Group Therapy presents some distinctive characteristics that differentiate it from Individual Psychotherapy:
- the duration is limited and established at the beginning, although variable depending on the type of psychological problem addressed and the group’s objectives
- the duration of each group session is longer than individual sessions and generally lasts 90-120 minutes
- the presence of multiple people followed simultaneously by one or sometimes two therapists allows for a significant reduction in therapy costs
- the group context, by its nature dynamic and interactive, is stimulating and enriching, as it facilitates and catalyzes reflection and change among participants
Group Therapy therefore represents a context of work, sharing, and solidarity on similar problems.
Research demonstrates its considerable effectiveness, which appears to be determined by various factors (in addition to the more strictly technical and psychotherapeutic ones), including:
- universality, whereby the patient benefits from realizing that they are not the only one suffering from a certain problem
- the positive feelings that circulate within the group, including hope, altruism, attention to others, optimism, and mutual encouragement
- reflection, awareness-building, live change of certain inappropriate relational patterns (aggressive, passive…) and experimentation with new attitudes
- the drive to imitate the positive aspects and behaviors of other group members
- group cohesion, which derives from the perception of the existence of a protected, welcoming, and non-judgmental context, in which the group is not simply the sum of the individuals who compose it, but intrinsically possesses, precisely thanks to its characteristics, the healing and transformative potential.
In particular, Group Therapy is indicated for:
- adults from 18 to 65 years old
- people who respond incompletely to medications or who wish to enhance their benefits
- people who, for various reasons, do not wish to undertake Individual Psychotherapy but nevertheless need support or treatment
- those who want to learn practical methods for managing symptoms, as in the case of anxiety disorders and panic attacks
- patients who have already completed an Individual Psychotherapy journey and wish to consolidate and enhance its results
Each group is heterogeneous in age and gender; it is reserved for a number of people, generally not fewer than 4-5 and not more than 8-10; the number of sessions is predetermined at the beginning and in any case short-term (from 10 to 20 sessions).
Entry into the group is preceded by several individual consultations, aimed at exploring the patient’s problem, the appropriateness and suitability for Group Psychotherapy, and the patient’s motivation to participate.
Three “rules” will subsequently characterize participation in the group:
- confidentiality and discretion regarding what is shared by other members
- the inclination toward openness and self-disclosure;
- participatory, empathetic, and non-judgmental listening to what is expressed by others.
