Group therapy – individual therapy

 the groups benefited the members emotionally due to supporting one another in shared
experiences. Pratt eventually began referring to his sessions as group psychotherapy

Individual therapy offers several advantages:

 The confidentiality of the client’s issues is most easily maintained in individual
therapy.
 The client receives one-on-one attention from the therapist, and this allows the
therapist to be very thorough in understanding the specific problems of the client and in
developing an individualized approach to helping the client.
 The level of analysis and treatment can be much more intense and
comprehensive in individual therapy compared to group therapy.
 The pace of the therapy can be tailored to the specific client. It can be sped up in
cases where clients can handle more focused and intense interventions, or it can be
slowed down in cases where clients need time to adjust and move slowly.
 The therapeutic alliance, which refers to the working relationship between the
client and therapist, is strongest in individual therapy. Research investigating the
components of effective therapy have consistently pointed out that the therapeutic
alliance is a key component of a successful therapy intervention.
 Individual therapy allows for the development of self-awareness by discussing
issues and getting feedback from the therapist.
 The client can arrange a time for the therapy sessions that is most conducive to
their schedule.
 Therapy sessions can be arranged rather quickly, if needed .
 Individual therapy allows for the development of communication skills in
individuals who need help with these skills.

A couple of relative disadvantages of individual therapy include:

 Individual therapy is typically more expensive than group therapy.

 Some clients may have a strong need to identify with other individuals who share
similar problems/issues. This need can be best addressed in a group situation.
 Clients in individual therapy need to be motivated and are obviously in the
spotlight. Clients who are not committed to changing, doing the work, and applying
principles learned in therapy may struggle when they are the center of attention.
 The research supports the notion that individual therapy is generally effective for
treating most nearly every different psychological disorder, condition, and problem that
is generally addressed in a therapeutic environment.
 Advantages

Some of the advantages that occur in group therapy include:

 Group therapy assures individuals that they are not alone and that other
individuals share similar problems and struggles. The famous psychiatrist Dr. Irvin David
Yalom, one of the acknowledged gurus of group therapy, terms this the  principle of
universality.
 Group therapy offers the opportunity to both receive support from others and to
give support to others. Both of these notions are important in treatment. Receiving
support from others is part of the bonding or therapeutic alliance that occurs in groups,
whereas giving support to others allows for growth and learning.
 The therapeutic alliance that occurs in groups is broader than the alliance that
occurs in individual therapy. This allows for the incorporation of many different points of
view.
 Group therapy helps individuals develop communication skills and socialization
skills, and allows clients to learn how to express their issues and accept criticism from
others.
 Group therapy allows individuals to develop self-awareness by listening to others
with similar issues.
 Sharing one’s experiences with others with similar problems is often itself
therapeutic.
 Group therapy provides a broad safety net for individuals who may otherwise be
hesitant to discuss their feelings, perceived weaknesses, etc.
 Individuals in group therapy can model the successful behaviors of other
individuals who have gone through similar experiences. Modeling is a form of learning
where individuals learn by copying or imitating the actions of others.
 Group therapy is typically less expensive than individual therapy.

Disadvantages

Several disadvantages to group therapy are:

 The client is not the focus of attention. In many groups, the old adage “the
squeaky wheel gets the grease” seems to apply. Thus, the level of intervention is not as
focused and intense for any single person as individual therapy.
 The level of confidentiality in groups is far less secure than it is an individual
therapy. Although group members are generally instructed that the information and
events that occur in the group are to be held confidential and only to be shared with
 group members during therapy, the potential for a breach of confidentiality is far
greater in group therapy.
 The notion of  social loafing is a problem with all group efforts. Some individuals
in groups do not actually make changes but simply ride on the success of others.
Groups may allow unmotivated individuals to hide their issues and avoid accountability.
 Although the therapeutic alliance is broader, it is not as focused and strong in
group therapy as it is in individual therapy.
 Groups typically meet at specific times. There is less opportunity to fit the therapy
into the one’s personal schedule.
 Group therapy may be inappropriate for certain types of individuals, such as
individuals who are extremely antisocial, extremely shy, impulsive, passive-aggressive,
psychotic, etc.

Group therapy offers some specific advantages that make it attractive for both the
therapist and the clients being treated. According to scholarly sources, such as The
Handbook of Group Counseling and Psychotherapy, these are benefits of individuals
working together in groups and do not necessarily indicate that group therapy is
superior in any way to individual therapy (see below).

