How does it work? 
A maximum of eight people and a psychotherapist, seated in a circle,  meeting once or twice a week, for 90 minutes, at the same time/s and in the same place.  

There is no formal agenda.  There is no system for dividing the group time.  It is down to each member and the group.  Communication takes place through 'free floating discussion'. This allows you to talk at your own pace about what's bothering you.  One week you might choose to talk, another week you might choose to listen.

People are greatly influenced by their experiences in the complex family, social and cultural groups where they have grown up.  Group analytic psychotherapy works from an understanding that problems which originate within groups can be treated effectively in groups.

Relationships with other group members 
Your relationships with the other people in the group, including the psychotherapist, how you respond and how you are responded to, are of central importance in this form of psychotherapy. It is essentially psychotherapy of the group, by the group. 

On joining a group you are asked to commit yourself to confidentiality, by not talking about the group outside the group.  In addition, participants are asked to avoid social contact with other group members. This is in order to safeguard the privacy of all participants and to maximize the potential for saying the things that are normally so difficult to give voice to in everyday life.

Leaving
People leave the group at a time negotiated with the group - with a minimum of a month’s notice.  The group itself, however, continues indefinitely, taking on new members to replace those who have left.

Group analytic psychotherapy is essentially a set of relationships that will enable you to:

* Take a good look at yourself;
* Face up to what's difficult;
* Get things off your chest;
* Learn that you are not alone;
* Work out solutions;
* Make changes;
* Develop more satisfying, open and honest relationships;
* Feel that you have more control over the quality and direction of your life.

Finally, to help you think about your decision, to work out if group therapy is for you, I suggest you read my article entitled “Why Group Therapy”.