Running head: Group Counselling 1

Advantages and Disadvantages of Group Counselling as Compared to Individual Therapy

Student’s Name

Institutional Affiliation
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Abstract

The purpose of this paper is to identify the advantages and disadvantages of group counselling.

We will compare the group with individual counselling. The aim is to determine the

effectiveness derived from using group counselling and analyse it for personal advice. It is a

common practice for one counsellor to consult with one patient or client, but that idea is fast

fading away. Increased research in counselling has led to the adoption of group counselling.

More counsellors prefer group sessions than individual advice.

Introduction

Group counselling is where a therapist works with more than individual at the same time. The

individual involved in group therapy must share the same goal (McMahon, 2016). A typical

problem/situation must be a unifying factor for counselling to occur. More than one therapist

may be involved in the session. People recovering get to know that there are people faced with

similar challenges that they are facing. An excellent example of a group counselling session is

the Alcoholics Anonymous movement. The group carries out group counselling for its members

or to any interested person. Cancer survivors and patients also have group counselling (Swartz,

Maria C., et al., 2017) the importance of group therapy is to give hope and encouragement to one

another. Individual marketing, on the other hand, is where an individual has one counsellor.

There is no interaction with other people. It is strictly confidential between the patient and

therapist ("Individual Therapy," 2014). There are two types of groups counselling namely closed

and continuous. Closed groups are where no person fill up the position in case a member leaves.

Continuous groups are where there is freedom and join at any time. Restriction on joining and

leaving is not restricted. Group counselling is changing the dynamics of therapy as it is more

acceptable today ("Group Therapy vs Individual Therapy," 2016). It has a higher success rate.
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METHOD

Instruments

1. A closed question was asked to which counselling method one would prefer. The

participants gave the advantages and disadvantages of their preferred method.

2. Health or mental status of individuals including recovering addicts and mental condition.

The participants who went for counselling session revealed their preference.

Participants

Participants included recovering drug addicts, trauma patients, terminally ill patients,

nurses, therapists and doctors in various hospitals. Social media survey.

Procedure

The participants recruited from different hospitals and AA meeting groups. We visited

three hospitals and asked patients, doctors and nurses about the preferred counselling

method. We attended an AA meeting to find about their preferences. The AA group was

a bit hesitant in sharing information but eventually did. I got results from the social media

post. In total 300 participants participated in the research.

Results

60% of the individuals opposed individual counselling. The AA group for an

overwhelmingly 90% in support of group therapy. Terminally ill patients supported

personal advice. They voted 80% against group therapy. There was little significant

difference in the overall score for those supporting group or individual therapy.

Effective group counselling must consist of a common purpose. The group structure must be in

uniform with the setup objectives. There should be rules and regulations to ensure that the group
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therapy is sufficient (Nagpal, 2018). Those who supported group counselling gave the following

reasons:

Advantages of Group Counselling

a) There is free interaction with team members.

Members meet and interact with various people in the group. Interaction forms the basis of

giving each other hope and encouragement. The only shortcoming to group interactions is where

there is a disagreement between members ("Top 25 Advantages and Disadvantages of Group

Counseling - WiseStep," 2018). It is therapeutic even for troubled people to encourage other

people who are going through the same predicament or worse. It gives them a sigh of relief to

discover that they are not the only ones suffering. It brings innovation.

b) Creates a feeling of belonging

People more often become lonely. They feel like outsiders who do not belong to any group. The

information shared today over the internet is often misleading and very opinionated. One cannot

rely on the internet to get proper counselling. In a group setup, individuals experience similar

problems that need attention. Everyone contributes to discussions. It creates confidence in people

as they continue to share regularly.

c) Understanding the issue under discussion

Discussions result to interactions among individuals. It becomes easy to understand the concepts

involved in solving them. When people express their inner feelings, it becomes easy to relate to

similar issues.
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d) Aids in Planning

Before any group counselling sessions, strategies can be made to ensure everyone is in the same

direction. Planning is critical. It is the first step for any counselling session. Considerations and

suggestions are taken to account. A decision whether pre-counselling ideas should be incorporated

into the counselling session to ensure effectiveness.

