Do you come across therapeutic group activities for mental health patients? The therapy is important because in the world 24. 970 million people struggle with some mental illness, according to The Economic Times. Our mental health covers psychological, emotional, and social well-being and it influences how we think, feel, and behave. Also, it helps in making important life decisions, so it is crucial to take care of mental health and take treatment when it is essential. There are therapies for mental health, such as cognitive behavioral therapy, individual therapy, group therapy, and others. Group therapy activities are one of the essential components of mental health treatment. Let’s understand in detail group therapy activity.
What are Mental health group activities?
Group therapy is a place where multiple patients are treated together. This type of therapy is available at various locations such as private therapy, hospitals, mental health clinics, and community. The patients participate in group therapy activities like cooking, dancing, music, and drawing. This therapy aims to help in personal development, support team members, create social skills, develop self-awareness, and strengthen accountability.
11 Best Mental health group activities
Therapeutic Group Activities for Mental Health Patients are helpful in mental health journeys. The activity related to mindfulness meditation and expressive art therapy is helpful to build connections and personal growth. Let’s understand in detail various group activities such as below:
1. Feelopoly Games
The Feelopoly game helps people identify feelings. In this game, players spin and move around the board in this game, identifying the emotions and recognizing the physical sensations that revoke the individual’s emotions. Once a therapist identifies emotions, it provides a patient with a way to cope with them.
The Feelings game is helpful for all ages but works mainly for emotions. It is a useful tool for mental health professionals because it provides a way to engage patients in mental health and discussion, which helps them during the therapeutic process.
2. Jeopardy Therapy Games for Therapeutic Group Activities for Mental Health Patients
Jeopardy is a popular game that audiences worldwide enjoy. The Contestants select categories and answer clues in the question format. The Jeopardy games help engage and educate individuals about mental health topics. Also, individuals who find it difficult to talk about issues related to mental health feel comfortable discussing sensitive topics with these games.
Several templates are available online for playing the Jeopardy game, or you can use a PowerPoint template to create or modify for mental health engagement and fun.
3. Pictionary Games
These are fun games and expression games for a person. This game is best for children, as it is a place where they can draw and express their thoughts and feelings. Also, it is helpful for patients for whom expressing through words is difficult. In the game, each member draws a picture; after that, members guess the feeling portrayed in each picture.
4. Therapy Bingo Games for Therapeutic Group Activities for Mental Health Patients
The Bingo games replace the letters Bingo with mental health categories such as coping skills. Additionally, numbers are called in these games, and numbers should be matched with a member card to win the game. The game is played between 2 to 15 people. Everyone in the group gets unique cards that contain the same number in different formats, and patients have to circle the box depending on the discussion. Also, It has a printable version of a CBT called CBT L-I-N-G-O. It is one of the therapeutic group activities for mental health patients.
5. Grounding Activity
Grounding Activity helps you to bring yourself into contact with the present moment. The activity where you take a breath identifies the things in such ways: five things you can see, Four things you can touch, Three things you can hear, two things you can smell, and one you can taste.
Another grounding activity is a grounding stone. In this activity, each member will decorate their rock as their creativity will be shown, and mindfulness exercises will be given to a patient.
6. Emotions Wheels for Therapeutic Group Activities for Mental Health Patients
Emotion wheels are popular visual tools. This activity is used in every setting, from the workplace to preschool classes. In these wheels, you can find various versions of feelings and charts online and use them to identify emotions. The colorful design of the wheel or chart grabs the attention of patients. These activities are useful for people of all ages. You can check the kit of emotions wheel download from here.
7. DBT Board Games
Dialectical Behavior Therapy is used for mental health. You can create DBT board games to incorporate DBT principles to enhance skills. The DBT focuses on interpersonal skills, mindfulness, emotional regulation, and distress tolerance. It is one of the therapeutic group activities for mental health patients.
