Types of Group Therapy for Adults

While different people have different issues to overcome, Group Therapy offers different types of mental health group therapy activities for adults

These are the five most common mental health group activities for adults:

1. Cognitive Behavioral Therapy 

CBT is one of the most prominent mental health group therapy activities for adults. Cognitive-behavioral therapy helps in learning and practicing techniques to manage thoughts and emotions.

2. Support Groups

Support groups offer support to like-minded individuals. People share their personal stories and experiences which helps them cope together

3. Process Group

Process group allows members to come together and brainstorm their inner conflicts between themselves.

4. Psycho-education group

Psychoeducation helps member to go to the root cause of mental disorders, thereby discussing their grievances

5. Skill Development Groups

Skill Development Groups offer a basis for learning skills to overcome and recover from mental health disorders.

10 Best Mental Health Group Therapy Activities for Adults

Below are highlighted 10 mental health group therapy activities for adults –

 1. Checking In:

Create a safe space for participants to share their current emotional state. Use a simple check-in scale (1-5) or a color-coded system to express how they feel. Encourage brief explanations, allowing others to offer support or empathy. This fosters open communication and helps build a sense of community within the group

2. Vision Board

Visualizing goals aids in its implementation. Setting goals and creating a plan to reach those goals is one of the most used mental health group activities for adults. Vision boards help go one step beyond writing down goals. 

3. Two Truths And One Lie

To encourage participants, to come together for a game in which a person tells three statements about themselves out of which two are true and one is false. The group divides itself into pairs to discuss this fun activity

4. Fun Facts

We all have some intriguing facts about us. In this activity, members write fun facts about themselves on a piece of paper. Each paper is kept anonymous and kept in a bowl. Then each member chose a paper from the bowl and guessed the fact about whom.

5. Food For Healing

Nutrition plays a key role in one’s mental health. If used with a substance use disorder group, the group can discuss how substance misuse depletes the body of nutrients. Then have the group create a healthy meal using items provided or by creating a healthy menu on paper.

6. Self-care

Self-care is one of the most essential group activities to make yourself a priority. In this mental health group activities for adults, members come together for ideas on self-care. And held themselves accountable for the same.

7. Sharing Songs

Music soothes the soul. One of the most effective mental health group activities for adults is sharing songs. In this activity, each member shares a song that resonates with their life in some or another way. Then, members play songs for the whole group and discuss the lyrics. While some lyrics might be triggering, members can replace the song with any feel-good or motivational song.

8. Stress Management and Relaxation

Stress can lead to triggering emotional and physical health. While there can be many sources of stress – like peers, work life, etc. Practice these techniques in group therapy. Deep breathing, aromatherapy, and meditation can be practiced anywhere.

9. Support System Review 

A support system is essential in one’s life. Each person in group therapy should be working on building a support system. However, some people they choose for support have characteristics that indicate they will not be the right type of support needed. For example, someone misusing alcohol or drugs cannot be on a support team. Neither can the enabling parents, abusive siblings, ex-lovers from a codependent relationship, or jealous coworkers.

Have each group member present their potential support system. The group is allowed to ask questions and vote on whether the person is a good choice based on the answers

10. Writing Eulogy

While death is inevitable, writing a Eulogy for oneself helps members to focus on the decisions that lead to life and death.

Understanding Group Therapy Formation

Group therapy begins with thoughtful planning by mental health professionals to ensure a safe, effective, and supportive environment. Groups are often formed based on:

• Shared Experiences: Participants may share common challenges, such as managing depression, anxiety, or overcoming trauma.
• Specific Goals: Some groups focus on skill-building, emotional expression, or coping strategies.

Group size typically ranges from 7 to 10 members, as recommended by the American Association for Group Psychotherapy. This balance ensures diverse perspectives while allowing meaningful participation from all members.

Key Elements for Facilitating Group Therapy Sessions

Facilitating group therapy requires a structured approach to ensure the sessions are productive and engaging. Key elements include:

• Establishing Rules and Boundaries: Set clear guidelines to maintain confidentiality, respect, and safety within the group.
• Setting Clear Objectives: Define the purpose of the group and communicate it to participants (e.g., stress management or social skills development).
• Managing Group Dynamics: Monitor interactions to ensure everyone has a chance to participate while managing potential conflicts or dominant voices.
• Building Rapport: Start with icebreakers or activities to create a sense of trust and comfort among members.

Steps to Conduct Effective Mental Health Group Activities for Adults

Here’s a step-by-step guide to running successful group therapy sessions:

1. Prepare the Space: Arrange seating to encourage openness and interaction (e.g., a circle format).
2. Start with Icebreakers: Use simple activities like “Two Truths and a Lie” or “What’s One Thing You’re Grateful For?” to help participants ease into the session.
3. Introduce the Agenda: Outline the goals and activities for the session to give structure and focus.
4. Facilitate Discussions: Encourage sharing and active listening, using prompts to guide conversations.
5. Incorporate Activities: Use engaging exercises like role-playing, mindfulness, or art therapy to promote participation and skill-building.
6. Reflect and Close: Summarize key takeaways and allow participants to share their feelings about the session.

What are the best topics for group therapy?

Most Common group therapy topics for mental health and addiction recovery are as follows:

1. Family Dynamics
2. Substance Use & Recovery
3. Mental Health Conditions
4.  Emotional Wellness
5. Grief and Loss
6. Criminal Behavior
7. Divorce
8. Trauma and Healing
9. Domestic Abuse
10. Phobias
11. Self-Care
12. Weight & Body Image
13. Anger Management