Ten Top Benefits of Group Counseling

Group counseling is an established, recognized, and important opportunity for participants to receive treatment and support for a variety of mental health concerns. Often covered by insurance, group counseling is not the same as a social support group.

Group counseling is led by at least one licensed therapist who keeps the group focused on learning specific therapeutic coping strategies or interventions, or to discuss or process a mental health issue.

During the group session, clients discuss their symptoms, thoughts, and experiences while practicing the new skills taught in the sessions. There are groups where counselors focus on Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT) or other treatment modalities that are built around learning and practicing specific skills.

If you are considering group counseling for yourself or someone else that you are concerned about, it is interesting to note that group counseling may be just as effective as one-on-one therapy, particularly with clients who have peer support and are willing to accept it.

Ten benefits of group counseling

Give and receive support

Group counseling is an opportunity for clients to receive therapy in a group setting and this allows the individual to receive the support of others, and to provide them with support. Therapists often encourage clients to offer to share their wisdom and experiences, and to establish therapeutic connections during the group process.

This social interaction is an established way to improve mental and physical health. Clients can offer advice and encouragement to other group participants as they get to know one another better and observe each other’s growth and development during the group process. Obtaining victory over their struggles through the group process is often a key benefit for participants.

For this reason, group counseling is especially helpful for those who feel isolated due to a social stigma. Groups are often set up to focus on treating one aspect of life, such as for those who have experienced grief or trauma, or who are diagnosed with a particular type of mental health condition. The community and solidarity offered in the group process are known to be invaluable.

Support to improve

With group counseling, individuals can turn to one another for support as they work toward similar individual goals and put into practice their new knowledge in order to move forward in their lives. Clients are encouraged as they see others improve and make progress, and together the group pulls itself forward.

Social skills

Clients who struggle with Social Anxiety Disorder or other challenges may experience difficulty connecting with individuals in personal or professional settings. Group therapy assists in teaching clients social skills such as communication.

Group therapy also presents clients with real-life scenarios in order to encourage positive interaction, which is helpful in promoting social and emotional healing. Many times listening skills are developed or improved. Therapists often find that clients establish lifelong relationships with individuals who experience similar challenges or life transitions.

Value for money

Individual therapy is often a lot more expensive than group counseling. This is especially true in occasions when therapists focus on a specific condition or group. While costs may vary between counselors, more often a lesser rate is used as therapists can divide costs up among participants.

If group therapy is a recommended treatment by your medical professional, it is recommended that the client contact their insurance provider to inquire whether or not this service is covered by their insurance plan.

Self-awareness

Each client comes to therapy with their own personal perspective and subjective opinions. The client may begin to understand the focus area of the discussion differently after hearing either the group’s objectives being explained by the Group Facilitator, or after hearing another group participant’s understanding and perception of the group’s objectives.

It is important that each group participant ask questions in order to obtain clarity and get a good understanding of the group’s purpose, objectives, and expectations, in order to ensure and increase the possibility of an effective and positive group experience.

Establishing healthy friendships

Throughout the time of group therapy, clients often develop friendships with other clients who have similar experiences to their own. Having a safe and confidential environment to discuss and share issues that are common and establishing healthy boundaries is important in establishing and building bonds of a safe and understanding friendship.

However, the aim of group counseling is not to establish friendships, but to set treatment goals and learn from other group participants’ life experiences.

Feeling safe to share

If an individual feels that they are unable to express themselves, their beliefs, or their opinions, they often experience some type of negative feelings or emotions. Group counseling sessions are designed to present opportunities for each client to discuss their experiences, ideas, and closely held beliefs without being rejected, scorned, or disrespected by other group members or therapists.

Group counseling is also viewed as an opportunity where people can develop the ability to express their feelings and emotions, set their own boundaries, and communicate their feelings, emotions, and boundaries effectively.

Gentle lessons from friends

There are instances when a client may challenge rules or boundaries to find common ground with their therapist. While their therapist may have the training, they may not be able to relate on a personal level to the specific struggles the client is going through.

So, when group participants meet regularly with others with whom they can relate closely, they often learn new and effective techniques and strategies to deal with their concerns; this often occurs by being more willing to take advice from their peers.

The strategies that the therapist presents to the client may be less intimidating if other participants can affirm the effective outcomes that they had experienced after applying the recommended techniques and strategies to their own life experiences.

Watching the therapist build trust

There are several ways a therapist can build the trust of a client. In group therapy, the most obvious trust-building method is for participants to get to know the therapist and watch how they operate or present themselves. The participant may often observe that the therapist gives other participants struggling with similar issues the same type of advice, but specific for their circumstances.

This technique or strategy assures clients that they are not isolated, but are part of a support network that they can identify with, and that the therapist’s advice works for others too. This trust-building technique further solidifies and strengthens the bonds of trust (or Therapeutic Relationship) between the therapist and clients.

United by common experience

As a patient who suffers from grief or a particular type of trauma, it is often comforting knowing others who are in similar circumstances, whether it is grief, trauma, or a mental health concern. Knowing that you are not alone is often used as a powerful tool of resilience for overcoming hurdles in life.

Different types of group counseling

Group counseling may be synonymous with a group of people sitting in a circle and talking about feelings, but this does not mean that the group will be conducted in this manner. There are various types of group therapy formats, and these can include: Creative Expression through Painting, Writing, or Dance Therapy; building skills through specific types of workshops; and Pilates or Yoga Therapy.

Types of group counseling focus areas

There are a wide variety of focus areas that group counseling can effectively address. These include:

• Anxiety disorders.
• Depression and anxiety.
• Eating disorders.
• Grief.
• Loss.
• Personality disorders.
• Relationship or marital issues.
• Self-esteem challenges.
• Trauma.
• Trouble with social skills.

Looking to find out more about group counseling?

If you are looking to better understand the benefits of group therapy, browse our online counselor directory or contact our office to schedule an appointment. It would be an honor for us to walk with you on this journey.