What is group therapy?
Group psychotherapy is a strategy in which a therapist brings together a small group of people with usually similar emotional problems in the same session to get everyone to express their concerns and help each other, under their professional moderation.
This type of psychotherapy focuses on the interactions and bonds that occur in the group and is a method that aims to give people tools to find solutions to their psychological and emotional problems or conflicts.
The goal is to achieve personal growth, emotional balance and improve social skills.
Why is group therapy done?
Like individual psychotherapy, group therapy is effective in treating issues such as anxiety, depression, chronic or serious illness, social problems, personality disorders, and trauma, among others. It is a widely used technique for addictions, phobias or eating disorders.
The goal of group therapy is for people to encourage each other to change their desired behaviors and habits in order to resolve a particular conflict or trauma. In many cases it is recommended to break the isolation that the person resorts to when he has emotional and psychological discomfort.
On the other hand, when changes occur in groups, in most cases they are more stable changes that last over time.
What is group therapy?
The therapist gathers between five and twelve people to form a group whose objective is to speak frankly and spontaneously. The therapist acts as a guide and moderator.
Thanks to the group interaction, a change in the behavior of the group members and an improvement in their interpersonal relations are achieved. In addition, during the sessions and with the support of the therapist, people are encouraged to express their emotions and learn to empathize and listen to the emotions of others.
In addition to listening and speaking, the psychologist/psychotherapist may ask group members to switch characters, relive past situations, and other specific dynamics so that people feel comfortable expressing their emotions.