3 Essential Benefits Of Group Therapy

Some people fear that therapy may be an uncomfortable experience. It creates a feeling of vulnerability as you disclose personal experiences and emotions you usually would not be comfortable sharing with family and friends, let alone a stranger. For this reason, most people would typically not consider group therapy since you share your story with more people, thus heightening the sense of vulnerability. However, if you can get past the feeling, group therapy exercises can be rewarding, especially for people with behavioral or mental health issues. It involves various sessions led by one or more therapists working to aid a group of people with similar experiences or conditions. The sessions can effectively treat various mental health issues such as depression, anxiety, bipolar disorder, and substance abuse disorders. If you are suffering from any of these conditions, here are some of the reasons you should consider group therapy as part of your treatment:

Solidarity 

One of the most important benefits of group therapy is learning that you are not alone and other people live with similar experiences and conditions. People dealing with mental health issues and associated disorders often feel alienated and alone, making seeking the needed help or treatment difficult. With group therapy, you get to share and hear from people dealing with similar issues, which creates a shared understanding and assurance you are not alone. By sharing similar lived experiences, you create a support system and camaraderie that immensely contributes to your healing. 

Confidentiality

Most people may not consider group therapy for the notion that people may reveal their personal information to unauthorized persons. However, safeguards ensure that the information shared during group therapy sessions remains completely private. Foremost, therapists are ethically required to keep any information shared by their patients private. Although the same ethical constraints do not tie members of the group, they are typically required to sign a confidentiality agreement that requires them to maintain discretion outside the group. Similarly, the shared experiences create a further buffer as no one would like their personal information transferred outside the group. Again, you may use initials or alias in group therapy to ensure confidentiality. 

Cost-Effective

People suffering from mental health issues may not get the needed help due to financial constraints. While individual therapy can be pretty expensive, group therapy offers an affordable alternative with similar, if not superior, benefits. It provides a support system where you can draw inspiration from people who have lived with the same conditions. Similarly, after sharing with the group, the therapist can recommend individual treatments according to your situation.