Who does group therapy?

I suppose that situation might teach you to deal with monopolisers in real life.

Yes. At the same time, it can teach monopolizers why people don't react well to them in real life, and help them to change.

I tried one group a long time ago with the first therapist I ever saw and with some outside people and some people who also saw her for individual therapy. It was a total train wreck. Somewhat unusually, although I thought it was a waste of time and never quite saw the point (I joined because a friend who saw the therapist too, wanted to start a group and asked me to join with her), I was one of the least upset at the train wreckedness. It was an interesting thing to observe in a detached sort of way. But not useful to anyone in any way I could see. I would never join one again, and certainly not with a therapist who knew me or anyone else in the group. I found having a therapist there was even more useless at the group stuff than I find them in individual interaction.

A skillful therapist is definitely a requirement for successful group therapy.

I wouldn't mind that, as I have been in situations with my T and other people and actually enjoyed seeing him interact with other people. It gave me more insight into how he works. What I wouldn't like is that what happened in group might enter our conversation in individual therapy and take away from it. I have read posts here on PC about some people in group with their individual T and how they talk a lot about group and group members during individual therapy. I would like to keep my individual therapy about me and leave group concerns for group. I know I could set a boundary on that, but if it is possible to have different Ts for individual and group, I would just do that--a different way of setting a boundary, perhaps. I also feel sometimes there is conflict of interest with T's funneling their individual clients into their groups for financial reasons. I am sure neither of these concerns are universal problems--just 2 reasons I would rather have separate Ts for the 2 modalities. On the plus side, having a different group leader is a chance to get to know a different T and a different approach. I did feel enriched by the getting to know the group leader during my short group therapy experience. She was great!

sunrise, you make a very good point. A lot of my group T sessions bleed into my individual T sessions, which I tend to see as a waste of an individual session. T sees it as working through dynamics that affect my relationships in real life. So, there's value in it.

So I have an appointment 9/11 @2:45 to meet with the Therapist to see if I like her, if I am right for the group and to make sure I do not know anyone in the group. The group falls on Wednesday at 5:05. I will have to move my T I see every other week on Wednesdays if he can not accomodat me then I am not doing the group. I see im tomorrow. No I need an excuse to get out of work early to make this appointment without having to explain myself to my co worker. She always asks where I am going and what kind of appointment do I have. Any good lies I can come up with?

Can't you just be honest with her? Good luck.

I did group therapy a few years back for a whole year the day was very structured, we had 3 therapists and it was for people with personality disorders and bipolar, the group ran from from 10:am until 3:30, We had 15 people in the group I must admit I found it very hard to talk maybe it is because I am a very quiet person and I find it hard to open up but overall it was a good group.

T I have now has referred me for group therapy and I have no idea how long I will have to wait.

If she pries, just say, "it's personal."