Group Counseling

GROUP COUNSELING
Assignment
Submitted to
Dr. Mazhar Iqbal
Assistant Professor
Department of Psychology, IIU Islamabad
Submitted by
Alam Zeb
PhD Psychology Scholar
Department of Psychology, IIU Islamabad

Group Counseling
Group Counseling is a process where a collection of clients with similar issues or concerns meet
as a group with one or more therapists, or other facilitators, to discuss those issues, and to learn
about and share information and solutions about those issues.
Group therapy
Group therapy is defined as a form of psychotherapy in which a group of patients meets to

discuss a common problem. Group counseling sessions take place under the guidance and
supervision of a licensed mental health counselor or psychologist. A group therapy session is not
a free-for-all conversation; rather, the leader gives the group a set of rules designed to help
facilitate conversation, connection, and growth among the individuals assembled.
Group Size
The size of therapy groups may vary, and the number of participants is not a critical factor when
setting up a group therapeutic session. More important is that the individuals who are assembled
have similar experiences. The process of sharing personal information with the group and
learning from others’ stories is the foundation of a successful group therapy session.
Interaction based on similar experiences is just one way in which group therapy differs from
couples therapy. Although it is possible to schedule a therapeutic session with a small group of
people with whom you have existing relationships, group therapy works best by helping
individuals to reach outside of their existing social circles to connect with strangers dealing with
similar issues.
The Role of Group Therapy

Although most therapeutic sessions aim to help individuals gain a sense of ease, autonomy, and
control over their lives, the goal of group therapy is slightly different from the goal of individual
therapy. Group therapy tends to be most beneficial for those who are working through issues that
affect many people. Most frequently, group therapy is recommended as part of a larger
therapeutic strategy to help encourage sharing, bonding, and coping.
There are two primary types of goals in group therapy:
• Process goals
• Outcome goals
Process goals are those that relate to the process of understanding personal concerns and relating
to other individuals during a group session. This is often thought of as the healing process.
Outcome goals are the behavioral changes that individuals seek to achieve by participating in
group therapy.
The fundamental goal of group therapy is to initiate a sense of belonging or relatability through
understanding, which is achieved by sharing common experiences. For this reason, group
therapy is most effective when utilized to address a specific concern common to all members of
the group. This universal relatability is essential to the group’s success.
Additional goals of group therapy include:
• helping individuals to identify maladaptive behavior,

• providing help with emotional difficulties through positive feedback,
• offering individuals a supportive environment of peers with similar life experiences, and
• reducing feelings of loneliness and alienation by bringing together individuals with shared
experiences and emotional patterns.
For a group therapy session to be successful, it must be structured and facilitated by a licensed
mental health counselor or psychologist who is able to move conversation forward and initiate
proper sharing. If one individual dominates a group therapy session or the conversation strays off
topic, the therapeutic session will be less effective.
Group therapy is often recommended to help individuals address concerns such as:
• PTSD,
• post-partum depression and parenting,
• depression,
• anxiety,
• suicide,
• grief and loss,
• disordered eating,
• addiction and dependency,
• anger management,
• relationship problems,
• low self-esteem, and
• communication and social skills deficits.
This is not a comprehensive list of the concerns for which group therapy may be beneficial;
rather, it is a list of the most common issues addressed through group counseling.
Independent organizations often offer specialized group therapy or support group opportunities
that coincide with their missions. For example, many schools host group therapy or support
groups for students, especially during finals periods. Likewise, hospitals may have group grief
counseling and support resources tailored to particular health concerns or illnesses.
The Principles of Group Therapy

Group therapy is a popular resource for individuals who have had difficult experiences and who
are trying to cope and learn from the past to help shape a better future. Every group therapy
session, regardless of its focus, is guided by the same core principles.
These primary principles include:

