Group Therapy for Depression

A Team Approach to Depressive Episodes

Sep 20, 2009 Michael McGrath

Group therapy for depression offers solutions for dealing with depressive episode symptoms in a teamwork setting.

Depression group therapy can be a very successful treatment for depressive episodes. In a depression therapy group people learn to control their own depression symptoms while helping other group members.

What is Group Therapy?

Group therapy has been an effective therapeutic tool since the 1950s. The group leader is a mental health professional – a psychologist, social worker, or mental health counselor. Candidates for group therapy are carefully screened by the therapist to assure the group will have a productive dynamic. A typical group will include five to ten people and the group therapist. Sessions typically run for no more than 90 minutes.

Group therapy can be used to treat a variety of emotional and mental challenges. In addition to depression treatment, examples of issues treated by group therapy include:

anxiety
eating disorders
grief and loss
personality disorders
substance abuse
surviving child abuse
surviving physical trauma.

Advantages of Depression Group Therapy

Depression group therapy offers a number of advantages over individual psychotherapy for the right candidates. Depression tends to isolate people, who may feel that no one else experiences or understands their pain. Group therapy introduces depression sufferers to other people who share their experience, proving that the depression experience is not unique.

Groups also give a sense of hope, as participants watch each other overcome the challenges of depression. If one group member can successfully deal with depression challenges, it motivates other participants to try.

Depression therapy groups cultivate a sense of commonality and community. For depressed people, who may have withdrawn from society, group therapy offers a safe environment to renew community ties and practice social skills.

Finally, group therapy allows participants to help each other. Helping a member of the group overcome a particular challenge benefits all group members, whose sense of self-worth increases as they realize they can contribute valuable insights to the group as a whole. This also helps combat the self-absorption that characterizes some cases of depression.

Psychotherapy Choices for Group Therapy

Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) is a popular choice for depression group work. CBT is structured, offers practical solutions to alleviating depression symptoms, and “homework” where such solutions are applied. This type of psychotherapy is a very good match for the teamwork and group problem solving seen in group therapy.

Interpersonal therapy, which treats depression by addressing relationship problems, is another popular choice for depression therapy groups. Both interpersonal therapy and cognitive behavioral therapy run for set numbers of sessions, after which the group disbands.

Group therapy for depression may also employ psychodynamic therapy, which identifies unresolved subconscious conflicts as the cause of depression. Psychodynamic therapy requires a longer time commitment than CBT or interpersonal therapy, with sessions running for months or even years.

Suitability for Group Depression Therapy

Not everyone is a suitable candidate for depression group therapy. Group therapy is generally not advised for people in the middle of a stressful or traumatic life event. People who are suicidal, experiencing delusions, or suffering from other depression complications are not appropriate candidates for group therapy. Such people may be candidates for group therapy after receiving antidepressants or other treatment.

Some people find it too unsettling to talk about their problems in group therapy, or are too sensitive to criticism from other group members. Such people are better suited to individual types of psychotherapy. A good group, however, can have a very positive effect on depression treatment.

Resources

American Group Psychotherapy Association. (Retrieved 20 September, 2009). Group Therapy.

Encyclopedia of Mental Disorders. (Retrieved 20 September, 2009). Group Therapy.

Disclaimer: The information contained within this article is for informational purposes only, and is not intended to be a substitute in any way for care and treatment by a qualified health professional.

The copyright of the article Group Therapy for Depression in General Medicine is owned by Michael McGrath. Permission to republish Group Therapy for Depression in print or online must be granted by the author in writing.

Depression Group Therapy	Depressive Episodes Isolate People	Group Therapy Helps Deal with Depression
Group Therapy Treats Depression as a Team	Group Therapy Members Support Each Other