Group Counseling: What to Expect

Group counseling consists of one or more counselors facilitating a group of 6-8 clients. There are many different types of group therapy, each one with its own unique approach. For example, you have probably heard of “support groups”. Support groups are a type of group counseling that focuses on one specific topic, from addiction to grief. In this blog, we will be focusing on something called a “process group.”

A process group, or psychotherapy group, encourages its members to share here-and-now feelings, thoughts, and behaviors. The group provides the empathy and support necessary to create positive change within each member’s life. With the help of the facilitators, some possible goals of the counseling group could include increasing awareness and self-knowledge, helping members learn how to establish meaningful and intimate relationships, or learning how to express one’s emotions in a healthy way while building more effective social skills.

There are many fun activities and exercises that you could do during a group session. These activities help to create a sense of connection and facilitate deeper conversation! For example, the facilitators might begin group with the “Give Us a Pearl and an Onion” activity. Using metaphors makes it easier to share thoughts and feelings: the onion represents a tough life lesson that needs to be peeled away to find solutions. A pearl is something that is rare and valuable, a piece of wisdom that is gained or learned. Each group member can choose to share a pearl and an onion, i.e. share something special that happened and something that was difficult.

Group psychotherapy is highly effective and has several advantages over individual therapy. For example, group members will share a sense of universality, meaning they will understand that people share similar experiences, wants, and needs, and that they are not alone in the world. If this sounds like something that you are interested in, please reach out for more information!