07 Mar Is Group Therapy Right For Me? Part 1

This blog post was written by Recovery Help Now’s Vanessa Blaxland, MFTi.

This month we are talking about “The Power of Group”.   Group can be a great way to help you further your understanding of yourself and your relationships around you.  But even before joining a group, you will go through the process of asking yourself and deciding, “Would group therapy be a right fit for me?”

At first thought, group may be a scary consideration.  You might be thinking, “What do I talk about?”, “How many people are in the group?”, and “What will others think of me?” All of these are normal and valid questions.  Like anything new, it is normal to be hesitant about group.  However, I encourage you to put that anxiety aside for just a moment and be open to considering the benefits of group therapy to better help you evaluate if group would be a good fit for you.

Here are some areas group therapy can benefit:

1. Support

2. Self-Awareness

3. Relationships

4. Coping Skills

The first benefit of therapy I’d like to talk about is support.  After deciding that you want to become healthier and seek personal growth, the next step is figuring out who is going to help you through this journey.  It might be family, friends, an individual therapist, or a group.  Many times when you have difficulties in your life you might have a tendency to withdraw and isolate yourself, or think that you can handle things on your own.  Well the truth is that you don’t have to do it all on your own Many times isolating ourselves from others or telling ourselves we don’t need help or support only adds fuel to the fire.  This is where group can be a great benefit for those who have difficulty seeking out support.  It is a support system waiting for you, and it can also help you learn how to seek out healthy support out in your day-to-day life.  It is also beneficial if you are someone who just doesn’t have people of support in your network of family and friends and wants a group of other people who can encourage and support the changes you are trying to make for the better.  Stay tuned to learn more about the benefits of group therapy and if group therapy is right for you!