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My Candid Thoughts on Group Therapy
Group therapy may reveal deep truths about ourselves.
Posted February 28, 2021
Recently, I’ve found myself reminiscing about the social interactions that were so common in my life before the pandemic. From the satisfying little things (like grabbing tea with a friend at the local cafe) to the wildly exciting things (like shaking hands and giving hugs to hundreds of people at a conference or TV recording session), social connection as I knew it has been completely different for almost a year now.
Nothing brings me joy like connecting with others. I love learning about people, I love speaking with people about their passions, but most of all, I love motivating people to be their Best Self.
I know many of you reading this are also missing the social opportunities that we had around this time last year, so you’ll likely be as surprised as I was to hear about an unbelievable issue we recently encountered at CAST Centers (my treatment center in West Hollywood).
In a team meeting last week, my admissions director shared the story of a bizarre afternoon he had while monitoring our phone lines. In three consecutive calls, every person he spoke with shared negative thoughts on group therapy.
The first call was with a private physician looking for a treatment facility for his high-profile client.
The second call was with a young woman in college that was contemplating sobriety.
The third call was with a gentleman preparing to encourage his partner to seek mental health treatment.
Three different people, three different perspectives, yet they all held negative misconceptions about group therapy.
Hearing this news upset and confused me. You would think that, during a time when we are more physically and socially isolated than ever, people would be more inclined to engage in group therapy than ever before! My team and I spent the next two hours talking about our positive personal experiences in group therapy. It was a refreshing and heartwarming talk, and I think my clinical program director said it best:
“Mike, I think some people don’t understand that “the group” is a microcosm of the clients’ lives. The relationships they form with other group members, how they engage in conflicts with others, the way they react to different positive and negative moments. In a way, it’s all representative of that person’s life experience. The way they show up in groups often represents how they react in their day-to-day lives.”
I couldn’t agree more. There are countless benefits reported from research on group therapy. Some studies even go as far as to say that group therapy can be equally or more effective than individual therapy in certain situations. And while it’s absolutely true that individual therapy is a powerful tool for healing and growth, this is often only part of the puzzle.
The way I see it, individual therapy is the place to identify healthier mentalities while group therapy is the perfect place to “practice” those skills in a safe environment. At CAST Centers, I created a format that gives clients the opportunity to receive both compassionate individual therapy and inclusive group therapy. I built the program on clinically proven treatment approaches while also leaving space for our clients and therapists to immerse themselves in an effective, practical, and functional framework that fits them.
The good news is that these were just three of the dozens of calls we receive daily. These calls represented a minority of the individuals who reached out to us for help, and we continue to improve our program completion rate and clients reported satisfaction rates with evidence-based practices. The (potentially) bad news? Part of me fears that we are growing so isolated as a society that many of us will remain closed off to social interaction even after the pandemic has officially ended.
So I’d like to encourage anyone reading this that’s considering therapy or treatment to keep an open mind when it comes to group therapy. It can be intimidating to open up and take that first step. Still, in order to achieve purposeful evolution, this is an inevitable bridge you must cross. Remember too that Humans are social creatures! Whether you identify as introverted or extroverted, we are a species designed to work with others … to coexist with others … to learn and grow and work alongside others.
I’d like to hear from you all as well. Have you ever participated in group therapy? Do you have any reservations about group therapy? Let me know in the comments of this post, and I’ll do my best to respond.
