It generally teaches those living with substance use important skills and provides them with the support of their peers.

Being able to save money makes group psychotherapy an attractive option for many people. Some might even get more value out of it than an individual meeting because they can talk about their concerns with others, and not just with the psychotherapist.

Psychotherapists who present documentation of completed training, including coursework and continuing education credits, can be certified as Certified Group Psychotherapists (CGPs) by the International Board for Certification of Group Psychotherapists.

The disadvantages of group therapy

There are plenty of reasons why group psychotherapy can be an excellent choice for you; however, there are a few possible drawbacks that you may or may not experience. Depending on the individual, below are some possible disadvantages of participating in group psychotherapy.

Less personal attention

One of the clear advantages of one-on-one psychotherapy sessions is that all of the allotted time is dedicated to you and what you'd like to discuss. In group psychotherapy, the attention can be divided among the members and there is less time for personal exploration. Although many groups focus on individual issues in a supportive setting, it is not the same as having a psychotherapist dedicated exclusively to you in individual psychotherapy.

In group psychotherapy, you will get a chance to speak, and it's encouraged. However, there are additional people in the room, and there is limited time. Because of this, you might not be able to say as much as you need to and receive detailed input as you would in one-on-one psychotherapy. If this is the case, individual psychotherapy, like cognitive-behavioral psychotherapy, can be a great supplement.

On the other hand, this disadvantage is usually offset by the fact that you can receive feedback from more than one person and can listen to other people's stories when attending psychotherapy groups.

Organization and scheduling

Sometimes other aspects of life can get in the way of psychotherapy, especially family or work commitments, and this might make it hard to commit to a certain group psychotherapy time week after week.

This can apply to any type of psychotherapy session, but group psychotherapy can sometimes be more prone to attendance issues. If you can’t make a session, you might need to either join a different group for the week or wait until the next session with the same group.

Issues can also arise on the side of the psychotherapist as well, and there is a chance that a meeting can get canceled. "Dropouts" may also occur, but the rate is rather low; in a study consisting of 143 participants across multiple cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) groups between 2003 and 2013, 25 people, or 17.5%, backed out for various reasons.

It's not for everyone

Group psychotherapy has helped millions of participants around the world. However, group psychotherapy and psychotherapeutic support groups might not be ideal for every person. For example, someone who experiences social anxiety might be tense in a setting that requires the use of their social skills, even though it's intended to be a comfortable and judgment-free zone. Regarding this specific concern, the results of group therapy sessions designed for social anxiety disorder have been mixed. However, in one study, 57% of participants had experienced improvement in depression at follow-up regarding their experience of group psychotherapy.

Therefore, despite social anxiety, it is entirely possible to benefit from group psychotherapy, especially if one becomes more familiar with their group mates. If group psychotherapy still sounds too intimidating, one-on-one sessions are available, and you can receive personalized care tailored to your needs. 

Online group therapy

If you are interested in psychotherapy but not sure whether you want to engage in therapy in person (whether individually or in a group), you might benefit from online therapy, which research has demonstrated to be just as effective as in-person psychotherapy. While group psychotherapy can be beneficial for many mental health concerns, you might be more comfortable with online psychotherapy first, as you can talk to a psychotherapist without leaving home. With BetterHelp, you can talk to a psychotherapist via phone, videoconferencing, and in-app messaging.