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Article: The Healing Power of Groups
IS GROUP FOR YOU?
Giving or receiving help in groups which can vary from self-help to traditional
psychotherapy groups has been shown to be the ideal antidote for isolation.
THE BENEFITS OF GROUP
- Find understanding and compassion from members with similar problems
- Discover the gift of realizing that
you have something valuable to share with others
- Find new ways of thinking about your difficulties
- Learn from others, discover new coping skills
- Realize you can work with limitations and still find joy
- Reduce isolation
- Discover hope
Relationships Determine
the Quality of Life
HOW EFFECTIVE ARE GROUPS?
Group therapy benefits people as much as individual therapy does according
to research conducted by Consumer Reports. For some people,
participating in a group is even more helpful than individual therapy. At
times the combination of both individual and group therapy is the best
way to go.
Other research has shown that members of groups concerned with breast
cancer or other serious medical illnesses see a big improvement in their
quality of life. These groups can help people live longer, more satisfying,
healthier lives.
THe PURPose of this article
This article describes the types of groups one
can choose from. Once
you understand the differences, you can decide whether you would be more
comfortable with a group led by a professional or a self-help group that
is run by non-professionals who are dealing with similar problems and
life challenges.
Read on to learn about groups and what might fit your needs.
WHAT ARE THE DIFFERENCES AMONG GROUP THERAPY, SUPPORT GROUPS
AND SELF-HELP GROUPS?
Self-Help Groups
Membership is usually limited to one common illness or problem. Often,
leaders are group participants who share the group's issues. Self-help
groups usually follow a structure with members talking in turn. The
format discourages cross-talk, that is, directly answering or deep
interactive discussions between members during meetings. These groups
may ask for donations, but usually do not charge. Although a commitment
to regular attendance is encouraged, participants are usually welcome
to come without making an ongoing commitment. Members are encouraged
to be in contact with each other outside the group meetings.
Psychoeducational Groups
Many of these groups are structured like classes with time for discussion
about a common illness, concern, or problem. The leaders may have (had)
the problem, or may be trained group leaders. In addition to
offering support, the goal is to learn ways of coping with problems
and to develop new skills. These groups may charge fees, ask that members
commit to attend at least 4 sessions, are often time-limited, and encourage
members to support each other outside of the group.
Supportive Expressive Groups
Membership is usually limited to one common illness or problem such as
cancer. Leaders are most often professionals and a fee is charged. Some
of these group are short-term and others have no set ending date. This
group approach uses a combination of education, support, and discussion.
Members may or may not have been screened, and participants are often
encouraged to socialize with each other if they wish to.
Support Groups
Most support groups are led by professionals and focus on one common
problem, such as care giving. The duration may be long or short
term, and the membership may or may not have been screened. Most
of these groups charge fees and ask that members make a commitment
to at least 4 sessions.
Psychotherapy Groups
Therapy groups provide a safe place to practice new ways of coping with
old behaviors, and with reactions that get in the way of having better
relationships. During group sessions members are encouraged to talk
about their most intimate thoughts and to let the group know how they
feel. This is often a powerful experience that helps members
learn more about their emotions and how the group members experience
their communication and non-verbal behavior. These groups can
be intense and are an investment in change. A long-term psychotherapy
group offers a consistent, comfortable place to speak up, to help understand
what is getting in the way of having more meaningful relationships,
and to feel better about yourself.
The Hybrids
The past ten years have seen many new kinds of groups that combine features
of the meetings described above. Most groups have a particular
approach, some ask for a commitment to a certain number of weeks or
months and others welcome people on a drop-in basis.
WHAT DO THESE GROUPS HAVE IN COMMON?
Each of these types of groups can help members:
- become more active participants in their emotional and physical health
care. In groups organized around medical concerns, members learn to
better manage their illness and get better at taking good care of themselves
- reduce isolation
- increase their sense of belonging,
and of having value to others
- learn new coping tools
- hear how others deal with
similar problems, and discover healthier, more effective, ways to cope
what are the time committments for groups?
Short-Term Groups
Groups that meet for less than 8 sessions are generally thought of as short-term.