e) Saves time

Group counselling helps keep a lot of time. It will take a lot of time to counsel patients who share

a common problem individually. It takes minimal time for therapists to advise more people at the

time.

f) More feedback is received

Each counselling session tackles a specific topic. A course can deal with depression, pain,

obesity, panic disorder, shyness, grief or shyness. When people hear the stories of people with

similar problems as them, they tend to relate to the situation. They open up to one another. The

responses received manage to build stable relationships among the group members. Hearing the

opinions and thoughts of other people helps people to heal well. The free flow of information

forms the basis of research on how to assist different people in solving similar predicaments.

Social skills which are an essential factor in human development is enhanced.

g) Cost-effective

Counsellors lower their fees when they attend to patients collectively. Group therapies cost

about a third of what individual therapy sessions.

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h) Teach patients new methods of coping with issues.

Every individual has a unique method of dealing with their problems. The group setup allows

individuals to hear how different people deal with their questions. It is essential in deciding

and discovering which method will work best. They identify which coping mechanism will

work to their advantage and benefit. A member present in the group therapy can learn a lot

from hearing how another individual handles a problem. They might be having the same

problem but limited knowledge on how to solve the issue.

i) Provides a supportive environment to share problems

Members associated with a particular group face the same challenge. Having the knowledge

that a problem is popular with other people provides comfort.

j) Social skills are enhanced

Interactions among people in a group improve the social skills of people. In the beginning,

some patients struggle in relating to other people. As they begin to engage with other

members or share in group forums, their social skills improve significantly. Social skills

improvements are one of the primary goals and objectives of group therapy. The counsellor

in charge of the group assists members to learn how to communicate sentiments well. The

fact that one surrounds themselves with people who have the same goals makes it easier for

them to improve their social skills. Communication is the key to meaningful counselling.

When a person cannot share their views well to be understood, the therapy session fails. The

bonding that takes place in group therapy improves individuals’ self-esteem.

k) Encourages participation of Individual

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The group environment ensures people's participation in discussions. Issues become easy to

express. People take into consideration the feelings of others. It leads to the development of

practical ideas that will benefit most members of the group. There is likely to be a difference in

views and opinions which will result in the best solutions forged.

l) The minimal judgement of group members

Sympathy dominates group therapy. There is little room for judging others. Every individual

in the group has a goal of overcoming similar problems. Equality is common ground among

members. Even in cases where outburst or emotional breakdowns occur, little judgement

happens.

Disadvantages characterise group therapies. Fear is the primary disadvantage of group

therapy.

Disadvantages of Group Therapy

1) Fear. Passing a message across a room of people makes some individual anxious. The

idea of revealing intimate descriptions of themselves is a source of discomfort. It is

difficult for one to share their personal information with a group of people ("Weighing

the Pros and Cons of Group Therapy," 2017. They regard some members in the group as

strangers. Fear is predominantly common with new members of a group. It takes time for

them to understand group dynamics and start opening up to other people. Fear leads to

reduced participation in group forums. It results in little achievements of the group goals

and objectives. The therapist has a hard time identifying patients’ issues when they

cannot express themselves freely.

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2) Lack of confidentiality. The reason why individuals fear sharing about their problems is

fear that their personal information will reach other people. They feel that intimate

knowledge is to be shared only with their partners or people who are close to them. Lack

of sharing one's true feelings limits the possibility of solving a problem. The counsellor

can emphasise the need for confidentiality, but it is not guaranteed. Privacy is not

guaranteed when someone meets someone they know in a group session. Individuals tend

not to keep quiet in search forums. In Alcoholics Anonymous (AA) meetings

confidentiality is preached, but information about their meeting still leak to the outside

world.

3) Group therapy is not the best solution for handling a crisis. Individuals who are faced

with a crisis benefit most using a one-on-one interaction with a therapist. Some people

dominate discussions because they have the feeling that issues are urgent than other. New

patients are experiencing trauma to go for group therapy before using one on one

treatment. There might be a need for personal counselling before group counselling.

