| Feature | Individual Therapy | Group Therapy |
|---|---|---|
| Privacy | ✓ Complete privacy and confidentiality | Shared with group members |
| Focus | ✓ Entirely on you | Shared focus, group dynamics |
| Pace | ✓ Set by your needs | Group pace, may be slower/faster |
| Cost | Higher cost per session | ✓ Lower cost per session |
| Social Support | One-on-one support | ✓ Multiple sources of support |
| Learning from Others | Only your experience | ✓ Learn from others' experiences |
| Flexibility | ✓ More flexible scheduling | Fixed group schedule |
| Intensity | ✓ Can go deeper into personal issues | More general, may feel less intense |
| Accountability | Between you and therapist | ✓ Group accountability |
| Social Skills Practice | Limited | ✓ Real-time social interaction practice |
Individual Therapy
Advantages
- •Complete privacy and confidentiality
- •Entire focus on your needs and goals
- •More flexibility in scheduling and pace
- •Can explore deeply personal issues
- •Personalized treatment tailored to you
- •No concerns about group dynamics or social anxiety
- •Can move at your own pace
- •Better for complex or sensitive issues
Disadvantages
- •Higher cost per session
- •No peer support or shared experiences
- •Limited opportunity to learn from others
- •Less social interaction and practice
- •All focus and responsibility on you
Group Therapy
Advantages
- •Lower cost per session
- •Multiple sources of support and feedback
- •Learn from others' experiences and perspectives
- •Practice social skills in real-time
- •Feel less alone - others share similar struggles
- •Group accountability and motivation
- •Diverse perspectives and solutions
- •Normalize experiences through shared stories
Disadvantages
- •Less privacy - sharing with group members
- •Less individual focus - must share time
- •Fixed schedule - less flexibility
- •Group dynamics can be challenging
- •May not address your specific needs as deeply
- •Social anxiety can make participation difficult
- •Pace determined by group, not your needs
- •Requires comfort with group settings
Types of Group Therapy
Process Groups
Focus on group dynamics and interpersonal relationships
Psychoeducational Groups
Educational groups teaching skills (CBT skills, coping strategies)
Support Groups
Mutual support for specific conditions or experiences
Skills-Based Groups
Learn specific skills (DBT skills groups, social skills)
Topic-Specific Groups
Focus on specific issues (grief, trauma, addiction recovery)
Open vs Closed Groups
Open accepts new members; closed has fixed membership
Which Should You Choose?
Choose Individual Therapy If:
- You prefer complete privacy
- You have sensitive or deeply personal issues
- You want intensive, focused treatment
- You have social anxiety or discomfort in groups
- You need flexible scheduling
- You prefer one-on-one attention
- You're dealing with trauma or complex issues
Choose Group Therapy If:
- You want to learn from others' experiences
- You need to practice social skills
- You feel isolated and want peer connection
- Cost is a significant concern
- You benefit from group accountability
- You're comfortable sharing in groups
- Your issues are well-suited to group work
Consider Both:
Many people benefit from combining individual and group therapy:
- Individual therapy for deeper personal work
- Group therapy for social skills and peer support
- Group therapy to practice skills from individual therapy
- Individual therapy to process group experiences
💡 Remember:
Both formats can be highly effective. The choice depends on your preferences, needs, and comfort level. Some people start with individual therapy and later join a group, or do both simultaneously.