Most rehab centers have a group therapy program. The process may seem intimidating if you’ve never tried group therapy. Opening up to others about your personal experiences can be a challenge. However, group therapy support and other benefits of group counseling can be advantageous. With help from a skilled facilitator, group members gain insight into their behavior, offer positive reinforcement to others, and help one another through crises.
As a judgment-free space, group counseling allows people in recovery to share the truth about their struggles. Group therapy also teaches social and behavioral skills that can help you for the rest of your life. Call 877.920.6583 to speak with someone from the caring and compassionate team at Greater Boston Addiction Centers (GBAC) about our group therapy options in Massachusetts.
Types of Group Therapy Programs
Groups often have a specific focus, and some emphasize practicing certain skills. Some types of approaches to group therapy you may encounter include the following:
- Cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) teaches participants to replace distorted or unhelpful thinking and behavior patterns with more constructive thoughts and actions.
- Dialectical behavior therapy (DBT) emphasizes techniques to regulate strong emotions, handle distress, and communicate effectively with others.
- 12-step support groups use the progressive 12-step model of addiction recovery to help members work towards abstinence from substance use.
For people struggling with co-occurring disorders, group therapy offers coping techniques to help them handle their symptoms. For instance, CBT skills often help people with depression, anxiety, and personality disorders.
Skills Taught in Group Therapy Programs
Skill-based topics you may cover in group therapy include:
- Conflict resolution
- Decision making
- Education about addiction and barriers to sobriety
- Healthy coping techniques for emotional distress
- Trauma recovery
Communication is a central group therapy skill. When others speak, you actively listen to them and understand what they’re saying. And when you talk, you practice expressing yourself clearly. Offering others meaningful feedback is a valuable part of communication as well.
Benefits of Group Counseling
Group therapy provides several advantages to participants. You can:
- Connect with people facing similar issues and benefit from group wisdom
- Develop trust within a group
- Gain insight into behavior patterns from group feedback
- Share experiences without fear of judgment
- Learn healthy ways to cope with stress
- Receive peer support to stay sober
If you need group therapy support and want to explore the benefits of group counseling, contact Greater Boston Addiction Centers today. We offer group therapy programs for adults in Massachusetts.
Group Therapy Provides Peer Support and Accountability
Group therapy programs can provide positive motivation as members work to achieve their goals. People further along in their recovery serve as role models to those just beginning their journey. Seeing others reach recovery milestones or overcome obstacles can encourage your progress. Similarly, anyone who faces setbacks in recovery or experiences a relapse can reach out to group members for help.
Giving and receiving feedback is a powerful aspect of group therapy programs. Other participants can help you see situations from new perspectives and devise solutions you wouldn’t have thought of by yourself. As you each share how you’ve solved problems or coped with difficulties, you learn healthy coping techniques from one another.
Group Therapy Support Involves Encouragement, Connection, and Community
Not only does group therapy provide structure and routine—which are vital to stability in early recovery—but it gives you a chance to build connections.
Many people struggling with substance use disorders feel isolated, lonely, or overwhelmed, and groups provide a safe space to identify with others and learn they aren’t alone. Sharing your experiences and struggles has been proven to reduce shame and guilt.
Over time, group therapy for recovery cultivates a sense of belonging to a community. This bond may last after you leave the program. Friendships you make in groups can sustain you during long-term recovery.
Find Group Therapy Support at Greater Boston Addiction Centers
At Greater Boston Addiction Centers, group therapy is a cornerstone of treatment. Clients who receive a group’s support, encouragement, and accountability are more likely to remain in treatment and stay abstinent. Our facilities provide all the necessary tools to help you reach your recovery goals.
We offer educational groups, skills development groups, CBT and DBT-focused groups, 12-step support, women’s-only and men’s-only groups, and more. Groups are available through our outpatient programs and partial hospitalization program. Whatever stage of recovery you’re in, we can support you. Learn more by contacting GBAC today at 877.920.6583 or reaching out to our caring and compassionate team online.
