The Benefits of Group Therapy Vs. Individual Therapy

This blog explores the benefits of group therapy vs. individual therapy. Ultimately, it comes down to considering the similarities and differences between them. They are different types of therapy routes to take for addressing an array of issues. You may be looking for support in navigating grief, depression, or more. 

 

Group therapy can have a broad or focused topic. Examples include a general women or men’s group. Focused topics could be grief related to suicide or socialization groups for teens with autism. Groups can be virtual meetings, or held in-person. 

 

Individual therapy focuses on both broad and focused topics. You may be starting individual therapy to discuss struggles related to depression. With that, your therapist will explore more specific avenues with you. This includes your upbringing, social environment, and more. 

 

While both of these types of therapy have benefits, they differ in several ways. First, we’ll discuss the obvious difference, of privacy vs relation. Next, we’ll discuss the differences of cost. Third is about clinical appropriateness for either type of therapy. Finally, we’ll look into the typical length of time for each service. 

 

We offer individual therapy in-person at our office in Simi Valley, CA. Make sure to read our blog on 4 Self Care Tips for Busy People!

 

The Benefits of Group Therapy vs. Individual Therapy: Privacy vs. Relation

The most obvious difference is that individual therapy is a more private setting compared to group therapy. Let’s discuss what you can expect for each type of therapy.

 

Individual Therapy

Within individual therapy, you can expect to meet solely with the therapist. In your one on one sessions, the therapist will take time to truly get to know you. They’ll want to primarily understand what you’re seeking therapy for. From there, it’ll take time for them to gather information to understand you. 

 

For individual therapy to truly be effective, your therapist will need to have an in-depth understanding about you. This is done within your rapport-building stage, and continues throughout the therapeutic process. You’ll get to a point with your therapist where they feel like a friend, due to the nature of your relationship. However, it is still a business service, with focus on helping you cope and feel supported. You’ll feel more comfortable being vulnerable and honest with the therapist over time.

 

Benefit of One-on-One

Let’s say that you’re seeking individual therapy for grief. You’ve found a therapist that specializes in providing grief counseling, and has extensive training in doing so. Therefore, you and your therapist can discuss all aspects of the grief you’re experiencing.

 

Within this one-on-one setting, you have the full focus from your therapist. This can really help you zone in on all of the details surrounding your grief. You can expect to discuss details such as the relationship history or the person they were. Your therapist will have a solid understanding of who this person was to you, and how they’ve impacted your life.

 

This can be beneficial for your own inner-healing. Navigating grief can be an inconsistent or distressing rollercoaster. You’ll likely experience an array of emotions that interchange and don’t make sense. If you’re wanting to lean on a designated person for this, individual therapy would be a good option.

 

Group Therapy

Groups for group therapy can average from anywhere to a handful of participants to an unlimited number. The structure of the group therapy sessions varies per facilitator and topic. For example, let’s say you’re looking for a group for processing grief from losing a loved one. 

 

Group sizes vary depending on the facilitator. However, let’s say there’s a group therapy service offered with no limit to participants. You can come and go as you please, bring additional members, and more. This may be offered somewhere like a funeral home or a community center. No matter whether the loss is recent or from the past, you are welcome there.

 

Your group facilitator will be knowledgeable in how to properly give everyone a chance to be heard. They are likely trained in grief counseling, and are providing support to every participant, whether directly or indirectly. They’ll be efficient in guiding conversations, prompting topics, and more.

 

Benefit of a Group

When you’re talking within a group of people that have similar experiences, you can feel less alone. There are people in this group that truly understand the present pain and hurt you are feeling from this loss. They’ve also lost someone incredibly important to them, and are also seeking to heal. 

 

Being in a group brings a sense of community. You never know what connections you can make coming out of a group therapy session. You may come across new friends, colleagues, and overall allies. These individuals know your situation, and you know theirs. There is a relatability between you all, which can garner hope for the future.

 

Perhaps you all discuss your experience and how it makes you feel. You all may be sharing coping methods, thought patterns, or positive memories. With that, perhaps you’re wanting to take a break from grieving, and can just enjoy the community and presence of each other. 

