“I’m anxious around groups of people. Why should I consider group therapy?”
We deeply empathize with your fear of group therapy and having to be in a vulnerable state surrounded by strangers. When considering group therapy as someone with social anxiety, a wide variety of concerns may arise, including the general fear of public speaking, having to be in an emotional place in front of others, and a new fear that group therapy may exacerbate current anxiety. While you may feel anxious in group therapy, what if we told you that there are benefits of group therapy for anxiety?
When we are discussing group therapy, it is important to distinguish it from support groups. Group therapy is facilitated by trained and licensed therapists, not merely a host, and they utilize actual counseling techniques throughout sessions. Confidentiality rules are strictly followed and the facilitator’s expertise designs a safe environment to express and work through hardship.
At ICS, we specialize in serving individuals with SUD (Substance Use Disorder) and our group offering is one of our most popular. Here’s a few of the benefits that social anxiety group therapy can give you:
It exposes you to what you fear
During a group session, the therapist may suggest that you role play and model real life situations relating to your anxieties, allowing you to explore these and normalize them in a group of people who share similar fears. This exposure therapy can be incredibly useful.
It reduces the sense of isolation
Social anxiety can cause individuals to withdraw and become isolated. When entering into group therapy, social anxiety can become more heightened at first, but we believe after meeting people who share similar anxieties and who are navigating similar situations with their challenges, socially anxious people ultimately find a like-minded community who can support them on their recovery journey.
It encourages cognitive restructuring
At the start, group members may be pushed to test their current beliefs about themselves, including social anxiety-related beliefs such as “Nobody is going to accept me,” or “I won’t ever be able to form meaningful friendships.” Once you’ve explored these thoughts further, you are able to reassess these beliefs and form more helpful ones from the evidence you’ve received.
It builds social skills in general
Things like small talk, introducing yourself to new people, and listening skills are all encouraged during group therapy, which all help sharpen your social skill tools. Expanding upon your existing interpersonal skills will inevitably increase confidence and lower some of your social anxiety, while also being beneficial for various aspects of your life outside therapy.
It can be empowering to accept the social anxiety
At ICS, we utilize the ACT therapy approach (Acceptance Commitment Therapy) which allows you to accept your negative thoughts and emotions, as opposed to CBT which actively tries to get you to change or reframe your negative thoughts into positive ones, resulting in different behavior. It can be incredibly helpful and empowering to be able to accept your social anxiety and be able to speak to others about it, perhaps those also navigating it.
If you are someone who is navigating substance abuse disorder, social anxiety, or other mental health concerns, we are here for you. Consider our affordable, reliable group therapy services to help conquer your fears and offer a community of like minded, supportive individuals.