4) Conflicts may arise. In a personal counselling session, friction between the patient and

the therapist can be easily solved and kept at bay. Group setup provides a hostile

environment to resolve conflicts. The difference in opinions and views is a source of

disputes. Individuals disagree on a specific topic results in a waste of time. Personality

traits of members play a significant role in the functioning of a group. Personality

conflicts are a source of additional concerns to the group. It causes delays in

achievements of the group objectives.

5) Rejection. Sometimes members in a group feel left out. They are not able to bond well

with other members or the therapist. A feeling of rejection becomes imminent. The
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individual thinks that he is not receiving adequate attention as they should. It is difficult

for therapists to have a successful session where some members of the group feel left out.

6) There is a violation of privacy. The laws bind therapists not to share personal information

of their patients without the consent of the patients. Whether there is agreement among

members of a group not to disclose the group's knowledge, there is still risk that some

information will leak. There are high chances of automatic sharing of personal

information.

7) Suitability. Some individuals are not suited for group therapy. Individuals suffering from

trauma should get a one-on-one counselling session. Those having suicidal tendencies or

are in a crisis are not suited for group therapy. Individuals who require specialised

attention should see a physiologist for a personal session.

8) Discomfort. Personal discussions bring intense emotions. People expressing their feelings

become a source of embarrassment to some individuals. When individuals become

uncomfortable, the therapeutic value of the sessions decreases significantly.

The choice of type of the therapy to be used focuses on specific individuals. Group therapy is

beneficial but for everybody (Maree, 2018). Some people get the best results using individual

treatment.

Individual Therapy

Individual therapy involves a person seeking counselling and the therapist. Psychotherapy is

used to refer to different treatment. Individual therapy has benefits to the beneficiary (Dryden

et al., 2014)

Advantages of Individual Therapy

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1) The patient received specific attention. The therapist gives their full attention to the

client/patient. The client can express all his problems and feelings freely to the

counsellor.

2) Confidentiality is guaranteed. Individuals' information remains a secret. All information

shared remains strictly between the patient and the therapist. The counsellor is bound by

law to protect the privacy of their patient. In case the therapist breaches the

confidentiality agreement, legal action taken against them.

3) Comfort. The patient and the doctor/therapist work in synch. The pace at which the

sessions is convenient to the client. Both parties set the rules of engagement together. The

patient does not feel left out in decisions regarding their treatment.

4) Greater intimacy. The therapist gives direct feedback to the patient. There is a clear

understanding between the counsellor and the individual. A therapeutic alliance

transpires between the parties involved.

5) Easier scheduling. Clients decide the perfect time to schedule their appointments. The

time they choose to see the therapist is convenient. The patient selects a time no

distraction will hinder them to attend a session.

6) Focused treatment. The treatment that occurs in individual therapy sessions focuses on

the client. The client receives personalised attention. A therapist can concentrate on the

clients' specific problems. No external influence is present to interfere with the direction

the counselling sessions are taking. The one on one treatment makes it easy for the

patient to open you. They can reveal all information regarding their problem freely to the

therapists.
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Individual therapy helps shy individuals to get rid of the stigma associated with people

attending counselling sessions. Individuals get to discover about their lives. Patients get to

know how to handle their emotions well. Patients learn how to improve how they relate to

others. The primary objective of individual therapy is to empower. People take control of

their lives through insights of the counsellors.

Disadvantages of Individual Counselling

1. Expensive. Individual counselling is more costly than group counselling. The cost of the

session is boring by one person. In group counselling where many individuals cost share,

therapy is cheap. The individuals feel the entire pinch of costs.

2. One viewpoint. There is only one perspective in solving issues. Individual therapy has

only one counsellor linked to one patient resulting in a few opinions. The client relies

heavily on the therapists' views to make decisions ("What are the advantages and

disadvantages of individual counselling? - Quora," n.d.).

3. Motivation. Some patients lack the motivation of revealing their secrets and personal

information to one individual. In a group setup, one gets motivated to share as they see

other people share their knowledge. When they look at people have similar problems with

theirs it becomes easy to open up. From the very beginning of counselling, a patient can

decide to conceal information. It is difficult for the counsellor to get the critical

information from secretive patients. Lack of knowledge is a hindrance to effective

therapy.

