Feeling Like A Small Fish In A Big Pond?

Are you seeking community as you navigate life’s challenges? Could you benefit from the valuable perspective of others who share your experience? Do you wish your workplace fostered a culture of emotional support?  

You may be an individual who has recently suffered a loss or undergone a big life transition and is looking for solidarity. Perhaps you’re in search of guidance as you navigate common symptoms of anxiety, the death of a loved one, a daunting medical diagnosis, or any other challenging circumstance. It may be that you already participate in therapy but feel you could use the collective empathy from a group of people with similar experiences to yours.

Alternatively, you may work in a team setting at a high-pressure job, where there is a high degree of burnout. Perhaps you’re wondering about how to manage stress or incorporate elements of work-life balance at the office. Maybe you’d like to foster team building and a more emotionally supportive environment among your coworkers or peers, increasing an opportunity to form connections in your everyday life.

And while it may be frightening to share or become vulnerable with others, group therapy and mental health workshops can help you to learn valuable skills within a safe therapeutic environment while participating at a pace that feels comfortable for you.

We all yearn to be seen, heard, and accepted. Group counseling provides us with a chance to make stronger connections with ourselves and one another.   

Loneliness Is An Epidemic With Long-Term Consequences

We are creatures who yearn for and thrive on the elements of community. So when we are feeling lonely or isolated, our mental and physical health deteriorates. In fact, Dr. Dean Ornish, for whom I facilitate Group Support and Stress Management sessions through his Lifestyle Medicine Program, estimates that individuals suffering from chronic depression and loneliness experience brain inflammation and physical symptoms at a rate that is 30 percent higher than the average person. And his research study with Preventative Medicine Research Institute finds that individuals who are lonely, depressed, and isolated are three to ten more times likely to get sick and die prematurely from virtually all causes when compared to those who maintain strong feelings of love, connection, and community. 

In his book, UnDo It!, Dr. Ornish shares the health benefits of social support and how it buffers distress response by changing gene expression in the part of the brain that regulates stress. Unfortunately, however, emotional exploration through mutual support is not something that is highly valued or encouraged in our society. Self-care, self-love, and self-nurturing are low on our list of priorities and often perceived as selfish, and we are not taught the value of becoming vulnerable with others. As a result, we end up disconnecting from ourselves and the world around us--ignoring both emotional and physical pains--and failing to adjust our lives in order to get our needs met. 

Ultimately, emotional well-being affects physical well-being, and we can’t achieve wellness without taking time to reflect and discover the areas of our lives where improvements can be made. The presence of a community helps to facilitate these experiences, develop creativity, promote accountability, and provide perspective along the way. 

It is precisely the support of others that helps us to reconnect with ourselves, which is why group therapy and workshops are an essential element of achieving harmony and balance in life. 

Group Therapy And Workshops Grant Us The Permission To Discover And Fully Be Ourselves 

When work and other external components become our central identity, we begin to feel as though we need permission to have fun and explore the parts of ourselves that aren’t directly correlated with labor and production. Therapeutic opportunities like counseling support groups and stress management workshops, among others, allow us to listen deeply. By engaging in these commonalities—and hearing them be expressed by others—we can begin to question the negative beliefs that we have developed about ourselves and the world around us. 

While my group therapy, support groups, and counseling workshops for mental health will vary in content and approach, each collective session will incorporate elements of mindfulness. As you become present and more deeply attuned with what is happening inside of your mind and body at any given moment, you will begin to see where those negative beliefs play out and create toxic patterns in your life. In addition, deep breathing exercises and yoga practices are often used in tandem with these mindfulness techniques to help reduce tension and bring about a sense of peace and healing. 

Group scenarios may involve ongoing sessions with those who face similar challenges and adversity to you or one-time workshops in a professional/corporate atmosphere that serve to reduce stress, increase team building, and/or combat workplace burnout. And while I teach useful skills and techniques to manage emotional distress as the group facilitator, the main function of such communal experiences is to heighten awareness among you as an individual as you begin to experience the value of opening up and sharing with others. 

My goal is to help people to find a sense of belonging within their communities while identifying the core beliefs that are holding them back from becoming their most intentional and deliberate selves. No one is devoid of negative thinking or their inner critic, and exploring those judgments in a group atmosphere will help to support change, build self-compassion, and encourage creativity as new paths and purposes are imagined. 

Moreover, by working amongst a group to develop strategies for living well and achieving a lifestyle that is both mentally and physically healthy, you will be held accountable by a community that is invested in your success. 

Between my experience as a social worker, yoga teacher, and senior trainer of the Ornish Program in Lifestyle Medicine, I am prepared to facilitate group therapy and workshops while cultivating a warm and inviting space for all to explore. 

Beginning is often the hardest part when making a change in life or when considering joining a group, but with therapy, you’re never alone in making that change. 

Maybe you are considering enlisting the help of a group facilitator, but you have some questions…

Are group therapy sessions and workshops ongoing or one-time? 

Often, the group counseling sessions that I facilitate are ongoing and run on an eight-week cycle or so, while workshops tend to be singular events. I do, however, tailor all content and scheduling to meet the needs of the group, so we can work together on how best to approach the therapy or workshop that is of interest to you. 

I already go to individual therapy; why do I need a group setting? 

As mentioned above, shared experiences build solidarity, compassion, and empathy. If you are struggling with symptoms of anxiety, depression, grief, or emotional distress, it can be highly impactful and relieving to hear the stories of others who have encountered similar challenges. The greatest potential for improvement happens when we can reconnect with others because it, in turn, allows us to reconnect to ourselves. 

My group of coworkers/employees doesn’t necessarily need mental health counseling, but I am interested in having some sort of corporate-specific workshop or team-building event. What are some options for those?

I am invested in working with groups of all varieties and needs. Even if you are looking for something that is not emotionally charged or intensive, I would love to discuss some options that might benefit your unique workplace. I have done corporate mindfulness and stress management workshops in the past and am also a certified yoga teacher who can bring the practice to you. If you are a supervisor or employee who has identified a collective need at your job, then let’s talk! I’d love to hear more about your vision and how I can help. 

Love Is Medicine—Come Get Your Dose! 

If you or a community to which you belong could benefit from mental health counseling, stress management, or mindfulness workshops, I offer group therapy sessions to a wide range of individuals and professions. For more information about how I can help, email me, call (808) 351-5311, or contact me via my site to get in touch.