Group Therapy

“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:

BIPOC Healing Circle

Expressive Arts and Parts Work Therapy Group

Facilitated by Jannat Zahoor, AMFT #127744 | Supervised by Danielle Herrera, LMFT #124770

This eight-week group invites BIPOC community members to explore healing through two powerful modalities: expressive arts and parts work. Through creative expression, you will have the opportunity to honor your inner world, connect with your cultural identity, and process experiences that words alone may not fully capture.

Parts work, rooted in Internal Family Systems therapy, offers a compassionate framework for understanding the different aspects of yourself. When combined with expressive arts, it becomes a uniquely accessible and liberating approach to self-discovery and healing.

This group is designed specifically for BIPOC individuals who want a culturally affirming space to practice self-compassion, build community, and explore their own stories alongside others who share similar lived experiences.

• Format: Ongoing group, Mondays 6:15 to 8:00pm
• Dates: March 30 through May 18, 2025
• Location: Downtown Berkeley (in person)
• Facilitator: Jannat Zahoor, AMFT | jannatzahoortherapy.com

To register or learn more, visit jannatzahoortherapy.com

Missed Opportunities: A 5-Week Processing Workshop for Your Inner Child

Facilitated by Sachi Swanberg, LMFT & Sabrina Rayner,  AMFT | Closed in-person group

Our early relational experiences shape much of how we move through the world as adults, how we connect with others, how we respond to conflict, and how we feel about ourselves in quiet moments. Missed Opportunities is an intimate, small-group workshop created to support you in understanding and healing those foundational experiences.

Over five weeks, you will explore childhood relationships through guided discussion, collaborative activities, and experiential exercises grounded in body-focused and somatic approaches. Co-facilitated by Sachi Swanberg, LMFT, and Sabrina Rayner, AMFT, this group draws on the Tamura Method and somatic therapy traditions to help you access a deeper knowing of your inner child and the parts of yourself that formed in relationship with others.

This is a closed group, meaning the same participants will journey through all five sessions together. That continuity is intentional. Deeper work happens in relationship, and consistent membership creates the trust necessary to truly go there.

• Format: Closed in-person group, limited to 8 participants
• Dates: Fridays: April 10, 17, 24, May 1 and May 8, 2025
• Time: 10:00am to 1:00pm
• Location: East Bay, Lafayette, CA
• Cost: $100 per session ($500 total), payment due in full by March 30
• Facilitators:
  • Sachi Swanberg, LMFT | nakaimatherapy.com
  • Sabrina Rayner, AMFT | www.sabrinarayner.com

Commitment to all five sessions is requested. Space is extremely limited. To learn more or to register, visit nakaimatherapy.com or reach out directly to either facilitator.

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.