What is Group Therapy?

Group therapy is just like individual therapy, but it takes place with a group of clients that I match together based on a group’s theme.

Who is in the group?

Group members are carefully matched with groups to make sure that the group is supportive and empowering. I meet individually with every prospective group member before they are invited to join a group to make sure the group is a good fit for the prospective member and to make sure the prospective member is a good fit for the group.

My child is too shy or hesitant to be in a group…

When it comes to social nervousness or anxiety, groups are a fantastic place to practice the skills in a safe and supportive environment. If you think a group could be helpful, let’s chat. Because I meet individually with every prospective member, I will be able to talk to your child or teen and help them know what to anticipate. Sometimes, meeting more than once is helpful for children or teens who are really nervous.

Isn’t individual therapy better, I don’t want my child picking up bad habits…

Sometimes parents and caregivers express concerns that groups might be a place where children pick up on “bad habits. This may happen in places (hospitals or treatment centers) where the groups are really big and/or facilitated by paraprofessionals or pre-licensed therapists in training. This is not the case for my groups. I am an active facilitator and I build a group that is just the right size to maximize sharing and comfort. I make sure that the group is a place where positive social skills are fostered while building healthy coping and healthy self-regulation skills. For some clients and for some topics, group therapy can sometimes be even more effective than individual therapy because the group can give us practice for real-world situations (e.g learning conflict resolution, expressing feelings, asking for feedback). Additionally, the beauty of group therapy is that you can grow just by listening and reflecting on what other group members share. For children and teens, this means that even when your child has a calm and quiet week, they can still grow and build healthy skills while being there for the other members of their group There is so much power in being surrounded by a supportive group. Learn more about group therapy from Group Psychotherapy Association Los Angeles and the American Group Psychotherapy Association.

How does online group therapy work?

I meet with all groups online via a secure, HIPAA compliant Telehealth platform that allows us to see everyone on the screen at the same time. Clients require access to the internet and a device that has a camera (computer, tablet, or smartphone). Online group therapy can be just as effective as in-person therapy, without the commute or hassle of parking.