Group Therapy

by Elizabeth Hall-Rummel, MA, LLP

The image is iconic: a circle of folding chairs, people seated all facing center, the facilitator’s chair no different from the rest - the equity and inclusiveness clear from the start. Group therapy has been portrayed over many years and in many genres of media in a similar manner, but what is group therapy?

In the past several years, attendance to mental health therapy has exploded as more and more people have recognized the need for somebody to talk to and the technology assisting video telehealth has made it more accessible in the traditional one-on-one format of therapist and client. However, there are a number of reasons why this structure may not be ideal for every client, every time. Let’s look at a few of those reasons.

1. Cost. Individual therapy is prohibitively expensive for more and more of the population today, as the fees for an hour of individual therapy - even with insurance - can cost more than $100 an hour.

2. Shortages. There simply aren’t enough therapists to go around, and certainly not enough who are working premium hours on evenings and weekends when most individuals in need are available for weekly appointments.

3. Inherent Limitations. Individual therapy can often be out of touch with the harsh realities of society, especially for minorities and other underserved populations. There can be limited opportunities in individual therapy to practice the skills one is learning to use in real life.

4. Power Dynamics. The relationship between client and therapist is one of unequal power, in which the therapist derives authority by virtue of education, licensure, and being the “healthy helper” who may pick and choose what they disclose of themself.

Group therapy transcends the above-listed limitations by creating a structure in which multiple clients can be helped at the same time by one therapist, adding to the accessibility of mental health treatment and simultaneously reducing the cost for each client because the therapist’s fee will be divided amongst the clients involved in the group therapy session. Also, by offering multiple client-side perspectives of a single client’s needs, the therapist’s perspective isn’t the only other voice in the room. This allows for a broader consideration of social realities and for the practical use of skills learned during the session. Because many clients are in the therapy room at once, the authority of the therapist can be better balanced with the differing perspectives of a variety of voices all giving feedback.

While there are times when individual therapy will continue to be necessary or preferred for some clients, group therapy can and should be considered a leading opportunity for improving mental health outcomes for all.