Who is it for? (selected issues)
- You want to explore the types and meanings of your interpersonal relationships, including relationships with other group members and the therapist as a representation of the world
- You want to see yourself in the safe group environment that gives you the opportunity to get support, acceptance and feedback from group members and the therapist about your functioning in the group
- Opportunity to experience yourself in the present
- Obtaining a permanent behavioral and personality change through participation in the Gestalt experiences that may occur in group situations
Group therapy goals
Group therapy can have many goals that result directly from the goals of the group as well as from an individual , motivation of the group members and their capabilities. Group therapy is a unique opportunity to experience yourself in a group situation here and now. In the safe environment, the participant has the opportunity to see himself or herself in the relationships he or she creates, what skills he or she has in building relationships, what difficulties appear in these relations, as well as which mechanisms are constructive and which are not. In addition to the opportunity to see difficulties and positive relationship areas, the group is also a place where it’s possible to work towards the change or acceptance of existing communication mechanisms, the surrounding reality and relationships.
How does the group therapy process look like?
Before the group therapy starts, the therapist allocates the clients to a specific group. The allocated members start their joint meetings in a previously arranged place and time. People not allocated to any groups are offered other assistance options. It is important that the group process starts and ends with the same participants due to the group and individual processes taking place between the participants. During the group therapy process, participants have the opportunity to have a deep encounter with themselves, their problems, but also with a chance to understand and process them better. As part of group therapy, the client is presented with the opportunity to work on his or her problem with the therapist’s and the group’s assistance by constructing different types of experiments. It’s also possible to get feedback from the group members and the therapist. As a part of group processes, the client has the possibility for getting an insight into himself or herself, the way he or she experiences the group situations, and how he or she manages them.
The main driving force of the therapeutic group is its members and the therapist. The group participants choose issues they want to discuss and work on in the active presence of the therapist.
Therapeutic meetings
Therapeutic group meetings are organized once a week. One meeting lasts 120 minutes. Therapeutic groups are run by two therapists.