Group Counseling or Individual Counseling? Pros and Cons
When going through a rough patch, you need a support network to help you process and manage the thoughts and emotions that come with it. Going through hardship alone can increase the sense of isolation, and it can deprive you of the wisdom and perspective that comes from garnering insight from others, including those who’ve had similar experiences. In such cases group counseling may be of help.Group counseling is one of the avenues you can take to get the support you need as you work through things. This article will describe group counseling alongside individual counseling, to help you decide which will work best for you.Group counseling unpackedGroup counseling is a form of talk therapy in which a group of between five and fifteen individuals gather at least once a week for about an hour to work through a topic or issue that all the group members are dealing with. Some of those issues and concerns will be detailed below. The group is guided by 1-2 counselors who have training in handling group therapy, and the counselor(s) works to make the group a safe space for every member.In group counseling, every member is given an opportunity to contribute to the discussion. As each member has had some experience with the issue, they can share their insights and questions with the other group members. It is thus quite interactive, and part of the counselor’s role is to ensure that the group feels safe enough for every member to contribute and that no one member dominates the conversation.Depending on how it’s been set up, you will likely encounter two kinds of groups. Some groups are closed, and that means until the group runs its course, no new members will join the group. This helps create a sense of continuity and familiarity, which [...]
