Group Therapy
Creative Group Therapy gives people the opportunity to engage in a mutually supportive process of expression, exploration and healing. It is particularly effective for those who want to:
understand themselves better in relation to others;
explore issues with others who have similar experiences;
develop their confidence, self-esteem and interpersonal skills.
The creative aspect offers the group a rich and colourful toolbox through which to explore, and grows participant playfulness, spontaneity and self-expression.
WHAT does it look like?
Creative Group Therapy balances structure and flexibility to respond to both pre-existing and emerging needs, hopes and interests in the group. Where there is a clear-cut theme or issue to explore, the process may last between 10 and 20 sessions, depending on the particular needs of group members. Longer-term group work (20+ sessions) enables ongoing exploration, skills-development and emotional support for those who feel they need something more sustained and consistent.
In general, the process will move through four key stages:
1 - Hopes and Goals: Here we identify each participants’ hopes and goals for therapy, alongside concerns they may be holding about the process - this can be done as a group or on a 1:1, pre-group basis. As a group, we then co-create a group contract that will keep everyone safe and support us to achieve our therapeutic goals.
2 - Tools and Trust: The next few sessions will focus on building group trust and developing participants’ tools for creative expression. This usually involves playing lots of games and introducing group members to a range of creative media - this could be art-making, music-making, role-play and improvisation, storytelling, puppetry, mask-work, movement and/or film-making, depending on the interests of the group, resources available and issues to be explored.
3 - Exploration: This stage harnesses participant trust in the group and enjoyment of the creative media to explore the issues, themes and goals identified at stage 1. Often, new themes emerge here as well and are attended to as the therapeutic work progresses. Within the exploration, we may well return at times to stages 1 and 2 to support the unique way in which the group’s needs, skills and dynamics change and develop.
4 - Reflection and Ending: Once the group is ready to bring their explorations to a close, we devote a few sessions to creatively reflecting on the work that has been done, celebrating group member achievement and looking forward to life beyond the group.
HOW?
If you’re interested in joining a creative therapy group, or hosting one for your staff or service-users, please contact us to arrange an initial conversation.