Is going to a group really that much superior to doing it with an individual therapist? I did it with my last T and still have most of the handouts and printed out more of the worksheets I found more helpful than others.(We didn’t do the interpersonal relationships module because she left (without my knowledge at that) so I haven’t gone over most of those skills with someone in person, but that was the module they were in when I was in those three groups so I do know DEARMAN and the 10cent “how much is this fight worrh?” chart thing, and when I’m IP at my regular place, I got sick of doing the same groups on “anger is a secondary emotion” and “why boundaries are important/signs of poor boundaries,” so they let me borrow their copy of the actual DBT workbook to go through in my room instead of getting my 40th copy of the anger iceberg.

I am not going to refuse it whenever they say I can start, but I’m just wondering you know if it’s another 10+ month long wait or if they say I’m not welcome back or I find I don’t really understand the way they “teach” the skills (AKA read the title of the packet and say “you can read the rest of the packet on your own and figure it out before you start the homework”), can going over what I have myself and looking up any questions or curiosities I have about it be an equal or even super substitute?

I hope it’s okay if I ask something more personal: If you were “successful” while you were drinking, what was your motivation to stop? What was your motivation to improve your overall mental health and what kept you working at it during times it seemed you were getting nowhere or if hopelessness kicked in and nothing seemed worth it?