They say that “it takes a village” to raise a child. This is also true for healing, recovering from addiction, and overcoming mental health struggles. In group therapy, you can find that helpful village. With the supportive network of a group therapy program, you can get through a wide array of mental health challenges daily. If you would like to learn more about how a group therapy program can help your mental health, contact Midwest Recovery online or call 833.627.0039 today.
What Is Group Therapy?
Group therapy is one way you can receive the support you need and deserve to address and overcome various mental health challenges. The group therapy program at Midwest Recovery offers you a safe space to share your thoughts, life experiences, successes, and shortcomings with others on a similar journey. Group therapy will be facilitated by a trained therapist who will work with you and your peers to enable self-discovery without any fear of being judged. The groups can be as small as three people, but group therapy will often consist of 8 to 12 people. The bonds made during the sessions will prove essential in facing your mental health issues.
Group therapy sessions are structured in a comfortable room with chairs arranged in a circle. This setup enables every person to see each other during the therapy, be encouraged to introduce themselves, share why they are in group therapy, talk about their unique experiences, and update the group on their progress since the last meeting.
How Group Therapy Can Help Your Mental Health
During group therapy, you will be engaging with others in a safe, comfortable space. Additionally, you will learn to hold each other accountable and share personal stories that maybe you can’t even talk about with family or friends. All of this happens in a supportive setting, fostering camaraderie and encouraging vulnerability. Group therapy can help your mental health because you will finally feel free to say things out loud that has been weighing heavily on you, and because you will learn and develop critical life skills that may offer you a better way forward in clearing the hurdles you’ve constructed in your mind due to anxiety, depression or addiction issues. There are other benefits of group therapy, too, including:
- Developing strategies for self-care
- Improving your coping skills
- Boosting your self-esteem
- Reducing stress
- Identifying and managing triggers
- Teaching empathy
- Increasing self-understanding
- Improving your well-being
- Decreasing shame
- Fostering a sense of purpose
Sharing your successes and failures with understanding people going through similar things in life can be empowering. And being vulnerable as you verbalize your mental health story and realizing, maybe for the first time, that others are also facing similar issues, you will be more ready to open up, listen to new ideas, and receive much needed social interaction and the human connection necessary for moving forward toward living a happier and healthier life.
The Types of Group Therapy
There are several different kinds of group therapy that may be helpful to improve your mental health. It’s important to note that the approach, usage, and effectiveness of each type of group therapy will vary, but the most common types of group therapy are:
Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy
CBT is based on the core principles that psychological problems are based on:
- Unhelpful ways of thinking
- Learned patterns of behavior
- A belief that people can learn better ways of coping with those thoughts and patterns
- Relieving a person’s symptoms
Interpersonal Groups
This group therapy experience will focus on your interpersonal relationships and social interactions. You will discuss and hear feedback on how much support you have from the people already in your life.
Support Groups
Support groups help individuals suffering from a variety of mental health disorders. This style of group therapy also exists to assist your loved ones who have been impacted by your mental health struggles.
Learn More at Midwest Recovery
Learn more about how group therapy at Midwest Recovery Center can help your mental health by contacting us using our secure online form or call us confidentially at 833.627.0039 today.
