Group therapy activities

You're Not Alone

Every person in the world finds it easier to cope with some kind of a problem if there is someone else who is trying to do the same thing and is experiencing the same complications. This is why group therapy is so popular today. Individuals find it easier to open and admit their problems when there are others who do the same. Having something in common with someone else is a great motivator for the willingness for further treatment. For these and many other reasons, group therapies remain one of the best ways of treating peoples' problems and helping them lead their life healthy and satisfied. However, in order for the group therapy to be successful, it has to be well organized. Thus, there are several things which need to be taken into consideration.

Building Blocks of Group Therapy

The very beginning of a group therapy is meant for relaxing all the participants and stimulating them to get in the “mood” for leading a constructive conversation. For these purposes there are icebreakers, activities which help people loosen up and feel less inhibited before having to share their problems with the rest of the group. A simple introduction game or group discussion about general things can be enough for achieving this effect.

The whole treatment must be planned in such a way so that the participants may eventually feel comfortable during therapy and be motivated to get cured. Thus, they need to start trusting each and every member of the group, as well as the therapist. This trust may be hard to gain at first. However, in time, if the therapy is well organized and good, this trust should come on its own.

As the first person tells about his/her issues, others will be more motivated. Those who are still reluctant to open up in front of others may change their attitude after several other people start talking about their problems. This trust is then a chain reaction between people being a part of the group therapy.

One of the best things used to motivate people participating in a group therapy are games. Adequate communication games will make people friendly and kind, feeling good and being pleasant to others.

The therapist depends on the group and vice-versa. Therefore, if the whole family decides to go on a group therapy in order to treat a single member, they need a good family group therapist. The same is with other problems since there are many of these practitioners which are specialized in certain aspects of people's personal problems.