Group Therapy for Parents

Parenting is a full-time job that lasts a lifetime. This presents many opportunities for questions to arise. From concerns about pregnancy to trying to figure out a moody teenager, these questions are typically quite challenging to answer. Wouldn’t it be awesome if you had a committee of fellow parents available to offer firsthand advice?

If you nodded your head “yes” to that question, you’d probably appreciate group therapy for parents. The basic idea is to meet with peers. You talk with feel parents to get validation, emotional support, pragmatic advice, and a sense of community. All of this is done without judgment and has been found to truly reduce stress.

You’re Probably Already Doing a Mini-Version of It

You might cross paths with the same group of parents as your kids wait for the school bus. Maybe it’s when you’re on the sidelines of soccer practice during intermission of a school play. The banter and interactions may even carry over to social media or a shared text thread. Group therapy just takes things to a more organized and facilitated level.

Parents of all ages, along with their children of all ages, meet in a safe space with a therapist present. With guidance, you use open conversation, role-playing, and other exercises to learn about parenting strategies and child development. Sharing is the norm, and typically, everyone takes turns helping each other. Throughout history, it has been the organic way that people come together to prove that “it takes a village.”

Some of the Many Benefits of Group Therapy for Parents

The benefits begin when you start exploring new ways to relate to the people in the group and to yourself. A facilitated meeting of the minds is an excellent opportunity to reimagine how we interact with others. This, of course, includes how we interact with our families.

Other possible group therapy benefits include:

Gaining Practical Knowledge

A group setting naturally sets up spontaneous interactions. If someone in a parent group mentions a problem, responses will flow organically. People with hands-on experience will speak from their own experiences in ways that no textbook can match. Ideas, resources, and more are shared among the participants.

Emotional Support and Stress Reduction

When you feel you’re struggling as a parent, it can be isolating. You may be ashamed to tell others, and then start to imagine that you are uniquely flawed. When surrounded by peers, you quickly realize that you’re far from alone. This realization and the practical knowledge (see above) that comes with it are an invaluable source of stress relief.

Welcoming New People Into Your Life

Parents can get locked into patterns. Based on their children’s age or needs, they may not have the opportunity to connect with new people. Group therapy is a rich source of new companions. Joined together by everyday needs for support, you may discover a social circle in the making.

Getting Comfortable With Giving and Receiving

Group therapy is not simply individual therapy happening in front of others. The beauty of this environment is the give and take. While some structure is necessary in a therapy setting, it should not be so rigid as to restrict a productive flow of conversation. This will enhance all participants’ ability to engage in essential discussions on important topics. In turn, they can apply their newly learned skills to their parenting processes.

How to Get Started

Does the idea of group therapy for parents sound like something you’d like to try? If so, let’s connect to discuss the next steps. A free and confidential consultation will help me guide you into the best possible situation for your current needs.