# Going to group therapy for the first time



## Sedated (Mar 1, 2011)

I decided to sign up for group therapy the other day. I've known about the organization that runs it for a while and about the therapy itself but I've always been a little closed-minded about therapy in general. I'm told however that group therapy tends to be the most effective of them all. It's simply a course that'll run for around 8-10 weeks, according to what I've read. There'll be 2 psychologists there and then 8-10 people dealing with the same problem as I am, social anxiety.

I'm quite honestly not sure what to expect from it. I'll try and be open minded about it and do my best to do what they ask of me, but I have no idea what they're going to ask of me. I'm going to an interview before I get accepted into the course next month, which will cost me around 90$ (I'm not from the U.S.). The course itself then costs around 600$. Which, for 8-10 2 and a half hour sessions isn't that bad. One 1 hour session with a psychologist commonly goes for around 90$ where I live.

I have no idea what to expect from the interview and I am a little nervous about it. Has anyone been to group therapy before? Could you share your experience with it?

If you did go and your experience with it was negative I'd rather not hear it I might add. I don't need anything to turn me away from it further.

Cheers.


----------



## FairleighCalm (May 20, 2007)

I always wanted to go but never found one in my area. Just be open about your behavior and how you perceive gt helping. Good luck! What a great experience.


----------



## CoyoteNature (Apr 21, 2011)

I've gone to a few sessions, it helps put your life in perspective, and its certainly a lot better then a single session with a therapist talking about ah ahh mmmm how does that make you feel? You get constructive advice in some sessions, so I think it should do you some good.

I went to a place I could afford, which was pretty much nothing, took a group therapy group payed for by a nonprofit group, or government not sure if I remember right, lots of drug addicts, people with diseases etc, some with a great many mental problems, like me I mean. Some of their problems were so much worse then mine it put things in perspective for me, and for those that weren't, well lots of those people dealt with their problems their whole life, just knowing other real people listen helps and finding out how they dealt with it helps as well.

I actually got more out of those therapy sessions over several months then I have gotten out of years of individual counselling, it helped a lot, I think it will help you some as well.


----------

