Group psychotherapy is a form of psychotherapy in which a small number of individuals (usually 5 to 10) meet and work together, under the guidance of a therapist, to help themselves and one another. Group therapy is useful for dealing with interpersonal relationships, life transitions, life issues, loss, trauma, substance abuse, depression, and anxiety.

Group members are generally chosen based on certain commonalities (e.g., relationship issues), and group psychotherapy provides a place to come together with others to share problems or concerns. Sometimes group therapy is used as the main or only treatment approach; at other times, it is used in conjunction with individual therapy. Working simultaneously in both group and individual therapy can stimulate growth in complementary ways.

The group psychotherapy session is a collaborative effort in which the therapist assumes responsibility for the group, emphasizing management of group themes rather than a series of individual discussions. This includes encouraging expression of emotion, examination of interaction among group members, constructive feedback about how members ‘come across’ to one another, and distillation of major themes in the group. A typical session lasts approximately 75 to 90 minutes, during which members discuss their concerns, feelings, and ideas, as well as react to other group members, as freely and honestly as possible. Additionally, group members get to witness the impact of their behavior on other members and receive feedback. This enables group members to learn from and with each other. Importantly, members learn not only to understand themselves, but also to become “therapeutic helpers” for other members, which consolidates their own sense of mastery over problems and enhances their self-esteem. Finally, group therapy can be a relatively non-threatening ‘laboratory of life,’ a place to experiment with new ways of interacting, particularly communicating openly and honestly, under the guidance of the group therapist.

In research that compares group psychotherapy to individual, group therapy has been shown to be at least as effective as and more efficient than individual psychotherapy, combining the cognitive, emotional, and behavioral components with rich interpersonal learning. Group therapy has been highly effective in helping individuals deal with medical illness such as cancer. Group psychotherapy helps individuals cope better with their illness, as well as enhances the quality of their lives. In some cases, such as breast cancer, group therapy has in some but not all studies been shown to help people live longer as well.

Group psychotherapy also can serve as a corrective emotional experience, a “healthy family” for the group members and can provide an opportunity to work through issues from one’s family of origin. Dorothy Nolte’s (1989) insightful poem, “Children Learn What They Live,” explores the connection between what occurs in one’s family and how one develops as a human being. Three stanzas of her poem are relevant to the positive outcomes engendered in the group process.

Similar to the family who offers encouragement, security, and approval, group members belong to a “caring Family,” from whom they learn healthier ways of relating to parents and other family members, spouses and significant others, children and, most importantly, themselves. Group therapy, in comparison to individual therapy, is more like the “real world,” and the skills learned within the group setting are directly transferable to the members’ lives.

Through the process of sharing and learning together, group members, may be able to make significant changes that improve their quality of life, personal and professional relationships, as well as self-image and self-esteem.