Healing Through Connection: The Power of Process Group Therapy

Introduction

Process group is where 5-10 people come together to share their challenges and struggles, and are led by 1 or 2 group therapists. The power of process group therapy lies in fostering and healing through connection. It strengthens interconnectedness, wherein every group member can hope to receive different perspectives, motivation, encouragement, and support by being a part of the process group.

At the NuView Treatment Center, our process groups provide a safe space for our clients to connect and grow together. Led by licensed and skilled therapists, these sessions are geared to address behavioral health challenges, foster healing, and strengthen interpersonal growth and understanding.

What Is A Process Group?

Process group is a powerful, transformative tool. It usually consists of 5-10 members, who seek to facilitate each other’s growth and functions in the group. Led by 1 or 2 therapists, the outcome of the process group is to educate, instill behavioral changes, equip with coping skills, and foster interconnectedness and deep relationships.

Process groups are typically unstructured. Sometimes, their theme may focus on specific persons or concerns. Otherwise, members can bring up any concern within the group and hope to receive encouragement and support in return.

The process group aims to provide treatment to several people at the same time, and a wide range of mental health conditions can be addressed within the process group. They include but are not limited to anxiety, depression, trauma, post-traumatic stress disorder, and substance use disorders. 

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How Process Group Therapy Works?

To understand how process group therapy works, it is essential to understand the mechanisms underlying process groups. Certain factors to look into are as follows:

• Education – Process groups impart education, as members gain knowledge from the perspectives of other members and also from the therapists.

• Universality – Within process groups, members realize that they are not the only ones who might be going through a certain problem. There are many others, and hence, do not feel alone or isolated.

• Cohesiveness – With universality comes cohesion. As members understand that they are not alone, they experience feelings of belonging and cohesiveness within the group.

• Hope – As group members feel connected with one another, they also instill hope among themselves that there is a path forward and collectively work toward fulfilling personal and group goals.

• Learning From One Another – Interpersonal learning is very unique to process groups, as members learn how they impact one another via feedback. This also helps in the development of self-understanding and improves self-concept by leaps and bounds.

• Imitation – Members learn by understanding and observing others’ behaviors. This leads to behavioral corrections and modifications wherever necessary.

• Socialization – Members learn to effectively connect and interact with one another. These skills can then be used in other settings as well, especially in familial relationships where dynamics might need changing.

With process group therapy, members who can benefit the most based on certain selection methods are selected. For instance, the NEO-Five-Factor Inventory is used to understand members’ personalities. Process group therapy usually benefits people who score high on extraversion, conscientiousness, and openness to experience. However, it is also useful for members who may be suffering from interpersonal difficulties, isolation, and other similar concerns.

Process group therapy does not simply benefit from including members who can benefit from process group therapy but also by excluding people who may not benefit from the therapy. Their inclusion may also derail the group as well. People suffering from suicidal thoughts, suicidal ideations, acute distress, and so on are not considered suitable for process group therapy.

What Are The Benefits of Process Group Therapy?

• Process group therapy benefits people who experience behavioral health conditions, such as:

  • Substance use disorders

  • Eating disorders

  • Anxiety disorders

  • Mood disorders

  • Post-traumatic stress disorder

  • Grief

  • Trauma

  • Life transitions

  • Relationship troubles

• Apart from being an effective treatment for a wide range of mental health conditions, process group therapy is also suitable for training. For instance, healthcare providers and medical students can benefit from process groups.

• Process group therapy instills a sense of community and provides encouragement and support that not only leads to a better life but also helps take responsibility for their life.

• Process group therapy can be combined with one-on-one sessions or can even be provided conjointly.

• Process group therapy is flexible and cost-effective.

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Key Components of a Process Group Session

Key components of a process group session will range from icebreakers, sharing activities, gratitude expressions, descriptive writing, and introspection, to visualization of goals.

Process groups generally go through 5 stages. They are as follows:

1. Forming Stage – In the first stage, members usually do not know one another and are distrustful generally. They rely more on the therapist to lead them.

2. Storming Stage – While members become more at ease with one another, there is also conflict in the group as subgroups may develop. The group is strengthened when these conflicts are resolved and common goals are created.

3. Norming Stage – As conflicts get resolved, the group becomes stronger and committed to its goals.

4. Performing Stage – In this stage, the group members know one another, understand one another, and support each other in this stage. They provide encouragement and motivation and accommodate each other’s strengths and weaknesses.

5. Adjourning Stage – This is the final stage, as the group is disbanded. It is characterized by sadness and the therapist facilitates members to prepare for life after therapy.

What Can I Expect From Group Therapy?

At NuView, the first sessions of our process groups will involve building trust. Our therapists work closely with the members to establish trust so as to pave the way for open and honest conversations. Trust is the crux that holds a process group together. Building on this trust opens the doorway to positive changes in life.

Once the sessions move forward, members take the chance to speak about the things troubling them. Sessions can have topics assigned as well, but generally, the sessions are free-flowing and open to anything. Members are encouraged to provide feedback and support to one another. By being altruistic, they can also experience personal growth as well. Therapists and members work collaboratively to communicate, solve problems, and promote acceptance and understanding.

The process group serves as a safe space, so members can also recreate and re-experience the challenges that led them to the group. Under therapists’ direction and with group members’ support, it becomes easy to spot the reasons underlying these challenges and come up with different ways to beat them.

We believe that process groups are a space for members to express themselves. Many problems in life stem from unexpressed feelings and memories, and in this setting, they can be expressed and processed in a healthy manner. The environment of trust and support is conducive to sharing and facing these struggles, which then translates to life outside of the process group setting as well. The reason being, members develop self-awareness, take in different perspectives, and then come up with new ways to address a certain challenge or overcome a certain struggle. In this way, they progress toward their goals and a better, meaningful life.

Process Group Therapy for Different Issues

Process group therapy is used to address different mental health conditions and also cope with general issues. Some of the challenges that can be addressed in process groups are as follows:

• Anxiety disorders

• Mood disorders

• Eating disorders

• Substance use disorders

• Post-traumatic stress disorder

• Chronic stress

• Coping with chronic illnesses

• Anger management

• Grief

• Divorce

Different process groups are meant to address different issues. There is no one universal method to approach all conditions, process groups can approach them in different ways. For instance, when it comes to substance use recovery, process groups focus on identifying triggers, addressing shame and guilt, and taking ownership of one’s own recovery. Conversely, for addressing anxiety disorders or mood disorders, process groups are meant to equip members with skills for personal growth and coping skills, learn from shared experiences, and improve interpersonal relationships and communication patterns.

The Role of Vulnerability in Process Group Therapy

The term, “vulnerability,” often has negative connotations. However, it is not always something negative or a weakness. Within the process group therapy setting, vulnerability becomes important to progress. One of the risks that members need to take is to be vulnerable with others, as it allows them to express their thoughts, feelings, and actions in an open manner. Without being open, there is hardly any progress to be found in process group therapy. This is why trust becomes one of the main pillars of the same. Openness, honesty, they come with being vulnerable. However, the line to draw here is to not become gullible.

In process group therapy, by allowing themselves to be vulnerable, members are opening their minds and bodies to welcome positive change and growth in their lives. Process groups are safe spaces where members must, hence, be allowed to feel vulnerable without feeling weak.