Group therapy involves group meetings of clients with a therapist who acts as a discussion leader. Groups cover a wide range of topics and are led by a number of different therapists to expose the patient to many different approaches. By using a variety of techniques and theoretical concepts, the leader directs group members’ interactions to bring about changes. Compared with individual therapies, the main strengths of group therapy are the opportunity to learn from other group members, to feel less isolated in their emotional pain, to get immediate feedback from the patient’s peers, and to observe their own responses to a variety of people in the group. Group therapy has many therapeutic approaches. The following therapeutic topics are utilized in Psycamore’s partial hospitalization program and intensive outpatient program.
Goal Setting
This group encourages individuals to identify goals for the week and to focus them on treatment and what they want to accomplish. This also gives them practice in setting manageable, obtainable, healthy goals – something they will need for continued health in the future.
Cognitive Behavioral Therapy
Cognitive therapy, according to its originator Aaron Beck, MD is “based on an underlying theoretical rationale that an individual’s affect and behavior are largely determined by the way in which he structures the world.” A person structures the world on the basis of thoughts that are based on assumptions that are generally developed from previous experiences. Consequently, the person reacts to situations based on assumptions even though they may be unrealistic. Cognitive therapy involves the examination of thoughts, developing alternative and flexible assumptions, and rehearsing new thoughts and behavioral reactions. Cognitive-behavioral therapy has been proven effective in the treatment of depression, panic disorder, and a variety of anxiety disorders.
Please note that Psycamore offers this service as part of an Intensive Outpatient Therapy program. It is not a stand alone service. You will receive this therapy as part of your program should your therapist deem it necessary.
Grief/Loss Recovery Group
This group involves an examination of the losses an individual has suffered and his or her reactions. Some losses are tangible, like the loss of a loved one or a job. Other losses may not have been recognized or honored previously, like the loss of safety, innocence, or self-esteem. The goal of the therapy is to help the individual accept and adjust to the losses, then facilitate their growth through the loss.
Relationship Conflict & Resolution
This group involves the examination of a patient’s relationship difficulties. Group can be a very effective way to spot patterns the patient may not have recognized, and begin to identify healthy changes to improve those relationships.
Family Issues Therapy
This group helps to explore and reveal an individual’s reactions and communication patterns from his or her family background. In better understanding these patterns, the individual can find ways to modify the interactions that cause stress within or between individuals.
Coping Skills
This group focuses on identifying different stresses and the causes of stress in an individual’s life. Group members learn to apply various stress management techniques such as relaxation, exercise, healthy behaviors, coping skills, and behavior modification to improve their mental health.
Therapeutic Yoga/Relaxation
This group explores the mind/body connection that is so important in mental health. These gentle, thoughtful movements are chosen to help individuals feel their bodies in a healthy way and are followed by relaxation to teach techniques that can be used to self-soothe.
Anger Management Group Therapy
This group examines anger responses and causes of anger in order to help the individual deal with anger and express emotions in emotionally healthy ways.
Self-Esteem
This group helps individuals to become aware of their own identity, image, talents, and capacities. By learning about their own value, individuals can begin to accept themselves and fulfill their potential.
Spirituality
This group involves helping individuals to explore their spiritual, philosophical, or religious beliefs. Group members work to understand their personal beliefs and look for blocks that have distanced them from the comfort of those beliefs. The group works together to resolve these conflicts within the individual’s belief system.
Wellness/Life Skills
This group focuses on identifying elements of being well such as nutrition and exercise. This therapy helps an individual to achieve a state of low tension with an absence of strong emotions with the help of relaxation techniques.
Illness & Medication Management
This group focuses on education about mental illnesses and the role of healthy behaviors, including taking appropriate medications as prescribed. The individual learns about the causes of mental illness such as biological and psychosocial factors and also the course of an illness and various treatments.
Expressive Therapy
Individuals often suppress their own voices, so they have little experience expressing their thoughts, feelings, and needs. Expressive therapy uses drawing, painting, and other artistic techniques to move past language, and allow deeper communication.
Goal Review
This group involves a review of the activities and therapies an individual has participated in during the week. The purpose of the therapy is to evaluate the goals that an individual has set to accomplish for the week and to address any unresolved issues during the week and also to help an individual emotionally prepare for the weekends and holidays.
Relapse Prevention Program
Once individuals graduate from Psycamore, they face the same life stressors but with new skills and a better understanding. This group evaluates risk factors that may result in a relapse of an individual’s illness. The individual is helped to examine and modify risk factors such as stress, environmental influences, and behavioral patterns.
Life Skills Focus
This therapy is designed to help adults and adolescents focus and learn skills that are needed in day to day life. Career planning, financial and money management, and time management are some of the skills that will be emphasized.
Social Skills Development
This therapy involves education and therapeutic discussion regarding socialization skills, particularly, communication skills, maladaptive social behaviors, and self-esteem/ assertiveness in social settings.
Assertiveness Training
This teaches the person how to respond appropriately in social situations to express his or her opinions in acceptable ways and to achieve his or her goals. A variety of techniques are used to increase assertiveness such as role modeling, desensitization, and positive reinforcement. Group members to decrease aggressive or passive behaviors in favor of assertiveness.
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