Psychotherapy is not always one-to-one: for certain problems, group therapy is more effective. Sharing experiences in a group can be genuinely beneficial. All too often, people are convinced to no-one understands what it is like to have their problem, so when they discover that other share their feelings, it is often a great relief.
People suffering from serious illness may meet together under the direction of a nurse or social worker to discuss their concerns. Family therapy is useful in dealing with childhood and adolescent behavioral problems, while couple therapy can help to untangle the complexities of a troubled relationship.
Co-counseling takes place between two people within a group who take turns to be therapist and client. If a person develops an empathy with the co-counseling partners, the technique can be very helpful, without the cost of a personal therapist.
But the partners must stick to certain rules – no interrupting while the other person is speaking, no giving advice and no passing judgement – and these can be difficult to follow. Observe yourself when you are next listening to a friend talk about his or her problems. How many times did you interrupt, perhaps to recount a similar experience of your own?
Most people will gain something from a talking therapy. However, for therapy to be successful, it is vital to match the type of therapy to the persona and the specific problem.
How to be a Good Listener
It is neither practical nor desirable to use psychotherapy for every problem in life. People can help each other with their problems through sensitive listening. Being a good listener is harder than it sounds, so here are some tips:
- Dent interrupt; if you want to ask for clarification, wait for a natural break.
- Don’t just listen to your friend’s words – look at the body language to gauge his or her feelings.
- Watch your own responses – do you have a ‘blind spot’ when it comes to haring views that differ from your own? Do you, for instances, tense up or switch off when someone says something you disagree with? This can be a huge barrier to being a good listener.
- If you find yourself longing to interrupt, try to re-focus on what is being said.
- Don’t offer advice or opinions, unless asked – even them, think carefully before you speak. Try to be open minded and see the problem from their perspective.