Group counseling takes place in a small-group setting where people who need mental health guidance explore their problems together in a supportive atmosphere with a licensed, trained counselor.
Individual and group counseling can be used differently to meet different kinds of wellness goals. For example, someone who struggles in social situations may benefit from counseling in a group format – to ease him or her into the interpersonal relationships that are needed for a full life. But individual counseling may be a good idea if you would like to delve deeply into childhood trauma or understand your family of origin and how it relates to your specific problems.
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Please contact our reception team at
(469) 943-2631
When you go to group counseling in a small, supportive setting, you may learn:
- How your responses and body language appear to others
- How to support others
- How to receive support from others
- How to communicate more effectively
- How to interact in a social situation
- How to improve problem-solving skills
- How to express your emotions in a healthy context
- How to provide feedback so that it is helpful
- How to explore an issue from multiple viewpoints and find solutions
- How to share an experience with another person and put yourself in their shoes
The group format can give you a richer experience in counseling, specifically if your goals include improving overall relational skills with others. It can be used as a supplement to individual counseling.
Group counseling can be helpful for a wide variety of people in different mental health contexts. Some of those include:
- Dealing with substance abuse
- Grieving the loss of a loved one
- Overcoming a negative circumstance such as a job loss
- Struggling with a specific phobia or panic disorder
- Suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder
- Children who are diagnosed with Autism Spectrum Disorder and need to learn social cues
More often than not, group counseling is for those who want to work on one specific skill, problem, or issue to overcome. Other struggles that may be helped through group counseling include anger management, chronic illness or pain, and people who are dealing with a divorce or death of a spouse.
There are benefits in group counseling that individual therapy can’t provide. Individual counseling is usually more cost-prohibitive than group counseling. Also, in group counseling, a person can meet others who have a shared experience. The act of simply understanding you are not alone can give a person hope. Another benefit is that some group members can serve as catalysts or beacons of hope for others in the group, giving support and encouragement when needed. From a counselor’s perspective, it is often helpful to see how a person interacts within a group setting so that he or she can help even more.
Group therapy in Plano, Texas has shown to be very effective for committed attenders, those who want to overcome a specific habit or struggle, and those who are not in crisis mode.
There are some aspects of group counseling that you will need to prepare for and accept in order for it to be effective. It’s, first, important that you are willing to share. Your first time in a group counseling session may not merit your vulnerability, but once you have been a few times, it is expected that each group member shares about his or her life.
Second, group therapy requires patience. You may need to try a few different groups before you find one with the mix of personalities among whom you find a good fit. Finally, if you feel you are in a crisis or struggling with something that is threatening your life, group therapy is not advisable, but individual therapy may be a better option.
Typically, a group can consist of anywhere between five to fifteen people, plus at least one trained, licensed counselor, and sometimes more than one counselor.
An open group is where a person can join at any time. However, a closed group means that the same group of individuals starts the group counseling at the same time. This can be helpful if you are hoping to build some long-term friendships and want to know who is in the group right from the start.
If you don’t mind surprises, then an open group may be for you. In these, it may feel awkward at first because it takes several sessions usually for everyone to become comfortable, especially if new people are joining on different weeks.
A closed group, however, can take months before availability opens up, and there may be a commitment involved. (Check with your group director or with the licensed counselor who has referred you to the group.)
There are benefits to small-group counseling and larger group counseling. Similar to a classroom setting, a small group of individuals can sometimes share more and be more vulnerable with each other simply because there are less people to take up the group time. However, in a larger group, you can experience a greater diversity in age, cultural makeup, etc.
Many people gain significant help through group therapy. Others decide it is right for them to do both group and individual therapy. It really depends on the extent of your issue and on the group that you join.
At first, you won’t know this. But as you meet together over the course of weeks, and sometimes months or years, you will learn about each other’s personalities and wiring. As you learn more about who is in your group, you may feel more comfortable sharing certain kinds of things. One important thing to remember is that sharing what is going on in your life is how you gain perspective, learn new tools for coping, and gain insight into your own patterns and lifestyle.
Many people prefer to go to a group where they know their faith will not be seen as “out of place” or inconsistent with what others believe. Sharing amidst a group of Christians can give you a shared starting point of belief in God, recognition of Christ as Savior, and a deeper understanding of one’s own helplessness without Him.
Locating a group that works for you geographically and interpersonally is important. At Plano Christian Counseling, we have trained counselors who can direct you to groups in your area that are focused on the topic you want to discuss or gain help with.
Two types of groups are process-oriented groups and psychoeducational groups. Process-oriented groups have a facilitator – a licensed and trained counselor – but his or her role in the group is to facilitate discussion, not be the leader of it. He or she may ask a thought-provoking question or make a comment, but he or she is careful to let the group members share. This can create a bonded security that builds on people’s willingness to be vulnerable over time.
Psychoeducational groups are run by the trained counselor. Often, he or she will share information about specific subjects related to your group’s focus. In this type of group counseling, the counselor is the expert and bonding among group members is a secondary focus since the facilitator, or trained counselor, is dispensing the majority of the information.
Contact us today to begin group counseling in Plano, Texas.
Get connected with a Christian Counselor
Please contact our reception team at
(469) 943-2631