Although it is true that groups offer an efficient way of treating several people at once, group therapy is not a second-rate treatment. As mentioned above, studies show that many of the "talking therapies" are about equally effective.

Some people are concerned that a therapy group will be like a forced confessional where they have to reveal all of the details of their lives. This is not the case. Groups will progress at their own rate as the members become more familiar with each other and can trust each other. In general, groups talk about the patterns in relationships and the meanings these have for them. For this, it is often not necessary to know specific details. Member will find their own level of comfort regarding how much they want to disclose about their personal lives. Details about where you live or work, even your last name, are not necessary for effective involvement in the group.

Some people worry that being in a room with other people with difficulties will make everyone worse. This idea of "the blind leading the blind" is understandable, but in practice, people find that the process of talking about their problems is very helpful. Indeed, finding that others have had similar problems can be reassuring. Many group therapy clients are surprised to find that they have something to offer other people.

Some of the media presentation of groups suggests that people will lose control in groups and become so upset they cannot function or maybe get so angry that they will be destructive. Very seldom is there any chance of this happening, and the group therapist will be alert and responsible to encourage the group if it gets too slow or to dampen things down if the tension gets too high.

When people picture being in a therapy group, they sometimes find themselves concerned that they may be rejected or excluded by the other group members; sometimes the fear is that they will be judged harshly by the other members, and sometimes they are afraid that they may lose their sense of themselves and be carried along by the group where they don't wish to go. All of these fears are perfectly understandable, and indeed, almost everyone experiences them to some extent when they enter a new social group situation. It is good to talk about these sorts of fears early in the group so that they can be understood and dealt with.

How to Get the Most Out of Group Therapy -->