There are some questions you may be thinking about as you consider joining a therapy group.
Individual therapy has many benefits, some of which you may have already experienced with a therapist, but group therapy has many benefits too. The unique part about group therapy is the opportunity to build connection. As the group continues the process week by week, you have the opportunity to hear real and personal stories and experiences that you may relate to.
In our most recent group, Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT) to Help Manage Anxiety and Increase Social Relationships, we looked at ways to have intimate conversations as well as diverse ways to help limit negative ways of thinking; which are called “cognitive distortions.” We focused on how these cognitive distortions impact our ability to have good conversations and how they can make it more challenging to build relationships with others. Through exploring topics such as automatic thoughts and how they relate to how we feel and act, the goal of this group was to draw attention to this thought cycle and begin restructuring thought processes.
Some positives that were shared from participants in the group were that there was opportunity to have conversations with other group members. Additionally, there were also opportunities to explore and teach CBT techniques to help promote healthy thought processes. Participants also shared how helpful it was to have a community to discuss with on a regular basis.
If this sounds interesting to you, we encourage you to reach out to the Calgary Therapy Institute to inquire more about our therapy groups starting in the new year.
Brittany Geerlinks - MSW Student Supervised by Kirsten Nelson MSW, RSW, Clinical Lead / Therapist