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By the end of this article, you will understand:
- what is really group psychotherapy,
- why it works on your relationships in a way that no other form of therapy can,
- what to really expect to happen inside the room,
- and why change, when it comes, is deeper and lasts.
You enter a room. Sitting around you are six people you have never seen before. Over the next few minutes, you will hear their most hidden thoughts and share your own. This is the chronicle of a session that changes the way you see yourself.
There is something liberating about hearing someone else say, inside a room, exactly what you thought only you felt. Not because the problem is solved immediately, but because, for the first time, you feel that you are not the only one experiencing it. This moment, in itself, is already therapeutic and is only the beginning of what group psychotherapy can offer.
What is group psychotherapy?;
It is a small group of people who meet regularly, guided by a trained therapist, where the interaction itself becomes the therapeutic tool.
In the group psychotherapy room, you won't just find people with whom you share common experiences. It is a space where you understand, in real time, how you relate, as the others act as mirrors showing parts of yourself that you would struggle to see on your own.
Why are «others» the core of therapy?;
The therapeutic journey always begins with the relationship with oneself, moves on to the relationship with others, and finally reaches the relationship with the world. Group psychotherapy is the point where the second step—namely, the relationship with others—is worked on more directly than in any other therapeutic setting.
A symptom, no matter how purely personal it may seem, is almost always connected to how you relate to others. This systemic perspective forms the therapeutic approach of our practice at Reconnect Therapy, and is based on how the quality of your life is connected to the quality of our relationships with others. Only in group psychotherapy, you do not just think about this approach theoretically. You live it inside a room, with real people around you.
The relief of being heard without being judged.
This is precisely the rare feeling you will experience within the therapeutic setting of a group psychotherapy.
Let us imagine a scenario: someone shares something in the group that they feel ashamed of, such as the time they «exploded» for no reason at a loved one. They expect some negative judgment, perhaps even disapproval. Instead, a group member simply tells them: ’When I heard that, I felt close to you, because I do the same thing when I am really afraid of losing someone.’
No advice, no «solution.» Just a connection. And through this connection, the individual feels their own anger differently for the first time. Not as a «flaw,» but as something human shared with others. After all, anger can be a Friend and/or an Enemy, depending on how you use it.
This way of communicating—direct, focused on personal experience, and completely free of criticism—is not common in our everyday lives and can initially cause a little anxiety. Over time, however, it brings something rare: a deeper, more authentic connection with those around you.
Do I need to already be in individual therapy to join a group?;
Usually, a period of individual sessions needs to precede joining the group. On average, individual therapy may last about six months before preparation begins for the transition to group psychotherapy. However, this, is not a strict rule. The duration depends on the therapeutic journey, the individual's needs, and the stage of life they are in. All these factors are taken into account, so that the therapist, in collaboration with the individual, can shape a plan for how and when the transition from individual to group psychotherapy will take place.
Here is a question we often hear:
“How long will I need to heal? Can I heal quickly?”
Not always, and that is completely normal, especially if your experience is mainly in individual therapy.
A group needs time to become what it truly is: a safe, stable microcosm, where you can open up. This space is especially recommended for you if you often feel that “I have something important to say, but every time I get the chance I avoid it, what should I do?”
Beyond the obvious work each member brings, every group also goes through collective, less visible dynamics, such as fear, hesitation, and tentative trust, before reaching real depth of work. Therefore, if you feel doubt or discomfort during the first few meetings, it doesn't mean something isn't working. It means the group needs a little more time to ’gel«. Usually, after the first 12 sessions, you get a much clearer sense of how much it is benefiting you.
What group therapy ultimately brings is not just relief. It is interpersonal learning that lasts, because you didn't just hear it from a therapist, but experienced it within real relationships .
Can the therapeutic group become my new social circle?;
No, group psychotherapy is NOT a place for making friends, but it teaches you how to make the best ones.
It is a «workshop» for real life outside, with clear boundaries that protect this exact purpose. It is a rehearsal, meaning a space where you learn ways to build meaningful, mutually satisfying relationships, so that you can take them with you out into your daily life.
That is why feelings or information concerning the relationships between members are always processed within the group. After all, this is, in reality, the richness it offers.
It teaches you How to keep difficult conversations productive (4 ways) and how to cultivate relationships in which you feel secure.
