“MEMBERS OF A COHESIVE GROUP FEEL
WARMTH AND COMFORT IN THE GROUP
AND A SENSE OF BELONGINGNESS;
THEY VALUE THE GROUP AND FEEL IN TURN
THAT THEY ARE VALUED, ACCEPTED, AND
SUPPORTED BY OTHER MEMBERS.”
― IRVIN D. YALOM, THE THEORY AND PRACTICE OF GROUP PSYCHOTHERAPY
Depending on the nature of your concern, group therapy can be an ideal choice for addressing your concerns and making positive changes in your life. Below you will be able to see what sort of groups are currently available through Center For Mindful Psychotherapy. But first let us explain what group therapy is!
WHAT IS GROUP THERAPY?
Group therapy involves one or more therapists who lead a group of roughly 5 to 15 members. Typically, groups meet for an hour or two on a weekly basis. Some groups meet ongoing and some are for a designated amount of time only. At times, people attend individual therapy in addition to groups, while others participate in groups only.
Many groups are created to focus on a specific problem, such as depression, gender identity, social anxiety, eating disorders, substance abuse, or grief & loss. Other groups focus more generally on improving social skills, helping people deal with a range of issues such as anger, chronic illness, loneliness, and low self-esteem.
HOW CAN GROUP THERAPY SUPPORT ME?
If you’re longing for a supportive community, group therapy is a great option! Joining a group of strangers may sound overwhelming, but group therapy provides benefits that individual therapy may not. Having others witness your story, and support you through your struggle, can be a uniquely healing experience. Groups can also act as a sounding board, offering insight into challenges from individuals who can relate.
Many people experience mental health difficulties, but few speak openly about them. Oftentimes, you may feel like you are the only one struggling — but you’re not. It can be a relief to hear others discuss what they’re going through, and realize you’re not alone.
Diversity is another important benefit of group therapy. People have different personalities and backgrounds, and therefore look at situations in different ways. By seeing how other people approach their healing journeys and make positive changes, you can discover a whole range of strategies for facing your own concerns.
CURRENT GROUPS OFFERED BY CMP THERAPISTS
Therapists who work with CMP sometimes offer group therapy. Here’s what’s currently offered:
Holiday Blues Support Group
Feeling Blue This Holiday Season? You’re Not Alone
The holidays can bring up grief, loneliness, overwhelm, or that sense that everyone else is celebrating while you’re barely getting by. This small, supportive group is a place to connect, share, and find steadier emotional ground through the season.
This isn’t about forced cheer or toxic positivity. Instead, it’s a safe space where you can be real about how you’re actually feeling. You’ll connect with others who truly understand, learn practical tools for coping with stress, sadness, and loneliness, and build emotional steadiness to carry you through the holidays and beyond.
- Who: Adults in California struggling with holiday-related stress, grief, loneliness, anxiety, or depression
- What: 8-week support group offering connection, validation, and evidence-based coping strategies
- When: Tuesdays, November 11 through December 30, 2025, 5:30–7:00 PM PST
- Where: Online via secure Zoom
- Cost: $50–$80 per session (sliding scale)
- Group Size: 8–12 participants
Read our full blog post about navigating holiday depression and finding support.
Facilitated by: Erma Kyriakos, AMFT137020 (Supervised by Crystal Haviland LPCC7633), specializes in emotional resilience, connection, and compassionate communication using trauma-informed, emotionally focused approaches.
To Learn More or Register: Contact Erma Kyriakos at [email protected] or (415) 761-3494
Twinless Twin Psychotherapy Group
Our alumni therapist Elaine Walker shares:
Twinless twins or womb survivors are people who lost their twin or sibling in utero or shortly thereafter. Womb twins can experience grief, survival guilt, a connection to the unknown and curiosity about how this experience may impact them as well as other affects. We will meet weekly for 90 minutes to process through art, community and ritual. The cost for each session will be $75.
This group will focus on all levels of group therapy including the group as a whole, the interpersonal and the intrapsychic. It will be starting in the Spring of 2025 and will ideally be held in person in San Francisco. However, depending on group member interest and/or location, I may hold the group virtually instead. All group members would need to be adults who live in California. I will screen members judiciously, meeting with them individually at least twice beforehand.
To learn more about Elaine Walker and this group please visit Elaine’s website.
Two Donation-Based Telehealth Groups for People of the Global Majority (PGM), Asian Adult and BIPOC* Adult Groups, 90-minute once-weekly pay-what-you-can groups “for PGM folx to reality test racialized experiences, exist in solidarity, decolonize internalized paradigms, and deepen cultural understanding among others doing the same.” Details at the link.
For insight into the many different types of group therapy there are, take a look at these past groups offered by CMP associates.