Group Therapy versus Individual Therapy: Which One is Right for Me?
You’ve made the decision to begin therapy. Making this choice is commendable. But now you may be weighing which modality is right for you: individual or group therapy? Here is a breakdown of the major differences in both.
Group Therapy
A group therapy setting addresses an issue that is commonly held by the members of the group. These can range from eating disorders, substance abuse, complicated bereavement, survivors of sexual abuse or those suffering from mood disorders that interfere with daily life, such as anxiety disorders, depression or bipolar disorder. A group may range in size from five to 15 or 20 members. The group is facilitated by one (or more in a larger group) therapists trained in the dynamics of group therapy. There may be criteria that one must meet in order to participate in the group therapy process. Some are self-limiting; others meet for several years.
Some of 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 talking openly about a shared issue or affliction can provide 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 from people who do not have much in common with you in other aspects of your life describe how they have coped with the problem that you share.
Development of social skills
One advantage to being in a group with a shared purpose is the chance to better one’s social skills. As challenging as this may seem to someone who might identify themselves as shy or socially awkward, a group therapy treatment may guide that person within an empathic setting to open up and become receptive to interpersonal interactions with a reduced sense of personal risk.
Cost
In general, the fee for group therapy sessions is lower than an individual session.
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 with the goal of improving 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, persistent maladaptive behaviors are discussed and examined in the pursuit of clarity and understanding.
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 for your needs. And as your needs may change within the time of 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 may be lacking in a group setting. You have the undivided attention of your therapist for the duration of a session. There is 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 mutative 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 is a specialized relationship with a therapist affords one the chance to untangle these seemingly incomprehensible conundrums in a safe space.
Both modalities have their strengths. When choosing between the two here are some basic questions to ask:
1) What do I want to address?
2) Would I be comfortable sharing the details of my issue with others?
3) Is my goal primarily to form better interpersonal skills and build more relationships? Or work in a targeted fashion in a more private setting?
4) Would a group be ultimately more helpful with my particular issue than a one-on-one approach?
There are no right or wrong answers here. Ultimately whatever modality one chooses, it is vital that the patient feels that he/she is listened to, attended to and understood in an emotionally safe environment.