 

The Benefits of Group Therapy vs. Individual Therapy: Cost

The cost difference between group therapy and individual therapy can be standard. You have your individual therapists who charge anywhere from $100-$250 for an hour-long session. Give or take less or more than that amount, depending on the mental health professional. For example, there are clinics with associates that can cost under $100 per session. This includes the wonderful CLU Counseling Center!

 

For individual therapy, you’ll also need to consider using your insurance or not. Consider the cost of going in-network, with just a co-pay, or with a private therapist. With an out-of-network provider, they have their cash rates. Some therapists may provide sliding scales as well.

 

Group therapy can range from $0-$100 per session, and it depends upon several factors. This includes the topic, location/virtual, who is facilitating + their background, and more. On average, I’d say that group therapy costs around $50 a session. It is out of pocket and paid per attendance. However – there are groups out there that are free. Same with therapy sessions for events, like providing pro-bono work during disasters.

 

The Benefits of Group Therapy vs. Individual Therapy: Clinical appropriateness

It’s important to note that group therapy may not always be clinically appropriate. What does this mean? It means that group therapy may not be sufficient support for what’s been going on lately. It is deemed inappropriate if you are needing a higher level of care. 

 

In general, group therapy can be recommended alongside individual therapy, or as a continuance for support. If what’s going on lately is not causing great interference or distress in everyday life, group therapy is a good option. It really just depends, it’s not truly black and white.

 

It’s a little tricky to break down just in this one blog. Let’s discuss an example of what could be clinically appropriate. Let’s say that your teen has autism, and you sign them up for weekly groups. Within this group setting, they interact with other teens with autism to discuss challenges, social skills, and more. 

 

A clinically inappropriate example could be trauma. Let’s say you’re dealing with symptoms of PTSD, and it’s been difficult to function each day. Group therapy would not be an appropriate setting for this. At least, not until you’ve fully processed and worked through your trauma. You’ll want a trauma-informed therapist to work closely with you. 

 

The Benefits of Group Therapy vs. Individual Therapy: Length of time

Again, hard to paint a black and white picture of the length of each service. Let’s just look at various examples of the expected length for each of them, and go from there. Ultimately, you’ll understand what’s best for you when you’re in it.

 

The typical length of time for individual therapy varies. The goal for individual therapy is for you to meet your goals, independently cope, and graduate from therapy. This can look like reducing frequency to biweekly, monthly, or as-needed. Your therapist wants to see you grow towards what you’re hoping to achieve. With that, it’s not an overnight process, and includes setbacks. 

 

You can be in individual therapy for a few months to a few years. If you feel satisfied with where you’re at, great, you can leave the nest. If you want to return, your therapist will welcome you with open arms. There is no minimum or maximum to being in therapy, it’s up to you and what feels best. 

 

Group therapy can either be ongoing or have a set time. Some groups may last around 6-10 weeks on average. This gives facilitators a chance to get to know everyone, go through psychoeducation, and facilitate sessions. With a set time, your facilitator has prepared a schedule for the group therapy. If it’s ongoing, you’ll recycle through that for new-comers and helpful reminders.

 

Our therapists at New Leaf currently hold individual therapy in-person at our office in Simi Valley. Contact us for more questions on what type of therapy is best for you or your loved one.

 

In-person therapy in Simi Valley is ideal for those seeking a separate, safe space from their home. Check out our blog on Online Therapy or In Office Therapy to understand what format is best for you. Another great blog to read is ours on if you need Therapy or Medication to address your issues.

 

By seeking out support, you can begin your journey to feeling relief. You don’t have to go through finding the right level of support alone, either. By clicking here, you’ll read our blog on Information About Simi Valley Therapists.

 

Consider calling our therapy group at (805) 774-1506 for a free consultation on how you or a loved one can get started today!

 

Seek out a validating, safe environment with us today. We will help you get to where you want to be. Our therapists provide trauma therapy, teen therapy, individual adult therapy, LGBTQIA+ therapy, anxiety therapy, depression therapy, family therapy, and more in-office in Simi Valley, CA.