It’s not that I didn’t think the group therapy component of the program that I was attending for the summer would be beneficial to me… but, yes, I was skeptical. Even though I had heard from a few people (including my psychiatrist) that Dialectical Behavioral Therapy (more commonly referred to as DBT) would be a good experience, there was a part of me that still doubted the whole process.
I knew that there were two therapeutic components to most DBT programs: the individual therapy and the group therapy. I also knew that I was kind of plateauing on my current Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) regime.
And yet, the filmic version of group therapy kept playing in my head. I’d be all, “Hi, I’m Zoe,” and then the remaining 10-15 people would answer emphatically, “Hi, Zoe,” followed by a dramatic recitation of my previous negative endeavors that would no doubt be boring to anyone but me. This would then repeat for every member of the group, all of whom would probably hate me from the start (according to my anxiety), so why bother even trying (according to my depression)?
So I decided to give it a try; I’m really glad that I did.
The group therapy component wasn’t anything like what I’d thought it would be. First of all, there were only 6 of us in total. I know the saying is technically “the more the merrier,” but I was definitely relieved to know that the group size was small enough to be intimate (but not so small that it would get awkward).
We wouldn’t start off each session with a name reminder--because that’s kind of redundant after a while--nor would each of us give a recap of our respective weeks. This was in order to avoid triggering anyone, which I think was a very smart move.
Of course, this made me very curious about the other 5 people’s diagnoses and reasons for being in therapy. However, I’ve realized that this curiosity was one that didn't need to be satisfied. After all, a person and their problems are so much more than just the labels that a psychologist once gave them. And, a person is so much more than just their problems. That’s something I’ve learned recently, too.
I think that group therapy really affected me in two major ways. First off, it helped me learn concrete skills for emotional regulation, mindfulness, interpersonal effectiveness, walking the middle path, and distress tolerance: the five tiers of DBT skills. I think that mindfulness is especially helpful for anyone struggling with anxiety because it teaches you how to live in the moment, and how to appreciate that very ability to do so. I found that there was a lot of emphasis on validation, too, which has always been something that I constantly give but had trouble receiving for myself.
The other way that group therapy really affected me was the more surprising of the two: I made 5 new friends this summer. 5 young adults struggling with psychological issues. 5 young adults who were perfectly imperfect, and learning to accept that. 5 young adults who at first seemed nothing like me. 5 young adults who were just like me and just liked me for me. And that was the most validating experience of them all.
