What is Group Therapy?
Group Therapy takes place within a collection of people who wish to explore themselves and their relationships with others. It requires of the members the commitment and courage to meet regularly and to look into their interactions and experiences.
From meeting regularly and getting to know others, a safe and trusting environment is created. This can enhance mutual support and enable members to look at ways in which they can support themselves. In turn, new ways of being are practised and explored.
A therapeutic group can provide feelings of togetherness, hope, altruism, empathy. The group can create an environment for learning what corrective adaption might be necessary (due to dysfunctional family dynamics in the past), and for developing more effective social techniques, following interactions with other group members. We can learn how we feel about ourselves and how others see us.
Gestalt is not just a talking therapy: a variety of techniques can be used to enhance awareness and learning, including movement, imagery and/or body work. From this awareness individual change can occur.
Working in a group can be very challenging; it also can be very effective and rewarding. It is also less expensive than individual therapy.