How does Group Therapy help with Personality Disorders?

Personality Disorders are largely understood as mental disorders with a dysfunctional pattern of thoughts and behaviours. They fall under 3 clusters: Cluster A, Cluster B, and Cluster C based on their different characteristics.

It was long thought that Personality Disorders were incapable of treatment because of the nature of their characteristics. However, many individual psychotherapies such as Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT), Dialectical Behaviour Therapy (DBT), and Mentalisation-Based Therapy (MBT) are effective in helping manage them such that they have minimal impact on the daily lives of those coping with personality disorders.  

Also read: The Effectiveness of Different Therapies for Personality Disorders

Before moving ahead, let’s note that different psychotherapies and treatments help different people. It is helpful to learn about the different treatment options for us to start our journey in understanding Personality Disorders. 

This blog discusses therapies in group settings such as cognitive-behavioural group therapy, dialectical behaviour group therapy, and compassion-focused group therapy.

What is Group Therapy?

Dr Joseph Pratt introduced group therapy for treating people with pulmonary tuberculosis. He found that the people’s shared experiences and support helped them cope emotionally. 

Group therapy is a way of treatment wherein one or more licensed mental health practitioners supervise a group of people as talk about a shared concern they have. They may share their journey with the concern, how they coped, their experiences, and so on. The mental health practitioner might also suggest different activities and other helpful things.

Note: Couples therapy is a type of group therapy that focuses on improving the communication pattern between a couple. It is not the same as group therapy. 

Group therapy has been effective with mental conditions such as anxiety, depression, personality disorders, and substance abuse disorders. According to research, you can most benefit from group therapy with 6 to 12 people involved. 

Also read: Heal From Within: Establishing a Healthy Support System for Addiction Recovery

How Does Group Therapy Work For Personality Disorders?

Compared to individual therapy, group therapy gives you a sense of belonging and assurance in the treatment. You realise that you are not alone and you get to learn from others having similar experiences as you. You get a chance to offer and seek support which are essential factors in any treatment. 

You learn techniques to cope with the challenges that come with the mental disorder along with others going through something similar. This develops your communication and socialisation skills such as empathising, active listening, and cooperation. Attending to others also builds self-awareness which can indirectly help in coping with the dysfunctional thoughts that stem from the Personality Disorder. 

You can also learn to model the helpful behaviours of others who have successfully managed to get through experiences that you are facing in the present. Modelling is a form of learning where you learn by initiating the way others behave or act in different situations. 

Group Therapies that help with Personality Disorders 

Cognitive-Behavioural Group Therapy

Cognitive-Behavioural Therapy (CBT) is a type of therapy that focuses on changing the way you think and behave. In group settings, it does not just focus on changing your core beliefs but also on understanding the mechanisms of change for all to understand. 

The group helps you understand your automatic thoughts and behaviours in certain situations stemming from your core beliefs. You learn to collaborate with the therapist and the other members to figure out other behaviour options that can be more helpful.

As the group members are also going through some Personality Disorder, there is little stigma and shame in exploring the underlying cognition behind certain behaviours. As the behaviours are gently challenged in a non-threatening way, you can be motivated to restructure your beliefs and choose differently the next time.

Dialectical Behaviour Group Therapy 

Primarily used for treating Borderline Personality Disorder (BPD), this treatment is now used to work with all Personality Disorders. Dialectical Behaviour Therapy (DBT) is a type of structured CBT. 

Also read: Understanding and Managing Borderline Personality Disorder

In group treatment, DBT is understood as a skills training group that focuses on training you in skills such as

• Mindfulness,
• Interpersonal effectiveness,
• Emotion regulation, and 
• Distress Tolerance Skills

DBT focuses on accepting yourself where you are and exploring options for change at the same time. The support received from other group members helps validate your experience and motivates you to make positive changes. The therapist assigns homework related to the skills taught to encourage you and others to track your progress and get an insight into your emotions and behaviour. 

Also read: The Benefits of Mindfulness in Treating Depression and Anxiety

Compassion-Focused Group Therapy 

Some Personality Disorders like BPD are characterised by shame and self-criticism. This leads to an increase in anxiety attacks and negative self-talk. In such cases, compassion-focused group therapy can be helpful. It is designed to address shame and self-criticism stemming from the personality disorder.

The therapist and other group members help you be self-reassuring of your capabilities and rekindle faith in your treatment. With the group’s support, you learn to be more compassionate to yourself and your personality disorder during the treatment.

Also read: How Self-Compassion Can Help Treat Mental Health Disorders and Addiction

Ultimately, in the words of Carl Rogers: the client is the expert. You know what can work best for you as per your needs, capabilities, preferences, and goals. 

If you have any more questions about how can group therapies work with Personality Disorders, talk to our mental health coach. You can solve your doubts over a 20-30 minute free call on booking a slot. 

Sources:

• https://americanaddictioncenters.org/therapy-treatment/group-individual 
• https://www.agpa.org/home/practice-resources/evidence-based-practice-in-group-psychotherapy/personality-disorders 
• https://www.cambridge.org/core/journals/advances-in-psychiatric-treatment/article/group-cognitivebehavioural-therapy-for-anxiety-and-depression/458CD3360742FE9E90AEB107493E2F0C