4. Intrusive. Sometimes individuals' therapy forces people to share things that they do not

want to share. They get into a situation in which they have to give information on things

they regard as personal.

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Findings

There is no universal form of counselling. Different counselling needs require different

counselling methods. Group therapy is gaining momentum but is underused. Many

people have reservation about group counselling. It takes a lot of convincing for

individuals to join group counselling. Individual therapy remains the most popular form

of advice that people use. There is a widespread lack of awareness for hurt individuals to

attend therapy.

In some cases therapy is associated with a class of people. It is an activity for people of

high living standards. Limited resources are put into research to develop the best

counselling practices. Therapist and counsellors disclose confidential information of their

patients. Patients do not trust therapists with their personal information. There is a large

number of people who would like to attend counselling sessions but are unwilling. The

high cost of therapy is a big discouragement for deserving people to access counselling.

Recommendations

1. Assessment of individuals is essential before recommending any form of therapy.

Different people will respond differently to various types of counselling.

2. People require lessons on the importance of seeking counselling whenever they with a

situation that warranties professional help.

3. Government and health stakeholders should invest money in research to develop the

best counselling practice.

4. Counselling fee should be made affordable or even free of charge for those who

cannot afford them.

5. People should adhere to confidentiality agreements.

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Emerging Trends in Counselling

There have been emerging trends in counselling. There is the extensive use of

technology ("Current Trends in Counseling Psychology," 2012). A therapist has

phone call counselling sessions with their clients. Other methods used for counselling

include video calls via platforms like WhatsApp and skype call. Email counselling is

taking root where all correspondence between the patients and client is over the

internet. The diversity of gender, religion and ethnicity have started taking shape in

advice.

Conclusion

Professionals should access individuals before deciding which form of counselling is

appropriate. Both group and individual advice have their fair share of advantages and

disadvantages. The information is dependent on an individual's needs. The method of

counselling cannot cut across the board to meet all needs. The success of therapy

focuses on the relationship between all the participants involved. An individual

should choose his/ her method of counselling. Stigmatization associated with people

attending counselling should become a thing of the past. Health stakeholders should

play an active role in making a conducive environment can thrive. Some individuals

prefer group therapy while the other individual. It is advisable for a professional to

advise an individual on which form of treatment would work for them.

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References

McMahon, M. (Ed.). (2016). Career counselling: Constructivist approaches.

Routledge.

Swartz, Maria C., et al. "Effect of home-and community-based physical activity

interventions on physical function among cancer survivors: a systematic review and

meta-analysis." Archives of physical medicine and rehabilitation 98.8 (2017): 1652-

1665.

Individual Therapy. (2014). Retrieved from https://www.goodtherapy.org/learn-

about-therapy/modes/individual-therapy

Group Therapy vs Individual Therapy. (2016). Retrieved from

https://americanaddictioncenters.org/therapy-treatment/group-individual/

Nagpal, J. (2018). Practical-3 Life Skill Approach-Counselling Adolescents. IGNOU.

Top 25 Advantages and Disadvantages of Group Counseling - WiseStep. (2018, June

18). Retrieved from https://content.wisestep.com/top-advantages-disadvantages-

group-counseling/

Weighing the Pros and Cons of Group Therapy. (2017, November 15). Retrieved

from https://www.everydayhealth.com/emotional-health/weighing-pros-cons-group-

therapy

Dryden, W., & Palmer, S. (2014). Individual counselling. "Handbook of Counselling,

Maree, J. G., & Che, J. (2018). The effect of life-design advice on the self-efficacy of

a learner from an environment challenged by disadvantages. Early Child

Development and Care, 1-17.

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What are the advantages and disadvantages of individual counselling? - Quora. (n.d.).

Retrieved from https://www.quora.com/What-are-the-advantages-and-disadvantages-

of-individual-counselling

"Current Trends in Counseling Psychology. (2012, October 1). Retrieved from

https://www.argosy.edu/our-community/blog/current-trends-in-counseling-

psychology