I find that group can function as a standalone treatment or a great supplement to individual or couples therapy. It can accelerate or deepen the work done in other settings should you find yourself wanting more.

Clients often have lots of practical questions about group, namely, "you want me to talk about my problems in front of strangers?" or "is this because I'm getting worse?" or "are you phasing me out of individual therapy?" The answers are yes, no, and no. If I am recommending group therapy for you, it is because I believe you could benefit from practicing what we are working on in individual or couples therapy in a low-risk setting.

It's hard to explain exactly what a group looks and feels like, and portrayals in the media don't often capture it. Groups are composed of between 2 and 12 people and meet weekly. The groups I lead are process groups, so the focus is on discussing what is happening emotionally inside of you, between you and other members, and between you and me. The groups do not have a particular theme or topic and meet indefinitely.

The beginning of a group therapy journey can also bring up lots of thoughts and feelings from early childhood, especially because the composition of the group is reminiscent of a family dynamic with a parent/facilitator and other members/siblings. It is normal when you join a group to experience intense emotions and feel like you are regressing or moving backwards. This can feel hard and discouraging, but it will pass.

The training that I received in group therapy immediately resonated with my style of working: encouraging lots of feedback, taking risks in real time, capitalizing on the emotional energy in the room to encourage new behaviors. My style is informed by the methodology used by Irvin Yalom and by the individuals that I rely on for supervision and support, who are primarily utilizing modern analytic group therapy techniques.

What you'll notice in a group with me is a high level of commitment to talking about what's happening in the "here and now," or this exact moment. This might include questions about how you are feeling toward other group members, toward me, about the space we are in, about the topic we are discussing. It is also important to talk about the "there and then," or what has happened in your life outside of group and what you are bringing each week, though I find groups to be most emotionally alive when the here and now is prioritized.

It is normal to feel intimidated or cautious when joining a new group. I have felt this way myself before any new group I have been a part of. There is a lot of mutual assessing, trying to remember names, and knowing when and how much to talk. You can always ask for my help if you are struggling, and I will gladly offer it.