Welcome,

 

This introduction may be helpful in preparing you to join group.  Please read this information and feel free to discuss it with me either in individual sessions or in the group with others present.

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You were born and then raised in a group --your family-- where you began to learn about who you are and what you could expect from others and the world. Therapy groups offer a unique opportunity to learn new ways of expressing yourself and getting your needs met.  Groups help people grow in their capacity for connection through the realization they're not alone in their experience.  They are a forum for learning about how you currently relate to yourself and others, and a safe place to risk change.  Group therapy works best when all members of the group feel safe enough to share their experience in an open, direct and genuine way.

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In spite of the advantages, participation in groups is intimidating for most of us.  As a new member, you may worry about how you are perceived by others or whether your problems and experiences are worthy of others’ time and attention. I hope the following information will help you to become more comfortable in the group and begin to risk putting yourself out there.

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Group and Individual Therapy

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Group psychotherapy has been used for more than fifty years. Research suggests group therapy is as effective, and in some cases more effective, than individual therapy.  I believe a combination of both is an ideal approach.  There are similarities and differences between the two. Individual therapy offers a more personal focus, while in groups you can access a more varied and general picture of how you relate to others and they relate to you.  One difference between individual and group therapy is that groups take time to form.  Members need to get to know each other before the greatest benefits are available.  This is in part why I ask for a minimum commitment of three months.

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Goals of Group

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Group therapy is based on the idea that many difficulties people have in life can be understood in relationships with others, as well as with the self.  In childhood, we learn ways of getting close and talking with others, as well as strategies for solving problems.  However, when these early methods are applied to adult relationships and situations, they often don’t work very well.  Despite good intentions, you may have become dissatisfied with your important relationships, or you may be seeking a reciprocal relationship with another person, finding it difficult to accept yourself in the process.  The main goals of group therapy are to help you develop more effective ways of relating authentically. 

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How Groups Help

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There are many different kinds of groups.  Some are designed to offer support, such as grief support groups; some help with developing skills for a specific problem, such as assertiveness training groups; others focus on particular topics, like eating disorders.  This group is intended to promote development of interpersonal (self/other) and intrapersonal (self/self) relationships.  I offer support (along with support from other members), skill development, and focus on specific topics from time to time, however, the main focus of this group is human relationships. We'll use techniques from Pesso-Boyden Psychomotor Therapy and other approaches to help through stuck places and to provide new relational learning.

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It can help to think of group therapy as a laboratory where it's safe to take risks, whether you are trying out new ways of talking to others, asking for help or showing support. You will also get practice in translating your feelings and thoughts into words.

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It is your responsibility to get all the help from this group that you can.  The more you involve yourself, the more you will benefit.  Here are a few important guidelines for making the most of your time: 

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1. Identify your reactions, or more specifically, try to identify your reactions to other people in the group.  As you listen to other members, begin to notice thoughts, feelings, physical responses in the body, and anything you feel compelled to do. For example, do you have judgment or discomfort when a someone is talking, a desire to give them advice, to comfort or protect them, or any sense of admiration, envy, competition, or hope?

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2.  Express these reactions authentically: once your thoughts and feelings have been identified, notice what blocks you from expressing them.  Of course you won’t need to share everything, but notice when you are inhibited from expressing relevant reactions, and talking about these inhibitions.  Some common reasons people fail to express themselves authentically in groups, as well as in life, are

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• believing their problems, thoughts, and feelings are not as important as those of others

• worrying about taking more than their share of group time

• feeling like a burden to others

• feeling concerned about hurting or offending others

• worrying that others will pass judgment or become angry

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3. Be respectful of other members at all times. Disagreements are natural and I encourage you to process them openly using a respectful tone.  When you feel judgment toward someone in group (and this will likely occur), please discuss this without labeling, instead describing the behaviors with which you take issue.  For example, the label, “you’re such a bore,” should be communicated by an equally accurate reaction that allows you to take ownership: “When you speak using this much detail, I become frustrated and lose my motivation to listen and understand you.”  Don’t worry if this seems difficult. I’ll help guide our practice toward getting more comfortable with these interactions. 

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My Role as Group Leader

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My job is to ensure the safety of the group, which involves maintaining time boundaries and group rules (everyone’s job), to facilitate effective exchange between members, to keep the group focused on important tasks, and to model appropriate behavior, for example expressing my own reactions authentically and respectfully.  We will focus on different levels of group experience: the group as a whole, interpersonal and dyadic exchanges, individual process, and our own responses.  You will notice that I encourage a focus on the here-and-now, where we best process interactions between members and help individuals extract meaning from their experience.

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I hope that you have found this introduction helpful and welcome your questions, thoughts and reactions as we begin working together in group.