Group Therapy Versus Individual Therapy: Which One is Right for Me?
You’ve made the decision to begin therapy. A commendable choice. But now you’re weighing which modality is right for you: individual or group therapy? Starting therapy is a big emotional and financial decision. As you’re trying to determine the most impactful and cost-effective option, understanding the differences between group and individual therapy can help you decide which option fits your needs and budget. Here is a breakdown of the major differences between group and individual therapy.
What is Group Therapy?
Group therapy is a setting that addresses an issue that is commonly held by the members of the group. These issues can range from eating disorders to substance abuse, complicated bereavement to mood disorders such as anxiety disorders, depression, or bipolar disorder. It’s common for a group to range in size from five to 20 members. The group is facilitated by one therapist (or more in a larger group) trained in the dynamics of group therapy. Each group may have specific eligibility requirements based on the issue being addressed. While some groups are designed to meet for a limited time, others continue for several years, offering long-term support for ongoing needs.
What Are The Benefits of Group Therapy?
You Are Not Alone
In a real sense, group therapy eliminates one of the main causes of mental illness—isolation. Knowing you are not alone while grappling with the challenges of the issue provides solace while treating and healing. Being with others in a safe space and talking openly about a shared issue or affliction offers a sense of support that otherwise may be missing from your life as you navigate through addressing your problem.
Diversity of Opinions
Unlike an individual treatment where you are exposed to only a single viewpoint on an issue, a group setting offers an opportunity to hear a wide range of experiences from others similarly afflicted. It can be comforting to hear people from different backgrounds describe how they have coped with the problem that you share. This often gives fresh perspectives and practical strategies that you can apply in your own life.
Cost
In general, the fee for group therapy sessions is lower than an individual session.
Development of Social Skills
One advantage to being in a group with a shared purpose is the chance to better your social skills. As challenging as this may seem if you feel shy or socially awkward, a group therapy treatment may guide you in an empathic setting to open up and become receptive to interpersonal interactions with a reduced sense of personal risk.
What is Individual Therapy?
As the name implies, one-on-one therapy occurs between you and your therapist. You are the sole focus of the therapy session. Sessions focus on your immediate needs, identifying underlying patterns of behavior that have become problematic over time to improve your day-to-day life. Individual treatment is uniquely suited to addressing more complicated personal issues that relate specifically to your early history and how that informs your current life. Subjects like trauma, dysfunctional family dynamics, and persistent maladaptive behaviors (like avoidance, substance abuse, and aggression) are discussed and examined in the pursuit of clarity and understanding.
What Are the Benefits of Individual Therapy?
Forging a Therapeutic Alliance
In an individual therapy treatment, you and your therapist will engage in a special relationship, where the therapist can tailor the course of the therapy to your needs. If your needs change during treatment, an individual therapist will take those changes into consideration and adapt the treatment as needed.
Personal Attention
A one-on-one approach to treatment offers the kind of personal attention that you may not feel in a group setting. You have the undivided attention of your therapist for the duration of a session. There is also some flexibility and sensitivity to your specific needs in terms of frequency and duration of the treatment.
The Relationship is Key
What makes individual therapy effective goes beyond the methodology used by any given therapist; it is the relationship between therapist and patient that ultimately is the transformative factor. Many psychological problems stem from difficulties in interpersonal relationships, either due to maladaptive patterns that result from coping with trauma, or overreliance on others for validation or distrust that has accumulated over time. Being in a specialized relationship with a therapist affords one the chance to untangle these seemingly incomprehensible conundrums in a safe space.
How to Choose Between Group & Individual Therapy
Both modalities have their strengths. When choosing between the two here are some basic questions to ask:
What do I want to address?
Would I be comfortable sharing the details of my issue with others?
Are there groups that meet my schedule and budget needs? Are there therapists available that meet my needs and accept new patients??
Would the shared experience of a group be more helpful with my particular issue than a one-on-one approach?
There are no right or wrong answers here. Ultimately whatever modality you choose, it is vital that you feel listened to, attended to, and understood in an emotionally safe environment.
