Are you feeling drained by toxic relationships or environments? Join our Toxicity Detox group to explore how toxicity impacts your emotional, mental, and physical well-being. This group offers a supportive space for individuals seeking to set boundaries, rebuild self-worth, and ...
![](https://photos.psychologytoday.com/eb6fcf10-6e70-4104-97de-5082d75496d4/2/320x400.jpeg)
Are you feeling drained by toxic relationships or environments? Join our Toxicity Detox group to explore how toxicity impacts your emotional, mental, and physical well-being. This group offers a supportive space for individuals seeking to set boundaries, rebuild self-worth, and ...
3-6 clinicians meeting together for a guided professional consultation is regarded as an efficient, yet rich and safe environment in which to learn from one another. Group supervision facilitates opportunities to professionally discuss the successes and the challenges of your ...
![](https://photos.psychologytoday.com/04b9bdcf-e31d-4bff-9fa2-f76429fe4097/1/320x400.jpeg)
3-6 clinicians meeting together for a guided professional consultation is regarded as an efficient, yet rich and safe environment in which to learn from one another. Group supervision facilitates opportunities to professionally discuss the successes and the challenges of your ...
Group Supervision in an online format for Australian, trained practitioners. Providing mentoring and support to all types of Counsellors and psychotherapists.
![](https://photos.psychologytoday.com/49ac0f0f-46cd-11ea-a6ad-06142c356176/2/320x400.jpeg)
Group Supervision in an online format for Australian, trained practitioners. Providing mentoring and support to all types of Counsellors and psychotherapists.
Support for navigating mental health as a woman transitions to becoming a mother. Support and treatment post birth for adjustment and/or trauma.
![](https://photos.psychologytoday.com/6dc98c14-1a34-427c-ad98-a111344e51ab/3/320x400.jpeg)
Hosted by Inner Calm Clinical Psychology
Psychologist, PsychD, PsyBA - Clin. Psych
Verified Verified
Group meets in Wollongong, NSW 2500
Support for navigating mental health as a woman transitions to becoming a mother. Support and treatment post birth for adjustment and/or trauma.
The New South Wales State Emergency Service, an agency of the Government of New South Wales, is an emergency and rescue service dedicated to assisting the community in times of natural and man-made disasters. The NSW SES is made up ...
![](https://photos.psychologytoday.com/4d41c7f1-46cd-11ea-a6ad-06142c356176/2/320x400.jpeg)
Hosted by Dr Alyse Price-Tobler
Psychotherapist, PhD, PACFA
Verified Verified
Group meets in Mittagong, NSW 2575
The New South Wales State Emergency Service, an agency of the Government of New South Wales, is an emergency and rescue service dedicated to assisting the community in times of natural and man-made disasters. The NSW SES is made up ...
This 5 week skill group with some elements of processing. What this means is that you don’t need to go into depth about your personal experience or story. We will ask you to share some things about your life and ...
![](https://photos.psychologytoday.com/e1f3f969-3ec7-4a29-94bd-86ae75da2a5c/1/320x400.jpeg)
Hosted by Sun and Water Psychology
Psychologist, PsyBA General
Verified Verified
Group meets in Calderwood, NSW 2527
This 5 week skill group with some elements of processing. What this means is that you don’t need to go into depth about your personal experience or story. We will ask you to share some things about your life and ...
An online 6 week program to support you to clear barriers to your intuition and make the sacred journey back to self.
![](https://photos.psychologytoday.com/433762d0-a92c-45a9-99ba-bcc8bd82b58b/1/320x400.jpeg)
Hosted by Rebecca O'Brien
Psychologist, PsychD, PsyBA General
Verified Verified
Group meets in Termeil, NSW 2539
An online 6 week program to support you to clear barriers to your intuition and make the sacred journey back to self.
Relationships are the cornerstone of our well-being, deeply influencing how we feel and function in our daily lives. When our relationships thrive, we experience greater happiness, resilience, and fulfillment. However, building and maintaining a healthy relationship can be challenging. If ...
![](https://photos.psychologytoday.com/eb6fcf10-6e70-4104-97de-5082d75496d4/2/320x400.jpeg)
Relationships are the cornerstone of our well-being, deeply influencing how we feel and function in our daily lives. When our relationships thrive, we experience greater happiness, resilience, and fulfillment. However, building and maintaining a healthy relationship can be challenging. If ...
A closed, mixed adult online group comprised of people from around the world interested in creative expression for better self-understanding and mental wellbeing. Sessions run 3 Tuesdays a month for 1.5 hours. You will require your own art materials. Creativity ...
![](https://photos.psychologytoday.com/50796cd8-46cd-11ea-a6ad-06142c356176/2/320x400.jpeg)
A closed, mixed adult online group comprised of people from around the world interested in creative expression for better self-understanding and mental wellbeing. Sessions run 3 Tuesdays a month for 1.5 hours. You will require your own art materials. Creativity ...
