Psychotherapy Group

[CliveL]

I have severe clinical depression and GAD, and my psychiatrist invited me to go to a psychotherapy group which starts next monday. Does anyone have experience of these, and what can I expect?

Clive.

[jo61]

Hi Clive, I did a lot of group therapy a couple of years ago when I was very ill. I found it quite disconcerting at first but all I would say is that the more you participate the more you get out of it. If you have a good therapist facilitating it, it's every bit as powerful as 1:1. Let us know how you get on.

My groups were run with people sitting around in a circle were subject driven. EG. anxiety management, CBT, self - esteem, assertion etc.

[happyone]

Hi,
I attend a psychotherapy group on a weekly basis. There is myself and another four people. generally groups don't have more than 6-8 people. I would imagine with as many as 8, it would get a bit chaotic.
We don't all have the exact same problems. The group I go to seems to consist of most of us having depression of some sort (mines is BP) people have ocd problems, extreme anxiety, and just different stuff really.
There are two therapists. Not all groups have two, I believe some have just one.

Generally we start by speaking about our week and how it has gone, how we feel about particular things. For an hour and a half we talk, ask each other questions, occassionally challenge each other. I don't know if I am quite fortunate in the group that I attend in as much as we are very polite to one another! The therapists are there to intervene though if someone is maybe being aggressive or out of order in some way. We will ask questions and probe a bit as to why a person feels a particular way or as to why they interpret something as they do. You need to be able to say 'I don't want to talk about it' if it gets too tough. I found this at my most recent. Another member was asking very pertinent questions boom boom boom one right after another. I began to get upset and flustered and I felt unable to cope so I said so. At times like this the therapist usually comes in and helps as a calm down.
The therapists will ask questions relating to what you are talking about, or challenge something you have said. For example I kept on referring to the time that I 'got wacky' or 'went loopy' I was challenged with
"Do you mean when you got ill?" it was a fair challenge as my use of language/terminology was derogatory to people with mental health troubles.

The idea of psychotherapy groups is to , in a smaller way, replicate the way we carry ourselves in public, with other people. In a safe environment, people can be challenged, reassured. It is almost like a small snippet of 'real life'. I for example have never been challenged by anyone out of the group about my use of derogatory terminology, yet I was doing it all the time, thinking I was quite funny.

They are not primarily meant as a support group, but I find mines extremely supportive and it did not take me long until I felt 'safe' in there. I look forward to the group and it helps me immensely. I think they are intended to help us learn a bit more about ourselves and the reasons we do what we do.

I will put a couple of links of places that I found helpful when I was asked to research psychotherapy groups, before starting the one I am in.

http://www.psychotherapy-sussex.org.uk/groups.html

http://www.barbaraplows-psychotherap...roup_text.html

http://www.agpa.org/group/consumersguide2000.html

You will be able to find thousands of sites though that will tell you the info of what is their design. Foulkes was the psychologist I believe who was instrumental in the creation of this type of therapy.

There are generally expectations such as
* don't make friends ouside of the group with other group members. Anonimity is really important.
* to attend regualrly and punctually. Non attendance should be preceded by a phone call to therapist/ secretary if possible.
* To give the group quite some time before deciding it is not for you. Some people think they know in the first week that it is not for them but change their minds further down the line....I am an example of this.

I hope this has been of some help.
I value my group very much and I am glad I was asked to participate.

Good luck with yours and whatever you decide.

Happyone
xx