Group Therapy vs Individual Therapy
If you have been thinking about therapy, you might be wondering which type is right for you.
Individual therapy? Group therapy? Both?
They each offer something different, and they can work really well together.
At Child & Family Matters, we often describe group therapy as a great first step or a supportive “top-up” to individual work.
This post helps you understand how different therapy modalities can support you in various ways.
Individual therapy
In individual therapy, it’s just you and your therapist in a safe space.
The space is private, tailored to your treatment needs and completely focused on your experience.
This individual space is where you can:
- Go deeper into your emotional world.
- Explore the things you might not feel safe to say anywhere else.
- Work gently through beliefs, behaviours or memories that keep coming up.
- Be challenged (in a caring way) about the coping strategies that may no longer serve you.
No two sessions are ever the same. Therapy is co-created based on what you bring and what you need.
Your therapist is there to help you reflect, co-regulate with you, and assist you to build self-awareness in a way that is unique to you.
Group therapy
Group therapy takes place in a small, safe space attended by a consistent group of people. It is facilitated by two trained Psychologists (or other trained mental health practitioners). These group co-therapists are trained in group therapy, and understand the nuances of group work; they are trained to hear what is said, and what is unsaid. They are trained to understand that which is expressed verbally aloud in the group, and to notice that which is experienced internally within group participants who may choose not to share their experiences. The group co-therapists are attuned to the group’s individual and group experience. They sit across from each other and take in the vibe of the group, and keep the group safe by enforcing group rules that emphasise safety and enhance connection.
Group therapy is structured and psychoeducational, meaning you will learn about:
- Safety established through regular group routines.
- Emotional regulation.
- Listening and perspective taking skills.
- Interpersonal boundaries and how to practice them in relation to others.
- Your own relational patterns of engaging with others.
It is not just talk about your patterns of engaging, you experience them in real time, in relationship with others. In group therapy, you have the benefit of two co-therapists offering guidance and bringing group participants’ attention to their internal reactions to experiences in the room.
You might notice:
- How you react to feedback.
- When you stay quiet or over-share.
- What it feels like to speak your truth to an audience.
- When you feel seen and when you do not.
- What you do when you feel seen or not.
Sometimes the most powerful moments come from listening to someone else’s story and thinking, “That’s exactly how I feel.”
Other times, it’s hearing a perspective that challenges your own in a way that helps you grow.
Can you do both?
Yes, and many people do.
In fact, group therapy can be a great place to start, especially if you are new to therapy.
There is no pressure to share your story straight away. You can just listen and notice. Notice what it feels like in your body, in your mind, whilst you are part of the group.
Over time, group therapy can help you feel more connected – to yourself and to others.
If you are already seeing a therapist, group therapy can build on the individual therapeutic work by helping you apply what you are learning in real time – with the support of trained therapists.
Both individual and group therapy offer something valuable that can help you grow in different ways.
Most importantly, both therapeutic modalities can be safe and transformative for you.
Both individual and group therapy are built around privacy, confidentiality, informed consent and emotional safety.
In individual therapy, it’s a private space just for you. Maybe this is a space where you want to discuss only certain things.
In group therapy, you’re surrounded by people who know what you are going through, just like you will have an awareness of the challenges faced by each of the other particpants. In this way, a feeling of connection and shared experience begins to grow for you. When you feel less judged by others, you can start letting go of the judgment you place on yourself. There are clear agreements – no one shares outside what is said inside the room.
You can say as much or as little as you like and you are always in control of what you share.
Want to talk about what’s right for you?
At Child & Family Matters we run a series of group programs. The Intro program runs weekly on Tuesday mornings and is the “starter group”. It is a low cost, low pressure environment and you are invited to attend six sessions before moving onto the Recovery program.
This year we have only two intakes for the Recovery program. This is a closed program for up to eight participants. We require our participants to complete at least six sessions of the Intro program prior to joining the Recovery program. Our first group commences Monday 2 June and the program runs till Monday 4 August. The second group commences Monday 25 August and finishes 3 November.
Child & Family Matters offers both individual therapy and group therapy from our Spring Hill Clinic in Brisbane. We can talk to you about whether group treatment is suitable for you.