Learning to cope with life's challenges through group therapy

• Would you take comfort in knowing someone has shared your experiences and they are on their way to recovery?
• Do you feel that you need to talk about your feelings but the thought of one to one therapy feels too overwhelming?
• Do you wonder if you are the only one that feels this way but would take comfort in knowing that others do too?
• Would you like to know that sharing your experiences could also help and benefit others?
• Would you like to have a greater awareness of how you interact with others and how they see you?
• Do you experience strong feelings of shame, self-dislike or guilt and yet those around you seem to be doing ok?
• Are you highly self-critical?

Group therapy can benefit many people including those that suffer from anxiety, depression, stress, low self-esteem, or those that maybe finding life difficult to cope with.

Telling your story to a group of supportive and understanding people can help to release previously repressed feelings and tension.

Humans are herd animals by nature and being part of a cohesive group can offer a sense of belonging and acceptance; this can feel very comforting when working through issues.

Who is group therapy for?

Group therapy can help people with a wide range of emotional difficulties. It is well suited to those individuals who would like to improve the way they relate to others and to explore how you are viewed by others, in a safe and controlled setting.

What are the benefits of group therapy?

Group therapy is an opportunity to meet others experiencing similar concerns and issues. It offers a support network, helping you to feel less isolated which can help to increase self-esteem and confidence.

Sharing your experiences can help you learn about the responsibility and the consequences of your decisions, gaining greater understanding. This can bring a heightened self-awareness and help others identify their own behaviours. Such skills can be utilised in everyday life.

Through kindness and compassion, group therapy can help you to stop judging yourself and those around you; helping to reduce perfectionism, fear of failure and shame. People with higher self-compassion are more effective in stressful situations, life satisfaction and self-confidence.

What to expect?

You will be encouraged to share your thoughts, feelings and experiences to develop relationships within the group. This will provide you with feedback, advice or practical tips from me, or other members of the group who have experienced similar emotional difficulties. It is also an opportunity to reach out and support others.

This will highlight how past experiences influence the present, giving insights on how to improve relationships in your everyday life. Often this is the first stage to change and recovery.

Members of the group will involve people at different stages of their recovery, some may have been where you are now and found ways to recover; this can give hope during times of difficulty.

The sessions are confidential. You will need to commit to a minimum of six sessions. The groups will be small groups of no more than five. They take the form of an open conversation with no pre-set topics.

Each session lasts for 60 minutes and costs £25 per person.

The group is to provide an atmosphere of trust, support and positivity. The intent is to gain insight and to help you learn your own coping methods so you can handle things if and when problems arise.