Group Therapy: Northern Kentucky University, Greater Cincinnati Region

Group Therapy

HCSW offers free group therapy services each semester. We recommend group therapy when we believe it is the best way to address your concerns. As you consider group therapy, you may have a number of questions. We hope the information below will help answer them.

Current Group Therapy Offerings

Contact Counseling Services (UC 440) at (859) 572-5650 if you want more information or to schedule a group brief screening.

Video Transcript

Hello. This brief video is designed to introduce you to the idea of group therapy. Group therapy is a widely recognized treatment for college students and has grown in popularity in recent years. This video will address: the idea of group therapy, any specific questions you may have, and encourage you to follow up with your therapist about specific groups running at your Center. The areas covered in this video will include: why group therapy, general information about group therapy, ground rules, common myths, confidentiality, therapeutic factors, goals for treatment, skills you will learn, and effective client behaviors. We understand that this is an unfamiliar process and our goal is to ease any worries you may have.

It may surprise you to know that research has shown that overall group therapy is as effective as individual therapy. Group therapy is also considered particularly effective for college students. Since students are typically facing many challenges related to relationships group therapy is often considered by experts to be one of the best places to begin to understand and work on those relationships. You should discuss with your therapist the details of what you might expect from group therapy.

There are many types of groups in existence in today's college counseling centers. They could range from anger management, social skills building, student adjustment, stress management, and several others. Regardless of the group that you will be attending there are several things that need to be considered. Please refer to your therapist regarding specific things you need to know such as fees, location, number of sessions, and meeting times.

There are several ground rules that need to be followed. One of the most important ground rules is attendance. making sure that you are on time and stay for the length of the group sessions is important so that you can get the most out of group. Please consult your therapist for further information regarding this.

As a client you need to take an active role in therapy. This includes such things as active listening, and participating by asking questions. Oftentimes in group therapy clients may be confused about what is going on for the first few sessions but studies have shown that if they stick it out they will end up benefiting from it.

Confidentiality is an extremely important part of any type of therapy. To keep each other safe you are asked to maintain the confidentiality of what is said in group. Please consult your therapist regarding their confidentiality policies.

Remember that others attending group have the same general issues and can be a great source of support. Also remember to trust the therapeutic process. As group progresses you may be asked to work on the issue that brings you to therapy. The group leader will be there to create a safe environment in which you can learn more about yourself and others. Opportunities for you to grow will always be there. Additionally know that just as you can learn from others in the group they can learn from you.

The goal of group therapy is to raise your awareness level of the issue that's impacting you and gradually moving towards change. With this in mind know that you will likely change throughout the course of group. Depending on the group you attend different skills will be learned. In some groups you may learn more effective ways of dealing with relationships while on others who may find out how to cope without the use of alcohol. You will also be asked to challenge yourself and take risks. It is important in any group that you're joined that you seek your own personal growth. You may want to start sharing a little of yourself at first and as you feel comfortable gradually open up more to the group. Make sure to consult with your therapist to see what group is right for you depending on the specific needs you have.

Although there are different groups that require different behaviors from clients generally speaking successful client behaviors include: good attendance, maintaining confidentiality, learning what is expected in the groups, and being motivated towards your growth and the growth of others. These are all areas that your therapist will go over with you prior to the start of group.

Be sure to ask how the issues you are dealing with might be treated with group therapy. In some cases group therapy is the ideal place to address your issues or different issues may be more suited for other types of therapy. A lot of information has been presented to you and you may have had some questions throughout the course of the video your therapist will address any of these concerns. Thank you for your time and attention and best of luck in group therapy.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is group therapy?

In group therapy, 5-8 students meet face-to-face along with one or more therapists and talk about their concerns. Members give feedback to each other by expressing their own feelings about what someone says or does. This interaction gives group members an opportunity to try out new ways of behaving and to learn more about the way they interact with others. What makes the situation unique is that it is a closed and safe system. The initial sessions of a group usually focus on commitment to the group and establishment of a trusting environment that allows members to talk personally and honestly. The content of the group session is confidential; what members talk about or disclose is not discussed outside the group.

