Participating in psychodynamic group psychotherapy can jump-start your process of change. Group psychotherapy enables you to see unfulfilling patterns of social interaction as they unfold in real time with actual others. It also offers the challenge, when you are ready, to practice new behaviors in a safe and supportive environment. Together, we can identify social behavioral targets for change and develop new social behavioral goals and strategies to practice directly in group in order to achieve them. In tandem with individual psychotherapy, group experience is a powerful mechanism to change old beliefs and behavior patterns and to experience yourself in new, happier and more satisfying ways.
GROUP PSYCHOTHERAPY FOR HEALING FROM TRAUMA:
For individuals who have experienced trauma, group psychotherapy can be an essential element of healing. There is no better medium to confront and change the common tendency of trauma survivors to carry inappropriate guilt and shame than group psychotherapy. The process of listening to and empathizing with others’ personal stories of traumatic experience in a safe, supportive environment over time is the single most powerful way I know to internalize the understanding that you, also, are not to blame for what happened to you. Unfortunately, though, talking about deeply personal and often shame-associated experiences with more than one person whom, at least at first, you do not know well can be such a daunting idea that the very individuals who would benefit most from group psychotherapy are too afraid to try it. If your trust has already been violated by those close to you or by authority figures who were supposed to protect you, this can make it even harder to take the kind of risk that group psychotherapy represents. Understanding this, psychotherapy groups for trauma survivors are carefully constructed and mediated to make sure that each member feels safe.
And, as your individual therapist, I will work with you to determine without pressure when the time might be right for you to consider this treatment option.
AVAILABLE GROUPS:
As of April 2020 I am in the process of assessing interest for two new online groups: a co-ed PSYCHODYNAMIC PSYCHOTHERAPY GROUP and a SUPPORT GROUP FOR FEMALE SEXUAL ABUSE SURVIVORS (male sexual abuse survivors can contact me for referrals to groups for them). Please use the contact form or contact my assistant Allie directly at dremilyappts5@gmail.com if you are interested in either of these groups and she will arrange for you to receive updates and an intake when the group is set.
I am also currently offering a free SUPPORT GROUP FOR FIRST RESPONDERS. This group is limited to medical personnel but if there is enough interest I would be happy to provide another free group for other first responders, such as food service providers and others who are continuing to risk their own health to support the rest of us. Please contact Allie for details.