For those beginning the long road to recovery from substance use disorder, the list of decisions to make can seem daunting: residential treatment or out-patient? Is medically-assisted detox necessary? What about trauma-informed care? A treatment program nearby or one far away from addiction triggers? And what about the therapy itself–what are the benefits of group therapy vs. individual therapy?
If you or a loved one are facing these decisions, know that you are not alone. Among the many decisions to be made, the question of individual therapy vs. group has no bad answers. Your choice does not have to be one or the other, but can include varying degrees of both therapeutic modalities depending on your personal experiences, goals, and preferences.
Individual Therapy: Its Benefits and Expectations
When we think of therapy, we often picture the stereotypical therapist’s couch: one person stretched out, alone, talking to a detached listener taking copious notes. While many aspects of individual therapy have changed from this image, the central goals and characteristics remain the same:
- Open and honest dialogue between a client and a trained professional about issues that cause distress
- Intended to help individuals meet their goals in coping with crisis, major life transitions, difficult family dynamics, anxiety, depression, or addiction
- Can incorporate different types of therapies (i.e., cognitive behavioral therapy, internal family systems, dialectical behavior therapy, brainspotting)
- Teaches skills to cope with future difficulties
Individual therapy offers many benefits to the client, such as privacy to discuss sensitive topics, evidence-based treatment personalized for the client, and extensive trauma processing. You have your therapist’s undivided attention, which helps them cater their services particularly to your needs.
For those suffering from addiction, individual therapy plays a vital role not only in identifying the underlying causes of the substance use disorder, but also in developing coping strategies to face life’s stresses without turning to the abused substance. Individual therapy can also help clients untangle the messy web formed by addiction and relationships,
Benefits of Group Therapy
Likewise, there are many unique benefits of group therapy vs. individual therapy. In fact, according to the American Psychological Association, “The benefits are substantial enough that some psychologists are now calling for every private practice to offer at least one group.” But what are those benefits?
- Peer support during addiction recovery or mental health treatment
- Shared experiences with others
- Interpersonal skill practice
- Can be particularly helpful for people with marginalized identities, as they may find camaraderie difficult to find elsewhere
- Often better at addressing issues involving shame, stigma, or feelings of isolation
- Helps clients practice healthy ways of experiencing and addressing conflict
Some people just starting their healing journey may be intimidated by the prospect of group therapy, by the fear of judgment, privacy concerns, or the pressure to “fix” other group members. However, the undeniable truth is that group therapy benefits addiction recovery by helping participants learn and maintain healthy interpersonal relationships that can become a bedrock in long-term recovery.
Group Therapy vs. Individual Therapy: Which Is Right for You?
The truth is that, for those seeking help for substance use disorder, a combination of these modalities can be most beneficial in recovery. Effective treatment programs integrate both approaches strategically, using individual sessions for deep personal work and group sessions for community building and skill practice.
So what might these look like in your own addiction recovery journey? An important first step is determining if and how your substance use is negatively affecting your life. A tool that can help with this as an alcohol use disorder quiz, or a similar one geared towards drug use.
The advice and feedback from people who love you are also vital in gaining perspective on your own substance use.
If you do determine to seek professional help, keep in mind your goals in recovery. Do you want to build a strong foundation of support groups and mental health based in group therapy? Do you feel yourself in need of the intense one-on-one therapeutic relationship individual therapy can provide? Is there trauma in your past that you are most comfortable exploring individually, or do you crave the accountability group sessions provide?
Working with professionals at your chosen treatment facility, you can together craft a treatment plan that both meets your felt needs and pushes you to grow and change. You can explore together the different therapy types in addiction treatment, from wellness and holistic rehab to depression and addiction treatment.
Ultimately, the combination of both therapy types in a supportive environment accelerates healing and provides multiple pathways for growth and connection.
Healing from Addiction at Sana at Stowe in Vermont
Give your healing journey the best start possible at a luxury holistic rehab facility like Sana at Stowe in Vermont. Surrounded in natural beauty, your every physical need met, you can truly focus on doing the hard work of addiction recovery.
Our professional staff and therapists used evidence-based therapies to help you build a lasting foundation for sobriety, whether that be addressing underlying mental health conditions or safely processing childhood trauma (often first identified through an ACEs assessment. We offer a combination of individual and group therapy, helping you intensely work through the healing process with a professional while also building the community and sense of belonging so important to long-term recovery.
Our holistic services–from acupuncture to gardening to yoga–make sure your mind, body, and spirit are working together in the healing process. In the words of a former patient, “I selected Sana at Stowe because I believed I needed a lot of healing physically, mentally, spiritually, and emotionally. I am healed, and Sana delivered in every way.”
If cost is a concern for you, Sana at Stowe offers medically-supervised detox and accepts insurance through in-network providers.
So do not hesitate to reach out to us today. Download our addiction guide to learn more, and contact us at Sana at Stowe to find the perfect combination of individual and group therapy. We are only one call away at (802) 532-5277 to start your journey, today.
