Barbara Grant-Kelly, LCMHC

                                                 GROUPS FOR SUPPORT

                                                Group therapy is where a small group of people meet

                                                regularly to talk, interact, and discuss life’s various

                                                challenges with each other and the group leader;

                                                your therapist. The group leader provides productive

                                                examination of the issues or concerns affecting the

                                                individuals and the group, and guides the discussion. 

 

                                                The group can be compared to being part of a                                                             collective or family, where participants tend to take on                                                 the roles that they had in their family growing up. You                                                 will see rivalry, hostility, envy, anger as well as

                                                support, bonding, cohesiveness, concern and helpfulness, all happening in the course of time in a good group.   One difference, however, is that a skilled therapist is there to look out for problems and to help the group to maintain a sense of safety for everyone, something many people didn’t have in their families growing up.

 

Group therapy provides for you a safe and comfortable place where you can work out problems and emotional issues with like-experienced others. You will gain insight into your own thoughts and behavior, as well as offer suggestions and support to others.  Exploring our lives through the lens of our association with these groups can be a powerful tool for self-discovery.

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Benefits of Group Therapy

• Membership in a group can help people overcome personal difficulties that prevent them from achieving satisfaction and fulfillment from their lives.

• Over time, group members become a precious resource for each other. 

• Group can help with feelings of alienation and isolation, and a sense that no one else feels the way you do. 

• The fact is that everyone in a group has something to contribute.

• Learning to listen to other people is a valuable tool gained from group membership. 

• Feedback (not advice giving) from other group members can be a valuable help in sorting out problems.

• A group can also provide a forum to explore feelings about the other people in the group in a safe setting, and then to think about how these feelings are related to one's life outside the group. 

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The Process of Joining.   When someone applies for participation in a GK Counseling Group, they are interviewed 1 on 1 prior to membership to help create a group experience that is optimal for all participants. Most groups consist of between 5 and 10 people who would be helped by the group experience and who can be learning partners for one another.   Groups usually meet weekly and sessions usually last 90-minutes.  

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