Group Therapy

At Working Minds, our group therapy sessions include one or more of our therapists working with several people at the same time.

We follow the key therapeutic principles by Yalom (2020) that have been derived from the self-reports from individuals who have been involved in the group therapy process:

1. Instil hope: The group contains members at different stages of the treatment process. Seeing people who are coping or recovering gives hope to those at the beginning of the process.
2. Universality: Being part of a group of people who have the same experiences helps people see that what they are going through is universal and that they are not alone.
3. Imparting information: Group members can help each other by sharing information.
4. Altruism: Group members can share their strengths and help others in the group, which can boost self-esteem and confidence.
5. The corrective recapitulation of the primary family group: The therapy group is much like a family in some ways. Within the group, each member can explore how childhood experiences contributed to personality and behaviours. They can also learn to avoid behaviours that are destructive or unhelpful in real life.
6. Development of socialisation techniques: The group setting is a great place to practice new behaviours. The setting is safe and supportive, allowing group members to experiment without the fear of failure.
7. Imitative behaviour: Individuals can model the behaviour of other members of the group or observe and imitate the behaviour of the therapist.
8. Interpersonal learning: By interacting with other people and receiving feedback from the group and the therapist, members of the group can gain a greater understanding of themselves.
9. Group cohesiveness: Because the group is united in a common goal, members gain a sense of belonging and acceptance.
10. Catharsis: Sharing feelings and experiences with a group of people can help relieve pain, guilt, or stress.
11. Existential factors: While working within a group offers support and guidance, group therapy helps members realise that they are responsible for their own lives, actions, and choices.

Our groups can be as small as three or four people, but group therapy sessions often involve around eight to twelve individuals (although it is possible to have more participants). The group typically meets once or twice each week, or more, for an hour or two.

By working in a group, our therapists can see first-hand how each person responds to other people and behaves in social situations. Using this information, the therapist can provide valuable feedback to each client.