What is a group brief screen?

Your first appointment will be a free brief screen meeting. We will schedule a time for you to come in a meet with the group counselor(s) in person. This confidential 20-30 minute meeting will explore the reason(s) you are seeking group therapy and will discuss the intended nature of the group, including group guidelines, so as to help facilitate a good fit for services.

Why does group therapy work?

When people come into a group and interact freely with other group members, they can openly address their concerns, and they often recreate behavioral tendencies that brought them to the group in the first place. Under the skilled direction of a group clinician, the group is able to give support, offer alternatives, or gently confront the person. Through this process, the difficulty becomes resolved, alternative behaviors are learned, and the person develops new social techniques or ways of relating to people.

During group therapy, people begin to see that they are not alone. Many people feel that their problems are unique, and it is encouraging to hear that others have similar difficulties. In the climate of trust provided by the group, people feel free to care about and help each other.

With what types of problems can group therapy help me?

Group therapy can help with several issues, including:

Relationship problems with family and friends
Feeling isolated
Difficulty making decisions
Dealing with others' expectations of yourself or your expectations of yourself
Lack of focus or direction
Problems with assertiveness/low self-esteem
Anxiety
Mild to moderate depression

What are the benefits of group therapy?

Some of the most common ways that students grow from being in a therapy group are:

Learning to communicate more comfortably and freely
Identifying and exploring inner feelings
Getting feedback from others re: one's behavior patterns and attitudes
Experimenting with new ways of relating/coping
Becoming more sensitive to the ways people communicate
Being honest with oneself and others
Learning to express one's own wishes
Learning about closeness and intimacy
Experiencing less isolation re: one's personal struggles

Common myths/misperceptions about group therapy

MYTH: "I will be forced to tell all of my deepest thoughts, feelings, and secrets to the group."

You control what, how much and when you share with the group. Most find that when they feel safe enough to share what is troubling them, a group can be very helpful and affirming. We encourage you not to share what you are not ready to disclose. You can also be helped by listening to others and thinking about how what they are saying might apply to you.

MYTH: "Group therapy will take longer than individual therapy because I will have to share the time with others."

Actually, group therapy is often more efficient than individual therapy for two reasons. First, you can benefit from the group even during sessions when you say very little but listen carefully to others. You will find that you have much in common with other group members, and as they work on a concern, you can learn more about yourself. Secondly, group members will often bring up issues that strike a chord with you, but that you might not have been aware of or brought up yourself.

MYTH: "I will be verbally attached by the leaders and by other group members."

It is very important that group members feel safe. Group leaders are there to help develop a safe environment. Feedback is often difficult to hear. As group members come to trust and accept one another, they generally experience feedback and even confrontation as positive, as if it were coming from their best friend. One of the benefits of group therapy is the opportunity to receive feedback from others in a supportive environment. It is rare to find friends who will gently point out how you might be behaving in ways that hurt yourself or others, but this is precisely what the group can offer. This will be done in a respectful, gentle way, so that you can hear it and make use of it.

MYTH: "Group therapy is second-best to individual therapy."

If group therapy is being recommended to you, it is because your intake clinician believes that it is the best way to address your concerns. We do not put people into group therapy because we don't have space in individual therapy or because we want to save time. We recommend group therapy when it is the most effective method to help you. Your intake clinician can discuss with you why group therapy would be effective for you.

MYTH: "I have so much trouble talking with people; I will never be able to share in a group."

Most people are anxious about being able to talk in a group. Almost without exception, within a few sessions people find that they do begin to share. Others remember what it is like to be new to the group, so you will most likely get a lot of support for beginning to talk in the group.

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Group Therapy

Group Therapy

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