But For Real Episode 20: Turns Out, Talking To Strangers is Healing: The Power of Group Therapy 

Podcast
Written By Colleen Werner

While the thought of telling a group of strangers about your inner feelings can be scary for many people, group therapy can actually be incredibly powerful.

Valerie Martin and Emerson Ryder Therapist Podcasters

In this episode, Valerie and Emerson explore the roots of group therapy, the different types of groups, the benefits, times when group therapy is and isn’t a good fit, and resources for finding a group appropriate for your healing journey.

This episode covers:

Tea & Crumpets

Emerson currently can’t stop talking about season 6 of The Handmaid’s Tale. The show has been super powerful in Em’s personal journey of feminism and decentering the patriarchy––a true must watch.

Val is currently obsessed with Flow, a 2024 film by Latvian director Gints Zilbalodis, which recently won the Academy Award for Best Animated Feature Film. Val also recommends the website https://www.doesthedogdie.com/ to find trigger warnings for movies, TV shows, books, and more.

Step Into My Office: Group therapy after higher levels of treatment

A listener wrote in about her therapist recommending she join a women’s therapy group for extra support. She completed residential and intensive outpatient (IOP) treatment, and her experiences with groups in those programs were inconsistent –– sometimes great, sometimes terrible. Val and Em share their thoughts on the differences between group therapy in outpatient vs. higher level of care settings, and the reasons why seeking group therapy for extra support can be a great idea.

The Lore

Emerson shared a story from her college years of when she got stuck in a stampede at 2am on Bourbon Street in New Orleans with two of her friends. Obviously, she lived to tell the tale –– and you’ll have to tune into the full episode to hear more!

The DSM: Let’s talk about Group Therapy!

Val starts us off by sharing some of the things that bring people to group therapy, the types of group therapy (including process groups, psychoeducational/skills groups, and support groups), and the surprising safety of group work, when done well.

Then, Emerson dives into Yalom’s group therapy principles: universality (realizing you’re not the only one who feels alone), interpersonal learning (seeing yourself more clearly through how others experience you), corrective emotional experiences (being vulnerable and still accepted), and emotional risk + repair (learning to sit in discomfort and rebuild trust).

Want to learn more about why group therapy may or may not be a good fit for your healing journey? You’ll have to check out the full episode.

Now That’s What I Call…OKAAAAY

Val’s pick for the week was Tell Him by Celine Dion and Barbra Streisand––two icons who need no introduction!

Emerson’s pick for the week was Whole Again by Atomic Kitten. Atomic Kitten is an English girl group formed in 1998 from Liverpool. Whole Again is the groups biggest selling single to date, sold over a million copies in the UK, and was the 13th best selling single of the 2000's in Britain!

Fire Dumpster Phoenix

Val’s find for this episode was  The Alliance for Texas History. Her mom and step-dad recently went to the association’s first ever conference, and shared that they had a great experience. The mission of the Alliance for Texas History is to foster a comprehensive understanding of the rich and diverse history of Texas, in a time where history is being hidden and challenged.

Emerson’s find for this episode was The Offline Club, a Dutch social movement space looking to cultivate public spaces to revive the times before we buried ourselves in our phones. Club chapters are popping up all over major cities in Europe and the brand encourages anyone to start a club by registering as a business entity, and they will provide you with training and branded materials.

If you want to learn more about any (or all) of these topics, click the podcast player at the top of this post or the YouTube video down below to listen to the full episode and dive in with us.

Resources + Stuff Mentioned in This Episode:

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DISCLAIMER: But For Real Podcast is not a substitute for individualized mental health treatment or healthcare. This podcast is solely for entertainment and educational purposes. If you are in crisis, please utilize crisis support services, such as the Crisis Text Line (Text START to 741741 in the US) or the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline: (Call 988 in the US), or visit www.findahelpline.com for international resources.

Colleen Werner
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