Group therapy provides a unique and important way to learn about oneself and one's relationships, to gain confidence as well as develop new skills and abilities, and to give and receive support and feedback from others. For many types of problems, group therapy is the treatment of choice. Groups provide the opportunity to observe others solving their problems. Groups provide the advantage of a network of support. Groups are also especially helpful in building trust, self-acceptance, intimacy, communication skills and empathy.
Open groups meet on an ongoing basis and permit members to join and finish at different times.
Closed groups usually meet for a predetermined number of sessions with all members joining and ending together. There are many different types of group experiences. For example, Psychoeducational groups help participants develop new skills as they acquire and share information. Psychoeducational groups are often organized around topic areas, such as managing stress, assertion skills, or coping with depression. Group facilitators typically provide basic information and together with group participants, share and explore information in a supportive forum.