Why choose group analytic psychotherapy?

There are many questions people have about group therapy: Why would I share my therapy with other people when I’d rather have the therapist to myself? How could I possibly talk about my deepest issues in front of a group of complete strangers? Why would I want to know what other people think, given that they are not trained professionals?

I am both an individual psychoanalytic psychotherapist and a group analytic psychotherapist. I find some people respond very well to an individual approach to treatment, and others find the group setting very helpful, saying, for example, that in a group you can really discover who you are. The following is an introduction to what is special about group therapy, particularly an analytic approach.

Why share the therapy space with strangers?

I believe that human beings are essentially social creatures. We are born into a group situation, usually in the form of the family, with its own unique network of extended family and friends. Relationships are the foundation of our lives. Hence, by recreating this social environment in the therapy room, we can bring our relationship patterns and inner preoccupations to the therapy table in a live form, the group itself being an object of enquiry.

Without a secure and stable network of friends and family, many of us can feel isolated, insecure and alone in the world. This can have a direct impact on our self-esteem, our mood and our ability to function at work. However, relationships can be very complex. For example, sometimes they can be too distant, other times they can feel claustrophobically close. Sometimes they can feel abusive, other times they can feel neglectful. They can feel competitive, undermining, and destabilising.

A lack of security in one’s closest relationships can contribute to developing social anxiety, and to counterproductive coping strategies such as avoiding social situations, perfectionism or unwanted preoccupations.

Group analytic therapy is unique. By bringing the same people together every week in a safe and contained space, held by the group therapist, and exploring together how that feels, a group can be the ideal place in which both to explore and understand how we relate, and also to develop our capacity for life-enhancing relationships.

When issues arise within the group, for example, one or more group members feel like outsiders and feel excluded from the process, what happens is that the group members work together to talk things through and to resolve such issues as they arise. This can lead to understanding oneself at a deeper level and understanding how one is impacted by and impacts people around us.

Quite often, there is a pattern that emerges in the relationships within the group which reflects the general pattern of relationships members experience in their lives outside. The group works together to build a mutual atmosphere of trust and acceptance, which makes it feel safe to explore hidden vulnerabilities and experiment with new ways of being.

What if I can’t open up in a group?

Many people come to group therapy for help with social anxiety or feelings of insecurity and fear in social situations. Opening up in a group of strangers can feel daunting. It takes courage if you feel insecure and lack self-confidence, as it means exposing yourself to something which you would prefer to avoid.

When you join a therapy group, it takes time. Firstly, you will have a number of individual sessions with the therapist, which helps to create a more secure bond with the therapist and to enable a smoother transition into the group. Once you arrive in the group, it takes time to build connections and a sense of shared understanding.

Groups are usually quite small, up to 8 members in total, and everyone is encouraged to attend regularly to enable a sense of safety and continuity. Often, what happens is that another group member opens up and you find yourself strongly relating to their experience, and wanting to share yours. Quite quickly, there can be a sense of relief at not being the only one who is struggling with certain feelings or worries. There are a few ground rules to help you feel safe, including the confidentiality of everyone in the group, and the agreement to keep everything in the group, and to refrain from arranging to meet outside of group sessions.

Group therapy is not always the treatment of choice. Some people need the intimacy of a one-to-one relationship before feeling able to speak about deeply private matters. Sometimes a period of individual therapy first is helpful, after which you might feel more ready to share the space.

It could be that you have had extensive individual therapy already, but still feel that something is missing. You might feel that you have very good self-understanding, but that it can’t easily translate into better relationships. Also, you might feel that you have a much better sense of self-confidence and of your own value, but that you don’t understand why you find relating to friends and family still so difficult.

In a therapy group, people experience and develop the capacity for concern for others and build on their skills in maintaining authentic reciprocal relationships. They discover how much they need and appreciate feeling accepted by others whom they can identify with, and they become better able to give and receive in relationships, without resorting to “people pleasing” or playing the “carer” or “peacemaker”. This is something that is unique to the group approach to therapy.

Why would I want to hear what other people who are not trained professionals think?

It is the group itself, enabled by the therapist, which is the medium of change. Everyone is simultaneously observing and reflecting on their thoughts and feelings, and sharing their experience with the others in the group. These are not the reflections of the “experts” but are the honest, authentic expressions of the other group members.

In a group, you can see yourself from the outside, as others see you, and you can discover the ways in which you might be distorting how you see others, due to hidden assumptions you are making based on past figures in your life. The group is a live system which is in a constant state of movement.  You start to see patterns that you recognise.   Seeing yourself in others as they play out some of your own typical patterns of relating can be a startling experience, which can help you to understand something at a deeper felt level. This is an experience that individual therapy can not offer in quite the same way.

If you are curious about group therapy or wondering whether it might be right for you, speaking with a qualified therapist can help you explore your options at your own pace.