Britt Raphling, LCPC, CGP

Group therapy helps with relationships. In my years of leading groups and from my own group work, I have found that this type of therapy shows us that we don’t have to be alone in our emotional struggles. As group members tell their stories, they help others in the room who might have similar experiences, even if the details of those stories are not exactly the same. When people from a range of cultures, races, identities and life experiences connect across differences or work through tensions and conflicts, their bonds can grow stronger. With the support of the group, individual members develop awareness of their emotional reactions and improve their capacity to communicate these reactions to others in their lives as they choose.

Interacting consistently over time with fellow group members enhances your ability to develop emotional intimacy with people in your own life, whether they be romantic partners, close friends, family, or even work and school colleagues. Interpersonal process groups can help you learn more about how others see you and how you see them. The group circle is a laboratory where all members use the relative safety of the group room to develop their relationship skills in an organic and meaningful way. My interpersonal process groups support acceptance and inclusion of the range of human identities, and if, in the course of our interactions, someone feels marginalized, members have a process to acknowledge harm, take accountability and repair. Group sessions are basically a long-term conversation among the members, who get to know one another well and can not only support, but also challenge each other to develop greater self-knowledge and satisfaction in relationships.