By Ashley Prietto | Sept. 11, 2024

Group therapy is an incredibly valuable experience, offering both emotional support and insight from others who share similar challenges. If you’re feeling anxious or unsure about joining a group therapy session, you’re not alone. This guide is designed to help you prepare mentally, emotionally, and practically for your group experience, so you can get the most out of it.

Why Group Therapy?

Group therapy is a space for healing, growth, and connection. I remember the nerves and imposter syndrome I felt when I first started facilitating groups. Those same feelings—uncertainty about expectations, personal goals, and contributions—are natural for participants as well. This guide aims to alleviate those worries by helping you feel more confident and ready for the unique connections group therapy offers.

1. Understand the Group’s Purpose

When starting group therapy, it's essential to clarify the purpose of the group and how it aligns with your needs. Groups are often focused on specific issues like anxiety, depression, or trauma recovery. Being aware of the group’s structure (open vs. closed group) and targeted population will help set realistic expectations. Knowing this beforehand can ease any pre-session nerves.

Check out this National Library of Medicine resource on group therapy for more detailed information on the structure and purpose of group therapy.

2. Practical Preparation: Time Management Is Key

For group therapy to be effective, you must be fully present. That means scheduling sessions at times that allow you to arrive on time, without distractions. If your schedule is packed, consider delegating tasks to free up time before and after sessions to reflect on the experience.

Time management is crucial to making the most out of group therapy. Explore this time-management guide for tips on how to restructure your schedule to give therapy the focus it deserves.

3. Emotional Preparation: Accept Your Nervousness

Feeling nervous before starting group therapy is completely normal. Therapy digs deep into emotional issues that typical social interactions often gloss over. Group therapy allows you to express your true self in a safe and non-judgmental environment.

To help ease anxiety, practice the R.A.I.N. technique (Recognize, Allow, Investigate, Nurture). By allowing yourself to fully experience your emotions before the first session, you’ll be better prepared to engage with the group.

4. Set Personal Goals: What Do You Want to Achieve?

Ask yourself why you’re joining group therapy. Whether you want to develop new coping skills, receive emotional support, or simply share your experiences, having clear goals can guide you through the process.

To help clarify your goals, use this therapy goals template to outline what you hope to achieve. Defining your goals will help keep your therapy experience focused and impactful.

5. Manage Expectations: Embrace New Perspectives

Group therapy introduces you to diverse perspectives, which can be unfamiliar or even uncomfortable at first. It’s important to approach group therapy with an open mind. Challenge yourself to suspend judgment and actively listen to others. This will help foster deeper connections and allow you to grow both emotionally and mentally.

The DUAL method (Don’t Assume, Understand, Acknowledge, Learn) can help you practice cognitive flexibility and embrace the diversity of perspectives you’ll encounter in group therapy.

6. Balance Listening and Sharing: It's Okay to Take Your Time

In group therapy, listening is just as important as sharing. While it might feel natural to hold back in the beginning, finding a balance between sharing your experiences and offering support to others is key.

Before your first session, set clear boundaries for what you’re comfortable sharing. Gradually open up as you feel more comfortable. Remember, you don’t need to reveal everything at once—group therapy is about building trust over time.

7. Trust and Confidentiality: The Foundation of Group Therapy

Trust and confidentiality are essential to group therapy. While the therapist is bound by legal confidentiality requirements, group members are expected to respect each other’s privacy. Most groups will have participants sign a confidentiality agreement to ensure that trust is maintained.

Check out this article on group cohesion and confidentiality for more insight into how trust is built in therapy groups.

8. Reflect After Each Session: Embrace the Process

After each group therapy session, take time to reflect on what you’ve learned. What emotions did you experience? What insights did you gain? Processing your experience after each session is an important part of emotional growth and self-care.

Post-session reflections help solidify the therapeutic process and allow you to continue working on your goals. You can find additional ideas for reflection here to help deepen your insights after each session.

Ready to Start Your Healing Journey?

Beginning group therapy can feel overwhelming, but it’s an incredibly rewarding step toward personal growth and healing. At Aletheia Therapy, our compassionate and knowledgeable clinicians are here to support you every step of the way. If you’re ready to experience the benefits of group therapy, schedule a session today.

You deserve the connection, support, and healing that group therapy offers. Take that next step toward mental wellness—you’ve got this!