What is Group Therapy?
The American Group Psychotherapy Association reports: "Group works! In studies comparing group psychotherapy to individual therapy, group therapy has been shown to be as effective and sometimes even more effective."
We believe group therapy is a fast and effective form of treatment for most clients for several reasons. First, most presenting issues have some connection to past or present relationships and how one feels about oneself, others, and one's life as a result of those relationships. Whether one has experienced loss, mistreatment, rejection, being pushed into a role to please others, or one of the many other things that go awry in our relationship experience, group is a direct and powerful way to heal the issues that result when relationship patterns and feelings toward oneself in relationships are a source of the presenting concern (such as anxiety, depression, low self-esteem, communication or anger issues, etc).
The second reason we think group is helpful for most clients is that clients can practice applying the insights and skills they are learning in individual therapy, such as awareness of feelings, their source, and the ability to express them vs. acting them out. Looking at relationship dynamics in real time as reactions are occurring with other group members allows profound development to happen naturally. While exploring, the therapist or other members may notice things about the person that wouldn't be apparent in individual therapy and that the person might not know to report to his/her individual therapist. So, group not only helps people learn to be more authentic and have a more full and loving sense of self, to have healthier relationships, to communicate effectively and not recreate painful childhood relationship dynamics in present relationships, but then also results in less stress, depressed feelings, distress, etc, because of these changes and because of the support of the group.
The group's support is not the focus of our groups (as it would be in a support group), though deep relationships are often formed with other members. Our groups are psychotherapy groups where the focus is on exploring one's real self and feelings that are stimulated by the relationships in the room (which will inevitably mirror the relationship dynamics and feelings that arise outside of group). So, what we want to see in our groups is people talking to each other about how they feel with each other moment to moment.
Jev, Sydnor, & Charlotte are 3 of only 12 psychologists in Austin who are Certified Group Psychotherapists. Jev helped found the Austin Group Psychotherapy Society and was its second president, and Glenn is a current board member.
We invite you to look over the list of groups we offer and consult with us about them. Which group you join would be based not only on scheduling, but on how who you are fits therapeutically with the characteristics of each group. Whether or not group would be beneficial and appropriate for you at this time would be assessed by the group's leader in a pre-group interview.
Group Schedule
4:45pm Young Adult Group (ages 18-30)
Led by Charlotte Howard, Ph.D. & Glenn Olds, Ph.D.
4:45pm Group
Led by Sydnor Sikes, Ph.D.
6:35pm Adult Group
Led by Charlotte Howard, Ph.D.
Tuesdays
8am Adult Group
Led by Jev Sikes, Ph.D.
4:45pm Young Adult Group (ages 18-30)
Led by Tori Olds, Ph.D. & Glenn Olds, Ph.D.
4:50pm Group
Led by Sydnor Sikes, Ph.D.
5:30pm Young Adult Group (ages 18-30)
Led by Charlotte Howard, Ph.D.
Wednesdays
7:45am Adult Group
Led by Jev Sikes, Ph.D.
4:45pm Adult Group
Led by Jev Sikes, Ph.D.
6:30pm Adult Group
Led by Jev Sikes, Ph.D.
Thursdays
8am Adult Group
Led by Jev Sikes, Ph.D.
12:30pm SCT Training Group
Led by Sydnor Sikes, Ph.D. & Joy Luther, MSSW, LCSW
4:45pm Group
Led by Sydnor Sikes, Ph.D.