Many of my group therapy sessions in Long Island are focused on relationships. Relationship group therapy is very different from couples counseling. While those that meet within couples counseling are looking for ways to save or improve a struggling relationship, those that meet in groups are often looking for individualized help with relationships as a whole.
They may be in relationships, but often they are not, and they find that they’re struggling to create those new relationships and make them last.
Themes in Group Therapy for Relationships in Long Island
Every individual is different. But within this group therapy, there are often many themes that come up that the people in the group share, talk about, and hope to use to grow. Some of these themes include:
- Loneliness – The most common theme is loneliness. It is seen in those that are in relationships and in those that are not. It’s often clear that those that are not feeling like they are able to connect with others have loneliness as one of their top emotions, even if they have a lot of friends or a close family.
- Resetting Relationships – Many participants of relationship group therapy go through a “resetting” phase any time they run into problems when they are in relationships, and this resetting or “recalibrating” phase causes them to feel setbacks about where their relationship is going and how to become close to their partner.
- Overly Attracted to Perfection – Everyone is looking for that perfect person, but not everyone knows what perfect is. Often in relationship group counseling there are participants that frequently find themselves attracted to someone because of one or a few ideals without getting to know them on a deeper level, or whether or not their personalities are complementary to their own.
- Separate But Comfortable – Within relationships, many people find that they become uneasy or uncomfortable when they are not with their partner 100% of the time. This ability to be able to separate yourself from the relationship but still feel comfortable in the relationship is a very common theme in group relationship counseling.
- Attraction Challenges – Lastly, many people find that they struggle with knowing who they are and should be attracted to. They find that they are often attracted to someone that is an extension of something they need for themselves, or someone that they “think” they need, rather than who would actually complement and fulfill them.
Perhaps above all else, however, there are many within group counseling for relationships in Long Island that struggle to feel comfortable with themselves. In order to feel secure, strong, and happy in relationships, you often have to become comfortable with your own strengths and personality otherwise relationships may amplify those doubts.
If you are interested in joining one of our relationship group therapy couples counseling classes, please contact my office today at (516) 732-0273.
