“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:
Experiential Somatic Group Therapy for PMDD
This group is for women who have been formally diagnosed or self-diagnosed with PMDD, are currently working with an individual therapist, or have prior experience with psychotherapy, and who are ready to explore the experience of PMDD in a compassionate and non-judgmental environment.
I hope to have six people in the group before we begin. We will meet weekly for an hour and a half, and the cost is $80 per session, with some sliding-scale spots available. This will be a support group, not a process group. Also, this will be an anti-racist and trans-inclusive space.
Through somatic practices such as mindfulness, breathing techniques, authentic movement, and parts work, we will cultivate a deeper awareness of our bodies and how they hold the story of PMDD. We will also integrate expressive art therapy and journaling as tools for self-reflection, helping to enhance our connection to ourselves and each other.
Bisexual+ Trauma Recovery Therapy Group
Did you know bisexual+ people make up over half of the LGBTQ+ community and have been critical change makers in the fight for queer and trans liberation? Yet somehow bi+ folks are often excluded from community and denied affirming mental health care due to stigma and misinformation. I created this group to address the mental health disparities we in the bisexual+ community experience. This group acknowledges the unique struggles that we face, offering solidarity, support, and coping skills.
Who: Bisexual+ Trauma Recovery is for adults living in California of any gender who identify within the bisexual/pansexual+ umbrella (omnisexual, fluid, mspec, nonmonosexual queer, unlabeled, etc).
What: 9 week therapeutic skills and psychoeducation group focused on trauma healing through somatics (mindfulness, yoga, movement), expressive arts, and community. Attendees can expect to: 1) learn the basic science of trauma, oppression, and the nervous system, 2) practice somatic coping skills for emotional regulation and managing triggers, 3) use art and journaling as an integration tool and 4) connect with a community of people who understand the unique struggles of bisexual/pansexual+ folks.
When: Select Mondays in May, June, and July from 5:30 to 7 pm.
- May 12th and 19th. No class Memorial Day on the 26th.
- June 9th, 16th, 23rd, and 30th. No class on June 2nd.
- July 14th, 21st, and 28th. No class on July 7th.
Where: Online in California. Hosted via a secure and private HIPAA compliant platform, Zoom for Healthcare.
Cost: $55 per session. 2 spots available at reduced fee of $25 per session, available to people who could not afford to attend otherwise. To hold the stability of the container I ask that folks try to commit to attending every session.
To Learn More: visit https://www.josephinekelly.com/groups
To Begin Registration: Email [email protected] to set up a consultation or fill out this intake form: https://forms.gle/CoRQ7HoF7TAq6zpM7
Facilitated by: Josephine Kelly (they/she/he) is a bi and nonbinary therapist. They’ve facilitated trauma-informed groups for the past 7 years in domestic violence shelters, juvenile justice centers, schools, and in-patient rehab facilities.
Unemployed in Tech Support Group
- weekly, drop-in (no minimum commitment)
- online
- $35/session
- 3-12 members per session
- Thursdays beginning in February—time TBD
More information and registration at eboyletherapy.com/
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.