According to Dr. Yalom, there are various benefits that can occur as a result of
group processes:

 Individuals begin to understand that they are not alone in their issues, and other
people have similar issues and struggles. This results in the development of a sense of
identity, belongingness, and the release of tension and stress.
 The therapeutic alliance refers to the bond between the therapist and the client
that allows them to address the client’s issues effectively. This is an extremely important
factor in positive therapeutic outcomes. According to Dr. Yalom, the therapeutic alliance
occurring in group therapy is broader than the alliance that occurs in individual therapy.
 Individuals in group therapy receive support from other people and are also able
to give support to other members. Receiving and giving support develops a broader
therapeutic alliance and a shared sense of goals that fosters improvement.
 Individuals in group therapy find that they often have fewer reservations about
discussing their issues with others because they can identify with the members of the
group.
 Individuals in groups develop insight into their own issues and greater self-
awareness by listening to others who have similar problems.
 Being in a group fosters the development of communication abilities, social skills,
and results in individuals being able to learn to accept criticism from others.
 Group therapy sessions are generally more affordable than individual therapy
sessions.
 Individuals in groups often make lifelong connections with other members of the
group

Disadvantages of Group Therapy

While there are some advantages to the group therapy process, there are also
some weaknesses associated with the group therapy.

 The attention of the therapist is spread across the members of the group. This
means that individuals will not receive focused treatment, and some individuals may
take up disproportionate amounts of time with their own issues.
 People in group therapy sessions risk having other confidential issues spread by
other group members outside the group. Although it is continually emphasized that
what is discussed in the group needs to remain in the group, there is no guarantee that
some individuals will adhere to this confidentiality.
 Even though the therapeutic alliance in the group therapy environment is
broader, it is not as focused on any single individual.
 Because group therapy sessions must accommodate many individuals, there is
less opportunity to fit the therapy sessions into one’s personal schedule.
 Some individuals in groups may not be motivated to participate and will simply
let the others in the group contribute.
 Whenever there are groups of people, there is the chance that certain subgroups
will form within the larger group. If the therapist does not check this, the development
of small alliances within the group can impede the group’s progress.
 Certain individuals are not appropriate for group therapy. Often, individuals who
are extremely manipulative, aggressive, shy, impulsive, or suffering from active psychosis
are not appropriate for groups. In addition, some individuals are not appropriate for
certain types of groups. For instance, a blue-collar worker may feel out of place in a
group full of physicians and college professors.
 Advantages of Individual Therapy
As mentioned above, individual psychotherapy occurs when there is one individual
being treated by one or more therapists. There are several advantages to participating
in individual therapy sessions.

 The client receives the full attention of the therapist and is able to work with the
therapist on a one-on-one basis. This results in a very focused and intense therapeutic
experience.
 The client gets direct feedback on their progress from the therapist, and the therapist
has a more complete understanding of the client’s progress.
 The therapeutic alliance is strongest in individual sessions.
 The client can be assured that the therapist will maintain the confidentiality of the
treatment sessions and that no one else will learn about their issues.
 Treatment in individual sessions is much more comprehensive and intense.
 The pace that the therapist and client work at can be tailored to suit the needs of the
specific client. This cannot be achieved in group sessions because the pace is often adjusted to
meet the needs of the slowest members.
 Meeting times for therapy sessions can be arranged to fit the client’s schedule and can
be adjusted depending on specific circumstances, whereas this is not the case for group
sessions.

Disadvantages of Individual Therapy

Some of the relative weaknesses of individual psychotherapy follow:

 Individual sessions are typically more costly than group sessions.

 While being the sole focus of attention can be considered an advantage to individual
sessions, it can also be disadvantageous to some individuals. Some people may wish to have a
little “camouflage” initially until they can adjust to the therapeutic environment.
 Some individuals who have issues with motivation may struggle when they are the sole
focus of attention.
 The client only gets the viewpoint of the therapist and does not get multiple viewpoints.
The Effectiveness of Group Therapy vs.
Individual Therapy
In general, the majority of the research suggests that individual therapy and group
therapy are effective for treating nearly every type of problem, psychological disorder, or
issue that is addressed within a therapeutic or counseling environment. Some
individuals may be more suited to working in groups based on the above discussion of
the strengths of group therapy, whereas others may be more suited to working in
individual situations. In addition, a number of different therapeutic paradigms, such
as Dialectical Behavior Therapy, use both group and individual therapy, and individuals
benefit from both.

The choice to become involved in group or individual therapy will depend on a number
of different factors, including affordability, one’s comfort level with discussing problems
in front of other individuals, and the type of intervention being used. Neither form of
therapy is “better” than the other, but both represent different approaches to reaching
the same goal.