[mixedup_emotions]

I'm curious to know your thoughts about group therapy. I am starting on Tuesday.....

[mixedup_emotions]

Just bringing this up to the top to see if anyone has any feedback. Thanks!!

Ria

I've never done group therapy, but I have a friend who has....he liked it and felt like he benefited from it.

I'll be interested to hear how your group goes!!

[filifera]

I did some group therapy while I was an inpatient. It helped pass the time, but that's about it. Perhaps some of the others got something out of it, but I can't really say it did anything for me. I guess it all depends on the focus of the group, if there is any. For me, it was a more or less random collection of people who were crazy enough to be hospitalized but not so crazy they had to be locked down.

[madisgram]

i found it very beneficial altho i was always scared i'd be on the "hot seat", but that's part of what group therapy is about...others pointing out things you aren't even aware of doing. so it's supportive and helped me be more aware of my behaviors. the T that "runs" the group is like a monitor. that way everyone is safe and not being bashed unmercilly, plus keeps the group focused on topics if need be. i hope your experience will be helpful to you too. let us know, k? and good for you for exploring this aspect of therapy!!!

[darkrunner]

I did group therapy when I was inpatient and when I was in partial. The groups were mainly focused on CBT and DBT skills. There were some process groups which kind of felt like complaining sessions.
I don't think I really got too much out of it group therapy. It is very generalized, and even if you are open to pouring out your problems to strangers, they don't allow too much of that anyway.
In a lot of ways it felt more like a class than a therapy session.
Ultimately, it can't hurt if you can learn from other people's experiences and use the coping skills they teach.
I suggest you give it a try and see if you think it will be helpful.
best of luck to you....

[mixedup_emotions]

Sorry I haven't posted an update. It's been a rough week.

I went to the group therapy not really knowing what it was all about. I really wish I had done my homework first on gestalt therapy which is what this is. I am still struggling to understand even though I've read so much about it online.

I was welcomed warmly and told some of my story since I was a newbie. I walked out of there feeling great! But then I started to second guess myself....and I realized that I had talked way too much, didn't "do" the "gestalt thing" and now feel embarrassed by it all.

I go back tomorrow and wonder if it'd be a good idea to bring up my embarrassment which could be used as a tool to an exchange of in-the-moment feelings to make me feel better....or will it leave me vulnerable to feeling worse...or should I just shut the hell up.

I am having a really hard time right now.