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6 Things You Shouldn't Assume About Group Therapy

Group therapy can be very effective for those going through many different health conditions. Unfortunately, some patients are misinformed about group therapy.

The following are six things you shouldn't assume about group therapy. 

You won't get any individual attention during group therapy.

Individual attention can be important for overcoming the health condition you're dealing with. You might be surprised at how much individual attention you can actually get during group therapy.

With group therapy, you'll have the attention of both medical professionals and fellow patients who may be going through the same health issues that you're currently going through.  

It's time-consuming to undergo group therapy.

Some patients assume that group therapy will take up a lot of their time because they'll have to sit through therapy for everyone present rather than getting only individual attention. 

However, group therapy can actually be efficient in that it provides effective therapy for numerous patients at the same time. You shouldn't assume that you'll have to undergo therapy longer with group therapy than you would with one-on-one therapy.  

Group therapy involves invasions of one's privacy.

Going through group therapy doesn't mean that you have to share details about your personal life that you're not comfortable sharing. Your privacy will be respected while you undergo group therapy for whatever physical or mental health condition you're going through. 

Group therapy can lead to conflict among individual patients.

Some patients are wary of group therapy because they think that conflicts might develop between individual members of a group therapy gathering.

However, you should know that those who are undergoing group therapy generally avoid conflict and are instructed to avoid controversial subjects for the benefit of everyone involved.

Other patients in group therapy will be so different that it will be difficult to relate to them.

Patients who undergo group therapy tend to quickly realize that they are not so different from other patients in their group. Patients shouldn't feel that they won't be able to relate to others to overcome their condition.

Simply discussing one's situation with others who are in need of group therapy quickly demonstrates to patients how similar their own situations are to the situations of others who are in therapy with them. 

Those who are shy will struggle with group therapy.

Group therapy isn't just for outgoing patients. In fact, group therapy gives shy individuals a great opportunity to open up to others. During group therapy, shy individuals are given plenty of opportunities to express themselves so that they can benefit from such therapy just as much as more outgoing patients can.


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