Members are may be asked to make a commitment to come to each meeting. Some
groups may continue beyond the set time period, while others may restart every
few months. Short-term groups can be particularly helpful to the individual
in crisis. Short-term groups can show what it is like to be in a therapy group,
and can give immediate support and help the person get past the crisis.
Drop-In Groups
In these groups, members don't need to make a commitment to attending.
Participants are welcome regardless. The downside is the possible loss
of intimacy, feelings of safety and the comfort that comes from meeting
regularly with the same people.
There are times when a drop-in or short-term
group is the best choice, especially when in crisis. Participants
may attend when they need support and know that help is available.
Long-Term Groups
Many psychotherapy groups have no set end date. They may meet every week
for several or more years. Members leave this kind of group when they
have made the interpersonal changes they wanted to achieve, or have
accomplished the goals they set out when beginning with the group.
WHAT KIND OF GROUP IS BEST
FOR ME?
Once the differences are clear among the types of groups available,
you will likely be able to answer this question yourself. Would
you be more comfortable in a group led by a trained professional? Would
you prefer that the leader be someone who has "been there," knows
what it's like to deal with your problem and doesn't charge? If
you like the idea of meeting with the same people and continuing to talk
about deep personal issues that arose in a previous meeting, you may
be happier in a therapy group. If you would be more comfortable
listening to a presentation then participating in a short discussion,
you might prefer a short-term psycho-educational group or class.
FINDING A GROUP IN
YOUR AREA
If you're not aware of groups in your community, the best
way to find one is old-fashioned word of mouth. If you don't know anyone in
a group, or who you feel comfortable asking for suggestions, consider
asking your doctor, minister, priest or rabbi. This website helps
find therapy groups in your area. Additional resources are listed
at the end of this article.
QUESTIONS TO ASK ABOUT THE
GROUP YOU ARE CONSIDERING JOINING
Once you find a list of groups to consider, you
will probably be more comfortable knowing more about the group before
you either meet with the leader or go to a meeting. With 12-step
programs, like Alcoholics Anonymous and CoDa, self-help groups for
codependency, you may find it easier to go to the first meeting with
a friend or call ahead and talk with someone in the program.
If you are looking for a professionally-led group, you might want to
ask some questions about what participants can expect to achieve in the
group, whether there is a time commitment, and whether the leader encourages
socializing outside of the group.
Many people find that it helps to write out a
list of questions, then to call the leader to get more detail. Remember, there are no dumb
questions. You deserve to know what the group offers, how much
experience the leader has in running groups, and to get help finding
the right group for you.
Now that you know about different types of groups,
you can think about what might work best for you. Most people know whether they would
feel more comfortable having a paid professional lead a group, or prefer
a leader in the same situation. Some people find they want a group
that doesn't require a commitment, so they choose a self-help, short-term
or drop-in group. You can likely figure out what kind of support
will be most helpful to you.
A WORD ABOUT SCREENING AND
FOLLOW UP FOR POTENTIAL GROUP MEMBERS
Most participants in groups that are not led
by professionals are not screened. This means that the leader has not met or talked with
members before they attend meetings. It can also mean that there
is no follow up in crisis.
Structured self-help groups like Alcoholics Anonymous,
encourage members to have a sponsor who helps the sponsee learn about
the program and deal with the challenges of their addiction. If the group is not a traditional
twelve-step program, ask if there is a charge for the screening or preparation
session. Some therapists offer these sessions free while others
charge.
WHAT IF I'M UNCOMFORTABLE
DISCUSSING MY PROBLEMS IN FRONT OF OTHERS?
Many people who are uncomfortable with the idea of talking to more than
one person find that they do better starting out with a group that doesn't
require active participation such as a psychoeducational group, or a
self-help group.
What really matters is that you do what feels comfortable to you, and
go at a pace that allows you to feel good about attending and sharing
with others.
HOW CAN I FIND A GROUP IN MY AREA?
National Mental Health Consumers Self Help Clearinghouse
- Self Help Group Referrals (800) 553 4539 or www.mhselfhelp.org
Alcoholics Anonymous (800) 923 8722 or www.alcoholics-anonymous.org
The American Group Psychotherapy Association
website includes a Directory of their members: www.AGPA.org
This article is based on
sections of Dr. Steiner's forthcoming publication. Please do not
use this material without the author's written consent.
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