This is the most frequently asked question prior to someone beginning a wellness group. Sharing in group is your choice, you will not be forced to talk outside of your comfort zone. Our group facilitators encourage students to share within their comfort level to connect with the material, but it is not mandatory nor is it necessary for the therapeutic process – many students find healing in listening to others speak about their experiences. A common theme we see throughout the group process is students showing up anxious and ambivalent to talk but get eager or even excited to share as the group progresses. But don’t just take our word for it, read some testimonials from students that attended groups in the past.
“It is still difficult when expressing in group but being made to listen to others’ emotions was helpful in understanding myself.”
“The sessions were surprisingly enjoyable and had lots of interesting and thoughtful conversation which was quite fun.”
“Helped me learn how to talk about tough topics.”
“A personal favourite aspect of group for me is highs and lows at the beginning of each meeting. This gave me a reason to pay attention to how I was feeling and get me excited to talk.”
You are not alone. The most common deterring factor for students attending group, is the anxiety about being vulnerable in a social setting. What we find to be true for almost all students is that after one or two sessions they feel comfortable enough to begin sharing and even get excited to attend group the following week. Read about this student’s experience:
“I felt anxious attending the first session as I wasn’t sure what it would be like. It was my first group ever, though I was attending individual therapy. I became even more anxious in the first session when we were asked to share our experiences and emotions, within our own comfort limits. I didn’t realize we would be doing this, and I almost quit. My partner encouraged me to try one more session and I’m grateful that I did. Each week I became more confident in using self-reflection, realizing that I would have the support of the group in what I chose to share. By the end of the 6 weeks, I was looking forward to attending, engaging with the group, and I have learned a lot of valuable skills...I would recommend this group and to try it our for its entirety. I would enjoy longer lasting support group where we have more time to develop relationships in the group and explore the material on a deeper level.”
Research shows that group therapy can be as effective as individual therapy, and in some cases, more effective. Group therapy offers the unique experience of healing within community - listening to others process their own experiences, finding commonalities in the concerns they are working on, and receiving communal support and feedback. As members bring up challenges, you might realize you are being similarly affected, which lets you know you are not alone. How do we know this is true? Read about what other students have to say about it:
“I liked that we went through examples that everyone can relate to. The environment feels safe and welcoming.”
“Creating tables and talking about similar, shared problems in a group helped me to learn from others who share the same problem.”
“I liked how I didn’t feel alone in what I was going through, and I could relate to others in group.”
“…having a safe place to openly discuss my issues, or problems that I have dealt with. It was kind of nice meeting people who have also gone through some of the things we’ve discussed in the meetings and teaching us to put an end to our negative thoughts and how to overcome it.”
“Having people who feel the same way, have the same issues, helps me realize I’m not alone in the things I experience.”
“Sometimes it also feels like everyone in this group suffers through similar things, so it feels like you are not the only one.”
“The group aspect helps people not to feel so “put on the spot” or pressured to come up with the “correct” responses to things.”
“I feel like I have been heard more or like there is a comfort in being heard or in being in the same boat. Or like knowing that many people are like you, or feeling very similar to what you are feeling.”
The group facilitators are there to ensure a safe, confidential, supportive environment for all members. Our facilitators are humans, too, we experience our own personal struggles, we work from a place of knowing that we all are doing the best we can while simultaneously wanting to be better. Here is some of the feedback provided by previous students on this topic.
“The therapists were both very kind and relatable (I liked how they sometimes shared their own experiences because this truly showed that everyone has something difficult, they are going through).”
“Another thing I appreciated were the personal stories from the group therapists. I feel like that helped with building trust because trust for me takes time.”
“Everyone was welcoming, and I did not feel nervous to attend in a group setting. I also felt comfortable sharing my experiences.”
“The therapists were ready to help and non-judgemental.”
Yes. Our wellness groups are designed using evidence based therapeutic approaches that run between 4 and 8 weeks. If students are willing to be actively present, you will have gained knowledge, information, connection, and skills that can be used in your daily life. Read about what some students learned in group programs:
“The material provided helps with testing some exercises out in a guided way. This framework is challenging, but so rewarding. I am looking forward to applying some key topics (such as therapy math) to my daily life.”(In reference to DBT program).
“I liked the music and activity session, felt really good not having to be social, without any formal talking, made me understand what I am feeling/going through.” (In reference to the mindfulness sessions).
“It helped me to understand and notice some of my unhelpful and not healthy thinkings… These tables are also good for me to organize my thinking and lower my stress.” (In reference to CBT program).
“In one-on-one therapy, I often don’t notice the skills I’m being taught, but in group I was given papers and had techniques explained to me.”
“Having the realization that multiple things can be true at once really helped me personally in opening doors to understanding myself better which was what I had hoped to gain from this program.” (In reference to DBT program).
“The CBT sessions were excellent and really helped me to identify some of the emotional struggles that I was having at the time.”
“It gave me a final push to get past my rigid attachment to my past.” (In reference to the Codependency program).
“I had prior knowledge on therapy, but through these sessions I found myself reframing my own thinking and applying the skills discussed in my day-to-day life.”
“Workshops were helpful for guiding through tough situations and management.”
“Group has helped me become more mindful in my daily life and has given me something to look forward to every week. This was a great experience for me, and I believe that it will continue to influence my life!”
Human beings are social animals, we thrive in community. Survival of our species was dependent on our ability to find connection with others. This is why research shows one of the leading risk factors for premature mortality is social isolation and why healing happens in community – we want to know that others get it and that we are not alone in our struggle. Whether this is sitting in a room of people, listening to what others are saying; sharing our own stories; or learning from each other, we are biologically programmed to seek out connection. This is why group therapy can be so powerful.