At Inner Calm we offer couples therapy using the Gottman treatment approach. The Gottman Method is the only treatment approach for couples therapy that is evidence based. This means that the assessments and treatment interventions used have been assessed for ...
![](https://photos.psychologytoday.com/6dc98c14-1a34-427c-ad98-a111344e51ab/3/320x400.jpeg)
Hosted by Inner Calm Clinical Psychology
Psychologist, PsychD, PsyBA - Clin. Psych
Verified Verified
Group meets in Balgownie, NSW 2519
At Inner Calm we offer couples therapy using the Gottman treatment approach. The Gottman Method is the only treatment approach for couples therapy that is evidence based. This means that the assessments and treatment interventions used have been assessed for ...
The Groups at Sun and Water Psychology are skill groups with an element of processing. What this means is that you don’t need to go into depth about your personal experience or story. We will ask you to share some ...
![](https://photos.psychologytoday.com/e1f3f969-3ec7-4a29-94bd-86ae75da2a5c/1/320x400.jpeg)
Hosted by Sun and Water Psychology
Psychologist, PsyBA General
Verified Verified
Group meets in Calderwood, NSW 2527
The Groups at Sun and Water Psychology are skill groups with an element of processing. What this means is that you don’t need to go into depth about your personal experience or story. We will ask you to share some ...
See more therapy options for Illawarra
FAQs - About Group Therapy and Support Groups
How can I find a support group in Illawarra?
Search for nearby support groups by inputting your city, postcode, or the name of the group into the search bar. From there, you can filter to find a group that suits your needs, whether you are looking for support for a teenager, a group that focuses on a specific issue, such as depression, or a particular program type, such as one geared toward developing social skills. To navigate between locations within the same country, enter a new city or postcode into the search bar.
How does group therapy work?
Therapy groups are led by one or more therapists and serve to help people process their experiences and learn from others who understand their challenges firsthand. They can be based on a specific issue, such as addiction, grief, physical illnesses, parenting, and caregiving. They can involve a specific type of program or therapy, such as a social skills group or CBT group. They can also be specific to a particular population or community, such as teens or LGBTQ.
Support groups, like Alcoholics Anonymous, also focus on a specific issue, but are typically led by members with lived experiences and are less structured than therapy groups. Most therapy groups will meet for a fixed length of time with a consistent group of members, while many support groups meet for an indefinite period of time with members coming and going.
Support groups, like Alcoholics Anonymous, also focus on a specific issue, but are typically led by members with lived experiences and are less structured than therapy groups. Most therapy groups will meet for a fixed length of time with a consistent group of members, while many support groups meet for an indefinite period of time with members coming and going.
What are the benefits of group therapy?
Support groups help connect people with shared challenges or physical and mental health conditions. In a group setting, participants can receive support and feedback from peers and can acquire new skills, strategies and perspectives by listening to one another. Discussing your experience with someone who also has a cancer diagnosis, or whose son also struggles with addiction, for example, can help you feel less alone, reduce distress, find empathy and connection, and learn practical or medical information that has helped others. Group therapy can also be a more affordable option than individual therapy and just as effective.
Is group therapy as effective as individual therapy?
Support groups can be deeply valuable for both emotional support and/or treatment outcomes. It’s difficult to make a blanket statement on efficacy due to the many different types of support groups and conditions treated, but group therapy has been found to be just as effective as individual therapy in establishing long-term abstinence for conditions such as substance abuse, addiction and alcohol abuse.
How much does group therapy cost?
Group counselling is typically less expensive than individual counselling, with each session costing on average between $80 to $110. Meanwhile, individual therapy sessions can run anywhere from $100 to $250. It is possible to find low-cost group therapy options and many therapists offer group sessions free of charge.
Does insurance cover group therapy?
If you have private insurance, your plan may cover some if not all of your group therapy sessions. You should contact your insurance provider to determine if they provide coverage for group therapy sessions and to determine what, if any, requirements they might have in order for your sessions to be covered, such as a referral from your GP or medical specialist.
How long does group therapy last?
The length of a support group session is often one hour but can fall anywhere between 45 minutes and two hours. The amount of time that people remain in a support group varies based on their specific needs and goals and the type of therapy. Some individuals may seek a shorter-term group, such as a bereavement group, that may last between six and 20 weeks. Some may seek a longer-term group that lasts for a year or indefinitely.
What are the limitations of support groups?
Support groups have many benefits, but there are a few limitations as well. Support groups do not constitute formal therapeutic or medical treatment, and are not run by licensed mental health professionals, so some people may opt for group therapy or individual therapy instead. Additionally, support groups can depend on the other participants, so a disruptive individual has the potential to mar the group dynamic, and the anecdotal information shared may sometimes be unhelpful or inaccurate. Because it is a group setting, confidentiality can be more difficult to guard and participants receive less personalized attention than they would in an individual therapy session.