Quote:
Originally Posted by growlycat
I forgot how hard group therapy is for me. Not being able to ask questions in front of other people. Not being able to process new info and unexpected feelings directly with t. Hearing ts personal anecdotes about all of the people in his life. I came home feeling disoriented, jittery and panicky. Maybe even a rare dose of dissociation? I feel weird. Want to talk to t have having a hard time putting into words what is happening with me.
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I recall those feelings; sometimes I still feel them when I hang with a nontherapy related group.
I think group therapy is objectively hard because it pings just tons of interpersonal things that individual therapy doesn't. I started group therapy as an adjunct to individual therapy (with a different therapist) early when I started dealing with my past, and it was a survivor's group. I really wanted to deal with my interpersonal stuff but it wasn't right for me, either I wasn't ready or the therapist or group wasn't a good fit. About a year later I tried a support group for survivors that started off as a finite time with a leader, but then we continued meeting for as long as I reminded in that community (7 years) and they continued on. It was really, really good for me and felt like it healed little places in me and facilitated my self compassion and acceptance in ways individual therapy couldn't touch.
So I think there is great potential benefit to group work, when it's right for you. So I'd encourage you to keep going, talk about it with your T, and cut yourself some slack because it is really hard and probably will be for awhile. Always brave to try new things in the service of healing, no matter what they are, as it's always okay to stop if it's not the right time or thing.