Participating in Group Therapy

Some people love to “share” in group therapy sessions. Others fidget and wonder, “How much longer will this go?” The old saying is true: You get out what you put in. Group counseling in treatment is a collaborative exercise that gives individuals a forum to learn from others but also to help others. There is power in the process of conversation and this episode helps those who are struggling with wanting to be there.

 

In this episode of Roc & Doc, Rennie Grant and Tony Massey answer a common question about group therapy.

Not everyone who finds themselves in addiction treatment got there because they chose it on their own. Sometimes they’re court-ordered. Other times they go out of obligation to family. Still others, like the viewer who writes in, find themselves in treatment because their workplace gave them an ultimatum: Go to treatment or lose your job. So they reluctantly agree to go.

At this point, the person who feels “forced” into treatment has a choice to make. They can white knuckle through it with a face of stone and a commitment to stay to themselves, or they can open up to the possibility that they might benefit from the experience and enjoy a fulfilling encounter with others who’ve found themselves in the same predicament.

One of the most powerful attitudes in life is gratitude. It has a way of opening our eyes to the realization of life’s beauty. When we approach these groups with a positive disposition of gratitude, we begin to open up and find meaning from identifying with others.   

You really do get out what you put in, and often, more than you ever initially thought you would.