In short
Group psychotherapy is not a substitute for individual therapy. It is the point where you work on your relationships live, through real interaction with other people. It doesn't always bring immediate relief, and that is normal; the change it brings is slower perhaps, but deeper, because you live it, you don't just hear about it.
Frequently asked questions
Am I obliged to speak openly in every session?; Όχι. Κάθε μέλος προχωράει με τον δικό του ρυθμό, χωρίς καμία πίεση.
Πόσα άτομα συμμετέχουν σε μια ομάδα; Οι ομάδες αποτελούνται συνήθως από λίγα άτομα, έχουν σταθερή σύνθεση και δεν ξεπερνούν τους έξι ή επτά θεραπευόμενους. Πρόκειται για ομάδες που στη βιβλιογραφία περιγράφονται ως “βραδέως εναλλασσόμενες”. Αυτό σημαίνει ότι, όταν ένα μέλος ολοκληρώσει τη θεραπεία του και αποχωρήσει, ένα νέο μέλος προετοιμάζεται σταδιακά και εντάσσεται στην ομάδα. Με αυτόν τον τρόπο, η ομάδα συνεχίζει την πορεία της και εμπλουτίζεται με νέα βιώματα, νέες σχέσεις και νέες συνθέσεις. Αυτή η σταδιακή ανανέωση αποτελεί μέρος του πλούτου και της θεραπευτικής δυναμικής της ομαδικής ψυχοθεραπείας.
Πόσο διαρκεί μια ομαδική συνεδρία; Συνήθως 2 ώρες, μία φορά την εβδομάδα.
Τι γίνεται, αν λείψω από μια συνεδρία; Η συστηματική παρουσία σου είναι σημαντική τόσο για σένα όσο και για τη συνοχή της ομάδας. Ενημερώνεις έγκαιρα, αν χρειαστεί να απουσιάσεις.
Θα μάθουν οι άλλοι ποιος/α/ο είμαι έξω από την ομάδα; Όχι, το απόρρητο ισχύει εδώ εξίσου αυστηρά, όπως στην ατομική θεραπεία.
Μπορώ να κάνω παράλληλα και ατομική θεραπεία; Ναι, μπορεί κάποιος να συμμετέχει σε ομαδική ψυχοθεραπεία και παράλληλα να κάνει ατομική θεραπεία, αλλά αυτό χρειάζεται να γίνεται κάτω από συγκεκριμένες προϋποθέσεις. Στόχος είναι το άτομο να μπορέσει να αξιοποιήσει όσο το δυνατόν πληρέστερα όσα έχει να του προσφέρει η ομάδα. Σε ορισμένες περιπτώσεις, η παράλληλη ατομική θεραπεία μπορεί να δυσκολέψει αυτή τη διαδικασία ή να λειτουργήσει ως εμπόδιο. Σε άλλες περιπτώσεις, όμως, μπορεί να είναι απαραίτητη και να υποστηρίζει ουσιαστικά τη θεραπευτική πορεία. Η απόφαση χρειάζεται επομένως να λαμβάνεται εξατομικευμένα, ανάλογα με τις ανάγκες του θεραπευόμενου ατόμου και σε συνεργασία με τον θεραπευτή.
Αν θέλεις να μάθεις ακόμα περισσότερα για το πώς εργαζόμαστε θεραπευτικά, μπορείς να επικοινωνήσεις μαζί μας εδώ
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The article is based on the science of psychology and the clinical experience of psychotherapists. It has a psychoeducational character and does not replace psychotherapy, medical or psychiatric evaluation, nor can it cover the uniqueness of every relationship and every lived experience. If you are experiencing intense mental distress, dysregulation, violence, coercion or the feeling that you are not a safe person within your relationship, it is important to seek personalised professional support.
Artificial intelligence may be used supportively in the process of researching, organising and cross-referencing contemporary literature. However, the final text, ideas, clinical judgement, language and responsibility for publication belong to us. Every article is written and edited with human thought, clinical experience and respect for the person reading it.
Written by: Filippos Gkekas, Psychologist Psychotherapist, creator of ReConnect Therapy alongside the scientific team of ReConnect Therapy.
References
Bion, W. R. (1961). Experiences in groups and other papers. Tavistock Publications.
Yalom, I. D., & Leszcz, M. (2005). The theory and practice of group psychotherapy (5th ed.). Basic Books.