[Fuzzybear]

Which have/do people find more helpful? And why?

I’ve been reading a bit about therapy groups recently and how they are run. I did try a therapy group offline for a while. The experience was .. mixed. It was.. interesting I don’t think the group facilitator was very good, it must be very hard to facilitate a therapy group though, I think.

[MtnTime2896]

I've never really done group therapy, to be honest. I'm curious about it, though.

[Fuzzybear]

I didn’t really give it much of a go. I think my anxiety is too bad for it to help really but I’m curious too. Apparently in some groups “family dynamics” play out... As I guess in some cases they can online as well I think I probably wouldn’t say enough for it to help me

People aren’t supposed to speak outside the group and have to commit for a year sometimes... I couldn’t pay for that with the berries I collect.

[cool09]

I couldn't stand group therapy. I did it a number of times. I was struggling with my dissociation and anxiety and didn't know what I was feeling so I couldn't connect to anything. It seemed pretty useless because only 1 or 2 members got to vent. In group therapy in the hospital the nurse and therapist just sat there without saying anything while the patients remained silent.

[Carmina]

I found gestalt group therapy very useful (years ago), got me through my final years at college and a marriage breakup.

[greentires4me]

I did dbt group it was horrible everyday I would leave crying. And now they want me to do it again it’s like no thank you!

I rather do one to one therapy they tried to get me to do group therapy for trauma I was like it would open deep wounds. I don’t even go to groups for addictions either it makes me angry because half the people are still using what’s the point if I am sober and they are plastered/high?

It still pisses me off when people say they are drinking it’s like thanks for make me crave because that was my drug of choice! And they do that right on roll calls it’s like a f you in the face! Totally disrespectful

[mulan]

I never tried, but I have heard of group therapy based in improvision and pretending roles. Psychodrama.
It's concept is quite interesting.
There's a play and than you are suppose to watch your role being played so you can gain perspective.

[LabRat27]

I go to SMART Recovery meetings. It's not group therapy, but it's a program for learning tools to cope and abstain from your addiction. It's based on cognitive behavioral therapy though, and crosstalk is encouraged, so it often ends up kind if being like group therapy.

I really like it. It's helped me immensely with my sobriety, and it's also given me CBT tools to use in other aspects of my life. Plus having face to face contact with people who know you and like you and are in this together with you can be really helpful. It gives me a social network outside of work and gets me to actually socialize.

I think if I didn't have SMART or wasn't struggling with an addiction I'd go to a depression support group to try to get the same thing.

[Smileonmyface]

I did a group therapy many many years ago and I didn't find it particularly helpful, but I was really quiet and didn't open up much. It felt like only a few people really got to participate.
The place I go now for counseling and medication wanted me to fill out a questionnaire about a potential women's group therapy and I'm wondering if it will actually happen. If it does I am willing to give it a try, but I don't have very high hopes about it.

[Rose76]

I find peer interaction very valuable. That's why I like online forums. One problem with a therapy group, IMHO, is that participants seem to become rivals for the attention and the approval of the professional facilitating the group. That leads to peers becoming adversaries. I think peers do a better job of moderating themselves when they carry that responsibility on their own shoulders. An online forum like PC gets some external moderation, but our moderators seem to try to be as non-intrusive as possible. And they, too, are peers.

[qwerty68]

Originally Posted by Fuzzybear

Which have/do people find more helpful? And why?

I’ve been reading a bit about therapy groups recently and how they are run. I did try a therapy group offline for a while. The experience was .. mixed. It was.. interesting I don’t think the group facilitator was very good, it must be very hard to facilitate a therapy group though, I think.

I really don't like group therapy. I think it is a personality thing for me. I struggle with one on one sessions with a therapist and a group is much worse. I only did it a few times when I was forced to due to being inpatient but have resisted offers since then. It could be that it was so bad because everyone was there because they were inpatient and not by choice.

In my experience in life in general, choice makes the biggest difference.

I think its value is varied due to the quality of the group and the person's ability to deal with group dynamics.

I really like this forum format. You get the anonymity and the benefit of so many people's experiences and advice. There are no staring, judgy eyes here and if things on here get too much you can unplug without fear of someone calling you or worse, knocking on your door. I suppose a downside is that it is too easy to walk away when confronting myself would be the better path.

Overall, online forums are superior for me.