Group therapy uses meetings of from several to a dozen clients with one or two therapists. In some groups the counselor will work with each participant individually with few comments from other participants during the work. Other groups rely more on observations and discussion from participants with the counselor providing consultation as necessary to facilitate the work. Some groups combine these approaches. Couples therapy focuses on problems in a marriage or other love relationship by improving partners' understanding of each other's needs, facilitating communication and exploring unstated assumptions about the relationship.
Family therapy addresses problems that occur in a family context.
Treatment sometimes involves identifying how one or more members are expressing problems of the whole family. Self-help groups are not professional counseling, but they can be helpful, especially in providing additional help for people who have had common experience. There are groups for issues related to alcohol or other substance abuse, for survivors of abuse or assault, and for many other issues. The counseling center maintains a list of available self-help resources. Reading books about therapy and about the kind of problem or issue you are experiencing can give you a ' head start' on treatment.