Group therapy is as effective as individual therapy for many conditions, and in some cases more so. A review by the University of York found group therapy at least matches individual therapy for outcomes across depression, anxiety, and a range of other conditions. The right format depends on what you’re working on, what kind of support helps you, and what’s available where you live.
What is group therapy?
Group therapy is mental health support delivered to more than one person at a time. Formats vary:
- Small intimate groups of 5 to 12 people who talk through what they’re going through, listen to each other, and work alongside a trained therapist or facilitator.
- Larger groups (sometimes 50 or 100+) where the therapist guides exercises and participants take part by listening, or by speaking when they choose.
- Topic-specific groups focused on a particular issue: anxiety, grief, addiction recovery, queer identity, parenting.
Even the act of listening to others in a group has measurable health benefits. You don’t always have to speak to get something from being in the room.
Is group therapy as effective as individual therapy?
For many conditions, yes. Academics at the University of York published a review concluding that “group therapy was effective, and in some cases it was more effective than individual therapy.” Dr Paula Truax’s separate study found that group therapy specifically relieved symptoms of depression.
The forms of therapy that work in individual settings (cognitive behavioural therapy, mindfulness-based approaches, psychotherapy) also work in group settings. The mechanism is different, but the outcomes are comparable.
When does group therapy work especially well?
Group therapy adds something individual therapy can’t: the lived experience of other people in the room. That’s particularly valuable for:
- Conditions where isolation is part of the suffering. Depression, anxiety, addiction, queer identity-related distress. Realising other people are working through similar things reduces shame and the “I’m the only one” feeling.
- Practising new behaviours. If you’re working on assertiveness, boundaries, communication, or just expressing emotions you usually mask, a group is a safer place to practise than your actual life.
- Hope-building. People in your group will be at different stages of their journey. Hearing from someone three months ahead of you can shift what feels possible.
- Cost. Group therapy is significantly cheaper than individual therapy in private settings (often £25 to £30 per session vs. £60 to £90).
When is group therapy not suitable?
Group therapy isn’t right for everyone. The honest list of when it doesn’t work:
- You’re in acute crisis or actively suicidal. You need direct, focused support, not a setting where attention is shared. Our safeguarding page has crisis resources.
- You can’t reliably function in a group setting. If panic, dissociation, or other symptoms make it impossible to stay present in a room of people, individual work is the better starting point.
- You have a strong phobia of speaking in groups. Larger listen-only groups can be a workaround, but if even being in the room feels unmanageable, individual therapy makes more sense.
- You want a fully private space. Group therapy involves other people hearing things about you. If that’s a hard no, that’s a fine reason to choose individual.
How is queer-led group therapy different?
For LGBTQIA+ people, group composition matters a lot. A queer-affirming group, where most or all members are LGBTQIA+, lets you skip the explanation work and get straight to the therapy. You don’t have to translate your relationships, your gender, or your context for the group to understand what you’re saying.
Specialist queer-led groups are scarcer than general groups, especially outside major cities. Pink Therapy keeps a UK directory of queer-affirming therapists, some of whom run groups. Local LGBT charities sometimes run free or low-cost groups too.
What does it feel like to start group therapy?
Most people are nervous before their first session. Preferring to talk to a single therapist one-to-one about things that feel private is the most common starting point.
What often happens in practice: within a session or two, you discover other people are dealing with exactly what you’re dealing with, and a sense of belonging takes the edge off the nervousness.
Sharing thoughts and feelings with a group is cathartic. It’s a chance to be vulnerable and feel heard. Research published in the International Journal of Group Psychotherapy found that “collective identity has an impact on self-esteem,” so being in group therapy with people who share something fundamental with you (queer identity, addiction recovery, grief experience) increases the positive effects.
If you’re considering group therapy, you can usually speak to the facilitator before joining about what you’d be comfortable sharing, what the format looks like, and what to expect from the first session.
Where to next
- How much does therapy cost in the UK? covers individual and group therapy pricing in more detail.
- NHS Talking Therapies offers some group sessions, depending on the area.
- Pink Therapy for queer-affirming therapists and group facilitators in the UK.
- Kalda’s Self Guided Therapy bundle is a third option that sits alongside or between formal therapy. Lifetime access for £99, queer-affirming throughout.
Originally published 1 May 2023; revised for the new Kalda site, May 2026.