mardi 8 juillet 2014

Group Therapy For Personal Growth

By Rosella Campbell


Many times individuals come to counseling with feelings of guilt and shame because they feel like they are alone in their struggles. Hearing the voices of others with similar stories can alleviate some of those anxieties. Group therapy is an excellent tool for individuals to engage in when they are in need of help overcoming personal challenges. It can be helpful to recovery to hear stories of other people who are experiencing the same struggles

Hearing the stories of others can often help individuals understand themselves better. This is why groups can be very meaningful ways to help individuals cope with their circumstances. Although members may join at different stages of personal contentment, each stage can offer support to another. A person who has just experienced the loss of a loved one may be able to feel hope after hearing how another member has coped with their loss.

Groups should consist of between eight to twelve individuals. This allows a more intimate setting and provides a comfort level that is not likely for larger groups. Topics of groups can vary and can be anything from divorce recovery, grief and loss, eating disorders or anger management.

All mental health groups should have a facilitator who is trained in counseling to guide them. The counselor expands their role as an individual counselor into the group setting. It is the job of the facilitator to keep each member on topic, ensure that no one monopolizes the session, and confront anyone who is not being open with themselves.

Establishing an atmosphere of trust with each member of the group is extremely important. The facilitator's role is to create an atmosphere that is safe and welcoming to share intimate details about ones experiences. One key component of running a successful group is to stress the importance of confidentiality. Each member must agree to keep everything that is said in session confidential and not share with anyone outside of the people who are in session. Breaking this rule often results in immediate dismissal.

Counselors who facilitate groups are trained as mental health professionals. These professionals have had years of schooling focused on understanding behaviors. They are given tools that will help them challenge difficult behaviors and use reflective listening as a way of guiding clients to make healthy choices.

Different from individual counseling, in a setting with multiple people counselors must have the ability to confront members who are out of line, diffuse stressful situations, and keep the group cohesive. Also very important is to ensure that each member gets an equal amount of talk time and that no one member is dominating conversation.

To find this type of therapy, individuals can look in many locations, including Tulsa, OK. To be successful, individuals must be able to divulge details about their experiences and struggles. Members should also have an open mind to take insight from other members.




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