These games involve scenarios where players practice the DBT skills like emotion regulation and distress tolerance. After each round, a person engages in discussions about their experience.
8. CBT Board Games
Cognitive Behavioral Therapy board games are one of the therapeutic group activities for mental health patients. CBT games are designed to incorporate CBT principles into a game format. These games help individuals to develop coping skills, solve problems, and help with emotional regulation. These games are useful for personal development.
9. Therapy Dice
This game is a tried and tested conversation starter for patients. Also, everyone can play these games, so it is good for the group. You can use any cube, from tiny dice to square UPS boxes for the game. Each member throws the dice and answers a question based on which dice they land on. Sometimes, prompts are written on the dice, and sometimes questions will be in the color or number form you rolled.
10. Therapy Jenga
Therapy Jenga is a creative and classic game for counseling. Each block has a question or prompt for the patients. Based on questions or prompts, a person will discuss problems during gameplay. It’s a dynamic way to express emotions and thoughts.
11. Therapy Card Games for Therapeutic Group Activities for Mental Health Patients
Therapy card games are a fun and interactive way to explore emotions and build communication. Games like Ungame or Mindful Games include prompts that encourage self-reflection and discussion. Consider incorporating therapy card games into your therapeutic activities for a creative approach to expressing your emotions.
Benefits Of Therapeutic Group Activities For Mental Health Patients
A group is a place where 2 to 15 members are there. In the group, when therapy took place, it provided benefits such as the following:
Provides A Safe Space
Opening up and gaining comfort in the group’s safe space is a significant benefit. Also, you can trust that the discussion in the group will stay in the group only. Group sessions offer a place where your voice is heard, even if it makes you uncomfortable. Also, you can speak in an unfiltered manner, without any stress and anxiety, as normal, without any formality.
Holistic Learning
Group sessions help you discover yourself as you hear others and understand other people’s struggles. Also, all group members share similar experiences, providing insight you may be unable to see.
Consistent Growth
The goal of therapy is to help you grow. Growth in the form of learning about yourself, overcoming fears, setting healthy relationship boundaries, improving your communication skills, and much more. The group teaches you how to navigate situations and relationships with others. Also, by engaging with the group, you can practice in social situations and break social anxiety.
FAQs
Is group therapy alone enough?
Yes, group therapy is effective because the professional person teaches strategies to individuals to deal with specific problems and provides long-term improvements in the person. For example, if you are in an anger management group, your therapist will suggest methods for controlling anger.
What type of problems does group therapy solve?
Group therapy is solving problems like Phobias, hyperactivity disorder, Bipolar disorder, Panic disorder, Personality and mood disorder, Substance use disorder, Post-traumatic stress disorder, and Depressive disorder.
Was everyone eligible for group therapy?
The American Psychological Association conducts screening and preparation interviews with all potential members before group activity begins. Critical tools such as the 19-item Group Readiness Questionnaire are used to detect risk factors for the dropout of a person or poor outcomes. This assessment helps therapists understand whether to take a person in group activities or suggest an alternative treatment.
Conclusion
In conclusion, therapeutic group activities for mental health patients are crucial in promoting mental health and personal growth. The group settings offer a safe space, fostering learning, self-expression, and social skill development. Games like Feelopoly, Jeopardy, Pictionary, Emotional Wheels, various board games, and other games create engaging patient platforms.
Participating in group therapy not only provides a voice to individuals and open space for shared experiences, allowing members to learn from each other. The growth achieved through these activities is beyond the therapy because it helps create healthy relationship boundaries and communication skills, enhances social skills, and overcomes them. Group therapy, which is well-structured and facilitated by professionals, is an effective approach to addressing various mental health concerns.
Group therapies can do wonders when done with the right group and under the right mentor. People are the priority of Calusa Recovery‘s drug and alcohol treatment programs as well as mental health services. Following physical sobriety, we emphasize character development because it advances the body, mind, and soul. In sobriety, insecurities, anxieties, and fears need to be addressed.
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