Group leaders are present to help develop a safe environment. Feedback is often difficult to hear. As group members come to trust and accept one another, they generally experience feedback and gentle confrontation as positive and useful, as if it was coming from a caring friend. One of the benefits of group is the opportunity to receive input from others in a supportive environment. It is rare to find friends who will point out how your actions may affect yourself or others, but this is precisely what group can offer.
Most people are anxious about being able to talk in a group.
Almost without exception, within a few sessions people find that they do begin to talk in the group. You will most likely get a lot of support when you begin to talk in the group. Group counseling is second-best to individual counseling. Group counseling is often recommended because it offers several important advantages over individual counseling. In a group, an individual may learn how they relate to others and are perceived by others, obtain support, experience a sense of acceptance and belonging, and discover that they are not alone in the difficulties they are experiencing.