• the instillation of hope,
• connection and universality,
• interpersonal learning,
• development or redevelopment of ideal social techniques, and
• catharsis.
The idea behind a group therapy session is that an individual may be able to find better
connection and understanding with another person who has had similar experiences than with a
family member, a friend, or even a counselor. It is often helpful for individuals in the early stages
of coping with a particular problem, whether it be grief, an illness, or even addiction, to meet
another person who has endured similar circumstances but who has experienced personal growth
and therapeutic success.
This is where the principles of group therapy come into play. Seeing another person who has
lived through the same problem but is better off after experiencing personal growth can
encourage hope. Connecting with others who have had similar life experiences presents the
opportunity for interpersonal learning and the introduction of practical, proven coping strategies.
Finally, group therapy offers individuals the opportunity to share their stories with those who can
understand, and this enables a type of catharsis that talking to a family member or a counselor
may not provide.
Maximizing Personal Benefit With Group Therapy

Group therapy is often recommended in association with individual therapy as an additional
resource for people who are working on coping with difficult circumstances. To get the most out
of group therapy, individuals must be willing to participate and be open to vulnerability.
Sometimes, when people are new to group therapy, they are invited to sit quietly and listen to the
experiences shared by others rather than share themselves. This is a helpful strategy for someone
who is unsure about participating in group therapy, but it is only successful if it leads to eventual
involvement. To get the most out of group therapy, individuals cannot sit on the sidelines.
Participating in the facilitated conversations, asking themselves hard questions, and doing their
best to be honest with themselves and others is essential for individuals to benefit significantly
from group therapy.
Risks, Limitations, and Ethics of Group Therapy

Group therapy is ideal as a complementary form of therapeutic support. Usually, people who are
good candidates for group therapy also have individualized concerns that are best addressed by
some form of one-on-one therapy, such as cognitive behavioral therapy. Since the nature of
group therapy sessions is one of openness and conversation, confidentiality cannot be ensured
there in the same way that it is guaranteed in individual therapy sessions.
As the most cost-effective form of mental health counseling, group therapy is usually
recommended for those who would benefit from understanding the shared experiences of others,
but it is important to also recognize the limitations of this form of therapy. Interpersonal learning
and sharing can contribute only so much to growth, which is why supplementing group therapy
with individual therapy sessions is often the most effective strategy. Abandoning individual
therapy for group therapy is rarely a good choice, because there are many individual needs and
uncertainties that cannot be properly addressed in a group setting.
There are risks to the group therapy process, as well. For example, it is possible that hearing the
stories of others may trigger further anxiety or depression in an individual. This is another good
reason to pair group therapy with individual counseling, where individuals can address such
concerns in a private setting and process information shared in the group in a healthy way that
encourages growth.
Group therapy from the perspective of Islamic Psychology
Thanvi focuses on the establishment of therapeutic alliance. Therapeutic relationship between

therapist and client was the initial step of Thanvi therapy. According to him the therapist and
client have a close spiritual relationship; because the client knows the only person can help to get
rid of the problem is the therapist. The therapist must be skillful to know and deal the client
issues. The therapy should be empathetic and less directive. Behavior change toward right
direction makes the client strong and confident. This strength and confidence make the client
able to understand and resolve their issues efficiently. Most of the time in the khanqah the client
were dealt in groups but they were also free to discuss issues individually.

Group Counseling

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GROUP COUNSELING

Dr. Mazhar Iqbal

Department of Psychology, IIU Islamabad

PhD Psychology Scholar

Department of Psychology, IIU Islamabad

Group therapy is defined as a form of psychotherapy in which a group of patients meets to

The Role of Group Therapy

There are two primary types of goals in group therapy:

Additional goals of group therapy include:

• helping individuals to identify maladaptive behavior,

The Principles of Group Therapy

These primary principles include:

Maximizing Personal Benefit With Group Therapy

Risks, Limitations, and Ethics of Group Therapy

Group therapy from the perspective of Islamic Psychology

Thanvi focuses on the establishment of therapeutic alliance. Therapeutic relationship between

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