Introduction
Group therapy refers to a type of psychotherapy involving one or more practitioners of mental health that deliver counseling to several people per session. With group therapy activities, participants enjoy reduced wait times and also have more access to mental health care.
Although anyone is free to attend a group therapy session, it can be especially beneficial for individuals that don’t have access to adequate mental healthcare, for instance, people who reside in low-income or rural areas where clinics aren’t properly staffed. Among the several aims of group activities for adults is to bring together people with similar experiences.
What Should You Expect from a Group Therapy Session?
In a group therapy session, there will be one or even more trained mental health practitioners leading small groups of people of 15 maximum members. In most cases, these sessions are held once a week and can last one-two hours on average.
The sessions can take place in a variety of settings, for example, community centers and healthcare settings. These include hospitals, libraries, and therapy offices.
Often, groups meet in a quiet place with chairs arranged in a circle to enable group members to see each other.
Members start the session by first introducing themselves and then say the reason they are attending the therapy. Also, they may share their progress or any challenges they have experienced since they last met.
The exact group therapy activities vary from one group to another. But the overriding theme of the activities is promoting honest, open communication, and establishing trust among members of the group and their psychologists.
Benefits of a Group Therapy
Support
Apart from numerous group activities for adults, listening to other people with similar problems enables you to know that you are not alone in undergoing those challenges. You will meet people that also go through depressions, panic attacks, and other mental problems. This will make you feel a sense of relief.
Groups Enable You to See Things From Many Perspectives
Assume you had a fight with your spouse and have shared it with group members, members can see them from a different perspective than the way you see it. It can be incredibly powerful when you have to hear from others how you come across it. It helps you to see your situation from several perspectives, which can enable you to deal with your problem much better.
Groups Can Drive You Forward
You can be encouraged by hearing how other participants solved their issues. Whether it is overcoming fear of flight or confronting a family member over abusing drugs, groups can be incredibly encouraging. Research shows that, by seeing what others can do, patients can push themselves harder.
Promote Social Skills
Apart from helping you to ease that feeling of isolation, groups also enable you to practice how to re-engage with people. Participating in group therapy activities helps you realize that you can easily get along with others.
They are Less Expensive Compared to Individual Counseling
The cost of group therapies is usually much less than individual counseling, which has led some people to falsely think that it’s not as effective. But nothing can be further from the truth. On the contrary, group therapy activities can be extremely powerful.
They Teach You About Yourself
Every individual in the group is like a mirror through which you can see yourself. They help you to remove the blind spots that could be standing in your way in overcoming your issues.
Sharing is Healing
Collins Perry, 56, a Manitou, KY, resident, was diagnosed with an anxiety disorder at the age of 19. Like many teens at that time, he was skeptical about the real benefits of joining a group therapy session. But three years ago, after attempting suicide, Perry decided to join group therapy when he was recovering at the hospital.
“This time around, I was much more open-minded to it since there was nothing to lose”, says he. He adds that he was ready to do anything the doctor told him, and one of the things he was told by his doctors was the immense benefits he would reap from group therapy.
He discovered that the suggestions offered in the group were the exact things he needed.
He says the group helped him with coping skills. “I learned very effective and simple things, like the meaning of boundaries and not to let things that weren’t nice for my maniac side in my life”, he adds. Also, he learned that it was very healing and meaningful to share his story with other people.
He says that the group experience helped him over the bump. He says it was all about building on small achievements. He went from failing to do laundry to even kick-start his career as a chef. He can now lecture people about healthy eating to large crowds.
Getting the Most from the Group
The following steps can be taken to maximize the results of group therapy:
Take a pledge. Your group will ask you to sign a contract spelling out what is expected of you. Once you know this, it will be easy for you to overcome your fears about participating.
Participate. There will be days when you won’t feel like you want to take part in the group activities for adults. However, the more you participate in the group, the more you are likely to get out of it.
Share. You never know it but someone else might find your experience meaningful to them. Also, helping others helps you, too.
Come to Kentucky Mental Health Clinic
Do you suffer from anxiety disorders, PTSD or post-traumatic stress disorder, eating disorders, bipolar disorder, psychiatric disorder, schizophrenia, mental health problems, or severe depression? If so, you only need to visit Kentucky Mental Health Clinic.
At KMHC, we are renowned for offering all types of mental health services that translated to the best results for our clients.
Whether you require therapy, psychiatry, social assistance, medication-assisted treatment, or a combination of these, you can count on us to help you.
Our trained mental health practitioners, complete with carefully selected group activities for adults, are more than capable to treat any mental health problem you have. Give us a call today and you will never regret it.
