You may have seen ads for group therapy, heard about support groups, or watched depictions of group therapy in movies like Anger Management, Baby Mama, or Girl Interrupted. Even with the glimpses into this modality of group therapy, you may wonder: Why choose group therapy instead of or in addition to individual therapy? What are the benefits of group therapy?
The following article lists many types of benefits for group therapy overall, such as increased community, accountability, and self-discovery. Some groups are ongoing process groups in which people come to increase their awareness of their patterns and notice their reactions in the moment (often called “the here and now.”) Other groups are based more around a shared topic or interest, such as a grief support group or eldercare support group. Group therapy is also used in treatment for mental health and substance abuse concerns.
https://citizenadvocates.net/blog/7-benefits-of-group-therapy/
If you are interested in learning more about group therapy, you can:
- Speak to an EAP counselor about your needs and interests
- Explore the group offerings from EAP: https://eap.utexas.edu/training/series
- Look at a local group therapy organization that has a directory of available groups: https://austingroups.org/groups/directory