Thoughts on group therapy?

I'm considering starting therapy, and I'm finding that a lot of therapists are really not very familiar with treating social anxiety. It's really not a very well understood disorder. I did find a center nearby that lists social anxiety as one of their specialties and offers group therapy as a more "affordable option." My insurance refuses to cover any of the cost of treatment at this particular center, but I'm at a point where I have to do something, even if it's out of pocket.

I'm just not sure if I would be able to actually function in a group setting without having individual therapy first or in addition to group therapy. I also don't want to waste my time going to a counselor or social worker who isn't as experienced with social anxiety treatment. I know at this point, doing anything would be better than my current strategy of doing nothing, but I just want to make sure I'm going about it the right way. It's really hard to make all these phone calls to various therapy places, insurance companies, etc. but I'm trying to get through it to get myself some help...

Anyway, has anyone tried group therapy? What have your experiences been like?
 

neardeath

Well-known member
I'm considering starting therapy, and I'm finding that a lot of therapists are really not very familiar with treating social anxiety. It's really not a very well understood disorder. I did find a center nearby that lists social anxiety as one of their specialties and offers group therapy as a more "affordable option." My insurance refuses to cover any of the cost of treatment at this particular center, but I'm at a point where I have to do something, even if it's out of pocket.

I'm just not sure if I would be able to actually function in a group setting without having individual therapy first or in addition to group therapy. I also don't want to waste my time going to a counselor or social worker who isn't as experienced with social anxiety treatment. I know at this point, doing anything would be better than my current strategy of doing nothing, but I just want to make sure I'm going about it the right way. It's really hard to make all these phone calls to various therapy places, insurance companies, etc. but I'm trying to get through it to get myself some help...

Anyway, has anyone tried group therapy? What have your experiences been like?

It's worth a try! There is ALWAYS one or more people in the group who monopolize the conversation. People give "feedback," but then go on for 20 minutes on a different tangent.

If the therapist runs the group right, these things can be minimized. I went in January because I just knew I had to, like you're feeling now. I made it work for me because I was also that desperate, but it can be frustrating.

The remarkable thing is, as bad as I feel most of the time, there were always others much worse off than me in the group setting. It helps me to know it could be worse, and helps me see myself more objectively.
 
I like this organisation's description of social anxiety and what they do in group therapy

What is Social Anxiety? | The Social Anxiety Institute

"...Social anxiety behavioral therapy groups should not pressure, push, or cajole people to do things. No negative tactic should be employed because the individual must choose to participate at her own pace. If she wants to sit there in group and not say a word, that’s O.K. No one should be made to do anything.

You may be asking, "won't people never make progress if they choose to do nothing each group?" Here’s the secret: This has never happened. People in the group understand why they are there and, despite an amount of anxiety that is naturally present, they voluntarily choose to work on their specific anxieties. This is much more practical and real-life than being forced to do something.

Therapy groups for social anxiety should always be encouraging, positive, and supportive. If the right atmosphere is set, people can make (and continue to make) progress up their "hierarchy" of social anxieties.

It is impossible to stop a motivated person who refuses to give up. The role of the therapist is to know specifically what to do and how quickly to do it. This sounds easy, but it is not. You must be practicing the right material and you must proceed at the correct pace for your own anxieties. You are more in control of this process than you think..."
 
I like this organisation's description of social anxiety and what they do in group therapy

What is Social Anxiety? | The Social Anxiety Institute

"...Social anxiety behavioral therapy groups should not pressure, push, or cajole people to do things. No negative tactic should be employed because the individual must choose to participate at her own pace. If she wants to sit there in group and not say a word, that’s O.K. No one should be made to do anything.

You may be asking, "won't people never make progress if they choose to do nothing each group?" Here’s the secret: This has never happened. People in the group understand why they are there and, despite an amount of anxiety that is naturally present, they voluntarily choose to work on their specific anxieties. This is much more practical and real-life than being forced to do something.

Therapy groups for social anxiety should always be encouraging, positive, and supportive. If the right atmosphere is set, people can make (and continue to make) progress up their "hierarchy" of social anxieties.

It is impossible to stop a motivated person who refuses to give up. The role of the therapist is to know specifically what to do and how quickly to do it. This sounds easy, but it is not. You must be practicing the right material and you must proceed at the correct pace for your own anxieties. You are more in control of this process than you think..."

Now this sounds totally ideal... a no pressure, go at your own pace sorta thing. I just wish all therapists would understand that, and I wish they had THESE types of groups in every city! I'm just envisioning terribly awkward icebreakers and "fun" socialization activities. Could be BAD. I guess it just depends on where I end up going and whether or not they really understand social anxiety.

Thanks for the replies... Very helpful! :thumbup:
 

planemo

Well-known member
yeah i'm currently in it, but it took a lot of persuasion from my one-on-one therapist before i actually took the plunge. she told me she wanted me to go into it since it would help me more than one-on-one therapy would, but she knew i was gonna be reluctant, so she gave me a few weeks to prepare for it and during the first month or so, i did both therapies simultaneously. so i had a chance to speak to her about how group therapy was going.

now i just do the group therapy. it's not just for people with SAD, in fact i think i'm the only one there who has it. but most people are shy at first, in fact i know of quite a few people who have depression and other problems who stopped after just one session. so it can be intimidating for anyone, mainly because you're "confessing" your problems to strangers at first. but once you build a rapport with others, they'll feel more comfortable around you as you will around them.

for me some sessions have been brilliant, almost like i'm sitting and talking to people i know well, and who are completely in tune with my problems, and won't judge me by it. other times, especially when someone new comes along, there's a lot of silence and it's uncomfortable. so it can fluctuate between the two. it really depends on the dynamics of the whole setup and that depends on the people running the whole thing and what outcomes they're looking for.

i was terrified to try it, but talking to one of the therapists privately and asking about the way it worked and what was expected of me, prior to my first session helped calm my nerves a bit. so it's something you can look at if you're a bit apprehensive.
 
@mismeek: LOL! Yeah, I think I would be too!

@planemo: That's awesome. I'd really love to find a good group of people who were just like me if such a thing could ever exist. I want to have that "brilliant" therapy experience, as you put it. I know that's probably a hard thing to come by though. It's really hard for me to talk to people in the regular everyday setting because their walls are up and so are mine, but it's just so different when those walls are taken down. People become a lot less scary.

I think I'm definitely going to keep looking into it and try to find out more about this particular group, since I think it's really the only one in the area. I think it would really be good for me, but I think I definitely need one-on-one therapy in addition. Just need to force myself to make all the phone calls!
 

Caderyn

Member
Personally, I had trouble opening up when I did group therapy but it did get me out of the house for the month I did it. On the one hand I did enjoy it at times because I felt like I was sometimes connecting more with people. At the same time I felt very anxious for it to end because of my anxiety and agoraphobia. The therapy I did was an out-patient program at a psychiatric hospital. Personally, I probably got the most of it when we did something fun like games related to therapy or arts and crafts because it helped me open up when doing stuff I enjoyed. I had the most difficulty when we just sat in a circle to talk about problems because it made me very anxious.

Anyway, good luck with whatever you do!
 
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