Lessons I Learned in Group Therapy

For the past six years, I have been involved in many different support groups and group therapy environments. I believe that my time in these settings has taught me a lot about myself and about the world I am a part of. I know that not everyone has the chance to be a part of something like this, so I thought I’d share some of the lessons I’ve learned.

• Everybody is dealing with something heavy
  • Through years in treatment I’ve noticed that, if given a safe and comforting environment, complete strangers are willing to be extremely vulnerable. I feel honored to have witnessed and learned the stories of so many people from all different walks of life. Hearing the struggles of others has reminded me that every single person is going through something. It is easy to get caught up in our own worries and problems, but it is important to remember that every person we encounter is dealing with their own struggles.

• I deserve to treat myself the way I treat others
  • A common theme in therapy is unlearning the often self-deprecating stories and messages we tell ourselves. In a group setting, I’ve learned that the things I tell myself are most often things I would never tell someone else. Hearing other group members speak about their struggles with an eating disorder allows me to practice looking at my own struggles from a different perspective. It’s easy to tell someone else that they are worthy, but it is not always that easy to tell it to yourself. Participating in group therapy has opened my eyes to new ideas about myself.
• I am a valuable asset to any group
  • I don’t need to explain to you that life has been anything but normal recently. There have been days where I feel like I can’t get anything done, and days that I’m not contributing to anything at all. Being a part of a support group makes me feel connected, and allows me to provide support to people I care about. By supporting others, I feel more empowered and feel like I have something valuable to give.

• Self care is hard but it is valuable
  • Some weeks it feels like therapy or support group is the last thing I have time for. I’m a senior in college, and a lot of the time I feel like I’m just barely getting by as I try to finish my degree. Investing 2, 3, or 4 hours a week in my appointments is a form of self care. It forces me to be mindful and thoughtful about my time. A lot of the time it feels like a race just to make it to the end of the day, however, I know I’m going to look back on my college years and be incredibly grateful that I continued to show up for myself week after week.

• Lifelong friends are out there waiting to meet me
  • One day, a few weeks into a new support group I had joined, a girl who goes to my university logged onto the group call. I recognized this girl, and turns out we had lived in the same dorm both freshman and sophomore year. Over the course of only a few weeks, I got to know this new friend. We began texting and hanging out, and she’s shown me the most unwavering support. We’ve got each other’s backs, and we both know the journey that is recovery. There is no need to try to explain why some things are harder than others, which is refreshing. If it weren’t for support group, I never would have met one of my new best friends. It’s been a wonderful reminder that some of the best people in your life are out there just waiting to meet you.

• group therapy
• recovery
• therapy