While there are many benefits to therapy in general, group therapy can be an excellent option for individuals who value a holistic approach to wellness. This is because of the specific ways in which therapy groups can be set up to support your holistic mental health.
Holistic mental health refers to the idea that our overall mental health impacts and is impacted by our physical, environmental and mental functioning. It acknowledges that issues in one area creates issues in others and healing in one area can influence healing in other domains. Holistic Mental Health consists of 8 domains–physical, nutritional, emotional, social, spiritual, intellectual, financial, and environmental. Group therapy can be a powerful tool in helping individuals reclaim their sense of self and restore balance across their 8 domains of holistic mental health as they heal from symptoms of depression, anxiety, burnout, stress and experiences of trauma.
In Group therapy we provides a safe, supportive environment for individuals to share their experiences and connect with others who have been through similar situations. It also allows for the exploration of alternative perspectives and gives individuals the opportunity to discuss and process their trauma in a non-judgmental setting. There are various group therapy options, some which provide psychoeducation and opportunities to learn practical tools for coping and insight, and others which focus exclusively on experiencing an unstructured group process.
At Healing Insight Therapy and Wellness Collective our Dear Wounded Healers Therapy group is a semi-structured group specifically designed to support Adult professionals who’ve experienced trauma access healing through holistic mental health practices.
In a group setting, participants experience an environment where they can share their experiences and connect with others who have gone through similar experiences. This can help create a sense of community and provide emotional and social support. Group therapy can also help individuals improve their social health by working through feelings of isolation, learning to trust others, and building meaningful relationships.
Group therapy not only helps with social functioning, it can also help with emotional, intellectual, and spiritual health. We offer a safe space for individuals to name, process and manage their emotions, gain better insight into themselves and develop/practice healthy coping strategies. To address Spiritual health, group therapy can help individuals gain a sense of purpose and meaning, as well as explore their beliefs and values.
Although group therapy does not provide specific guidance on nutrition and exercise regimens, Group therapy can still help address physical and nutritional health. This is by way of providing support, guidance, and tools to develop healthy habits and behaviors for physical wellbeing. Additionally group therapy can provide emotional support, accountability and encouragement as you pursue these domains of health.
We hope this resource has helped provide a better understanding of how group therapy can help adults healing from trauma experiences from a holistic mental health lens. It’s important to note that Group therapy is just one way to address trauma symptoms and improve holistic mental health. It works best when fit into a constellation of other resources to support your well being. If you haven’t already, connect with a therapist for one on one support as a powerful next step in your holistic mental health journey.
December 18, 2022
