Group Therapy
“People who are successful in group are successful in life.” - Louis Ormont, Ph.D.
Ever since Joseph Pratt, M.D., a Boston physician, discovered in the early 1900s that his tuberculosis patients improved faster when they shared their experiences and progress with each other, group psychotherapy has grown to be an accepted and often preferred method of treatment for a wide variety of concerns.
Why would I join a group?
Most people who consider group psychotherapy have already been in individual therapy and have an established relationship with a therapist. When it becomes clear that you’re seeking help in developing more satisfying relationships — whether with spouses, romantic partners, children, co-workers, family, or friends — group psychotherapy is an excellent way to accomplish this goal.
As group members share their thoughts and feelings with each other, patterns of behavior and interaction emerge that often mirror those in their lives outside the group. With the contributions of each member’s perspective, you can better understand what gets in the way of forming satisfying relationships, and explore new ways of relating more openly, honestly, and empathically.
In addition to addressing difficulties with significant people in their lives, group members find support for many other challenges, including workplace stress, chronic pain, loss, anxiety, depression, family history and its impact on the present, addictions, and more. One of the most beneficial aspects of group therapy is the opportunity to learn from others who face similar struggles. Group members often discover that they have valuable insights and talents that contribute to each other’s growth. Working together on shared challenges can be one of the most rewarding experiences of therapy.
What happens in a group?
Group psychotherapy typically involves 5 to 10 members who meet weekly over an extended period, usually a year or more. Members may come from diverse backgrounds — single, divorced, married, with or without children, students, professionals, homemakers — but share the desire to build healthier, more satisfying relationships.
Group members agree to arrive on time, take a fair share of the talking time, keep the content and identities of members confidential, refrain from socializing outside the group, and pay their bill at the end of the month. Within these basic agreements, members get the most out of group by talking openly about their thoughts and feelings toward each other and exploring the reasons behind them. While discussing issues outside the group — such as work, relationships, and family — is valuable, the relationships that develop within the group, including with the leader, offer a unique opportunity to practice new ways of communicating and to cultivate more satisfying connections both inside and outside of the group.
It’s natural to feel anxious about joining a group. People often worry about being judged, criticized, or rejected, or about being the target of anger. Some fear having uncomfortable feelings toward other members, or worry that being in a room with others facing difficulties will be unhelpful — “the blind leading the blind.” These concerns are common and experienced by most members at some point. It’s helpful to express these fears, explore what can be learned from them, and find ways to work through them. In practice, members find that sharing their struggles and discovering common ground is highly supportive. Many are surprised by how much they have to offer others. Difficult moments in group often become the richest opportunities for self-discovery and growth.
My experience leading groups
I have been involved in group work since 1977. From my early days as a graduate student working with groups of abusive parents, to my work with hospitalized and post-hospitalized adolescents, to my private practice groups for adults, I bring the lessons I’ve learned from all of my group members to my work.
In addition to my group training at Northwestern University and The University of Texas at Austin, I trained with the Center for Group Studies in New York City from 1996 to 2005, earning a Certificate in Modern Group Leadership in May 2005. I am now a faculty member at the Center. I have led workshops and seminars on group psychotherapy around the world, including in Hawaii, Nashville, San Francisco, Boston, and St. Petersburg, Russia. I also teach and supervise group therapists in Austin. In 2014, I became Board Certified in Group Psychology by the American Board of Professional Psychology (ABPP). I am a Fellow of the American Group Psychotherapy Association.
For an articulate description of the benefits of group psychotherapy from one patient’s perspective, read this New York Times piece.
For more information on group psychotherapy, visit the American Group Psychotherapy Association website.
