Group therapy is a form of therapy in which a group of patients are led by a trained therapist in a course of therapy sessions.
These sessions happen regularly: either weekly, or, on a residential treatment programme, they may happen every day.
The number of patients in the group is usually between 6-12. In substance abuse groups, there tend to be between 10 and 12 patients.
The purpose of group therapy is to help patients combat their problems. In the case of substance use disorders, group therapy sessions are intended to provide support, encouragement and sometimes confrontation, in order to overcome denial and to aid the recovery process.
It is important to note that, strictly speaking, 12-step programmes do not qualify as ‘group therapy’. In fact, they differ from group therapy in a number of ways.
For instance, they are not led by a qualified therapist, do not have a limit on attendees, do not typically cost money to attend, do not have as strict an attendance policy as group therapy sessions, and are not designed as therapy so much as ‘support’. [1]
Group therapy can come in various forms. There are five main kinds of group therapy, including skills development groups, interpersonal process groups, cognitive-behavioral groups, support groups and psychoeducational groups.
