Group therapy attempts to set up a situation where this sort of honest, interpersonal exploration can transpire. Group members have an opportunity to identify with others who have similar interest, to increase self-awareness, learn alternative ways of looking at personal problems, and to practice being with others in a way that can improve and enrich the quality of each person's life and personal relationships.
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During the group meeting time, members take responsibility for their situation by talking about what is troubling them. It will be most helpful and satisfying when individuals talk about their feelings. When people talk about revealing feelings, they are talking about self-disclosure. It is important to keep in mind that the individual determines how much they disclose in a group. The person will not be forced to tell their deepest and innermost thoughts.
Members are encouraged to give feedback to others. Feedback includes expressing your own feelings about what someone says or does. Interaction between group members is highly encouraged and provides each person an opportunity to try out new ways of behaving; it also provides members with an opportunity for learning more about the way they interact with others. What makes this situation unique is that it is a safe environment in which members work to establish a level of trust that allows them to talk personally and honestly. Group trust is enhanced further when all members make a commitment to the group. People who join groups are instructed that the content of the group sessions are confidential; in other words, it is not appropriate for a group member to disclose events of the group to an outside person.
When people come into a group and interact freely with other group members, they usually recreate those difficulties that brought them to group therapy in the first place. Under the direction of a group therapist, the group is able to give support, offer alternatives, and/or gently confront members in such a way that these difficulties become resolved and alternative behaviors are learned. Group therapy also allows a person to develop new social techniques or ways of relating to people.
During group therapy, members begin to see that they are not alone and can be helped. Many times people feel very unique in their problems. It is encouraging to hear that other people have a similar difficulty or have already worked through a problem that deeply disturbs another group member. Because of the climate of trust within the group, members feel free to care about and help each other.
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