Important Principles On Group Therapy Tulsa Residents May Need To Note

By Mattie Knight


Group counseling involves a set of clients sharing their experiences under the guidance of a professional who in turn gives them appropriate feedback, all with the aim of providing treatment. The clients vary from those in support groups to those that need behavioral change (such as anger management). Non verbal forms of therapy include dance, music and art remedies. These are some of the crucial points about group therapy Tulsa patients should note.

The therapy session may engage one or more therapists with roughly five to fifteen people meeting for two hours per week. These figures may vary from one group to another depending on the need and convenience. Appropriate advice from a doctor or counselor can help one in choosing the right unit to fit in.

One of the factors to take note of is whether the unit is open or closed. Members who start therapy all at the same time belong to a closed set whereas individuals who are at different levels of treatment within a group belong to an open set. Persons wanting to join a group do not qualify for an ongoing closed unit. On the other hand, joining an open class requires a period of adjusting in the course of getting to know other members already in the program.

Whether to join a class of many people or a class in which only a few people are involved depends on the pros and cons of each. Small units offer the much needed focus and attention to every individual. At the same time, large classes are good at viewing issues at different angles and being able to tackle challenges using different approaches. However, large sets may not good if confidentiality is a key concern to members.

Cost of therapy is another key factor in the decision making. One needs to weigh the quality against the cost as the two may not always match. Some centers give free counseling with good results while the reverse may be true for other centers. Individual patients should be sure that they can afford to pay for all the sessions to avoid the dangers of cutting the treatment short. Individual therapy is usually more expensive.

One of the essential principles of therapy is the universal nature of needs shared in the class. Members are able to identify with most of experiences or feelings narrated by their mates. This is a method of treatment in itself since it improves their self esteem, makes their feelings valid and gives them a sense of belonging.

Members can be in varying stages of recovery, as such, those at the peak are looked up to by those still trying to stand on their own two feet. Those in higher stages do not necessarily have to take up the responsibility of those still struggling since their improvement in the different levels can easily be observed by the latter while taking lessons as they go along. Also, members may pick up information (in their daily lives outside the group) which may come in handy to individuals in the set when shared.

In a good number of cases, this form of treatment may fail to yield results when used on its own. There is a need, in such cases, to consider complementary treatments such as cognitive behavior therapy, psycho-dynamic psychotherapy and so on. Regardless of the challenges that come with this form of treatment, the desire to get well and the competence of the therapist can make the sessions successful.




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