Group Psychotherapy for Better Relationships - Interpersonal Growth & Connection

Group psychotherapy is one of the most powerful—and often overlooked—ways to create meaningful change in your relationships. While individual therapy can offer valuable insight, group therapy brings your relational patterns to life in real time. In Irvin D. Yalom and Molyn Leszcz’s landmark text, The Theory and Practice of Group Psychotherapy, the therapy group is described as a “social microcosm.” In other words, the way you show up in your life—your habits around conflict, closeness, boundaries, and vulnerability—will naturally emerge in the group. That’s not a flaw; it’s the opportunity.

I am excited to start my first group since going into private practice 5 years ago in the next couple months. embers will have the chance to experience what Yalom calls interpersonal learning: the ability to understand, in a direct and compassionate way, how you impact others and how others experience you. Many of us walk through the world with untested assumptions—“I’m too much,” “People lose interest in me,” “If I assert myself, I’ll be rejected.” In a well-facilitated group, these beliefs can be explored and gently challenged. Members offer thoughtful feedback, practice honest communication, and learn how to tolerate and repair moments of tension. The work is experiential, dynamic, and often deeply moving.

Yalom and Leszcz also emphasize universality—the profound relief that comes from discovering you are not alone. If you’ve ever felt isolated in your relational struggles, group therapy can be transformative. Hearing others articulate similar fears reduces shame and builds connection. Over time, members begin to take risks they might avoid elsewhere: setting boundaries, expressing disappointment, asking for reassurance, or allowing themselves to be seen more fully.

If you are longing for more satisfying relationships—whether with partners, friends, family, or colleagues—group therapy offers a unique and effective path forward. My hope in starting this group (and future ones to come) is to create a space that is warm, thoughtful, and growth-oriented: a place where insight meets action, and where new ways of relating can be practiced in real time. For many people, group therapy becomes not just a treatment, but a turning point.