For many common problems, individual and group therapy work about equally well in research, so the better choice usually depends on your goals, your comfort level and what is available to you. Individual therapy gives you one-on-one attention and privacy. Group therapy gives you other people who understand, along with practice relating to them in real time.
Part of our guide: Which Type of Therapy Is Right for You?
This article is a general guide to both formats. It is not a description of any program at Mind Body Seven. If you want to know whether a particular group option exists here, please ask the intake team.
How each format works
NIMH notes that most psychotherapy takes place one-on-one with a licensed professional or with other patients in a group setting. Individual therapy is the format most people picture: you and a therapist, usually on a regular schedule.
According to the American Psychological Association, group therapy involves one or more psychologists leading roughly five to 15 people, typically for an hour or two each week. Many groups target one problem, such as depression, panic disorder or social anxiety. Others focus more broadly on things like social skills, anger, shyness or loneliness. Some people attend only a group, and some combine group and individual sessions.
A therapy group is also different from a peer support group. Therapy groups are led by trained clinicians who teach specific strategies, while support groups are often peer-led and informal. Both can help, but they do different jobs.
A side-by-side look
| Individual therapy | Group therapy | |
|---|---|---|
| Attention | All session time is about you | Time is shared |
| Privacy | Only you and the clinician, within legal limits | Other members hear what you share |
| Pace | Set around you | Partly set by the group or program |
| Main strength | Tailoring and depth on personal material | Shared experience, feedback and practice with others |
| Scheduling | Usually arranged with one clinician | Fixed time; closed groups may have a set start date |
What the research says
The evidence is more encouraging about group therapy than many people expect.
- A review of 67 studies that compared both formats within the same study found no meaningful difference in outcomes. It also found no differences in rates of treatment acceptance, dropout, remission or improvement.
- For adult depression, a network meta-analysis of 155 trials found that individual and group CBT did not differ statistically in effectiveness.
- For anxiety disorders, a 2020 meta-analysis found group therapy better than no treatment, with no significant differences compared with individual therapy, though only seven studies made that direct comparison. A separate meta-analysis on social anxiety reached a similar conclusion.
- For OCD, a meta-analysis of CBT trials found a small, non-significant difference between individual and group formats.
- A large review of therapy dropout also found that dropout was not affected by whether treatment was individual or group.
One notable exception: the 2023 VA/DoD PTSD guideline strongly recommends specific individual trauma-focused therapies and finds insufficient evidence to recommend for or against any specific manualized group therapy for PTSD. So if PTSD is the main concern, individual trauma-focused treatment is the better-supported starting point. Averages can also hide a lot, and both the 67-study review and the 2020 anxiety meta-analysis found researcher allegiance affected some comparisons. Equal outcomes on average do not mean each format suits each person equally.
Reasons group therapy may appeal
- You feel alone with this. APA notes the relief of hearing others describe similar struggles and realizing you are not the only one.
- Your difficulty is about people. For social anxiety, shyness or conflict patterns, a group offers real-time practice in a supervised space.
- You want a range of perspectives. Seeing how different people tackle problems can widen your own options.
- You want accountability. Other members can offer ideas and help hold you to your goals.
- Your progress has stalled. APA says joining a group can sometimes help when individual progress has slowed.
Reasons individual therapy may fit better
- You have something you are not ready to share in front of others.
- You need a plan built closely around your history, or several concerns are tangled together.
- Your symptoms are currently intense, and you need closer attention.
- You need a treatment that is mainly recommended in individual format, such as the PTSD therapies above.
- Your schedule makes a fixed weekly group time hard.
- Group settings make you so anxious that you would not attend, at least for now. Some people start individually and add a group later.
A clinician can help you weigh these. Older clinical literature on negative outcomes in groups points to the value of identifying people at higher risk early, setting realistic expectations, and considering a different format or combined individual and group care when needed.
Privacy in a group
Privacy is a fair concern, and it deserves a straight answer. APA says confidentiality is an important part of group rules, but "there’s no absolute guarantee of privacy" when sharing with others, so use common sense about what you disclose. APA's ethics code asks psychologists to describe at the outset the roles of all parties and the limits of confidentiality. If a group leader does not bring this up, ask.
Questions to ask about any group
APA suggests asking the first three of these questions. The others are practical additions:
- Is it open or closed? Open groups let new members join at any time, while closed groups start together and may last a set length, such as 12 weeks.
- How large is it? Small groups offer more individual time. Larger groups bring more perspectives.
- How alike are the members? APA says groups usually work best when members have similar difficulties and function at similar levels.
- Who leads it, and what training do they have?
- What are the rules on attendance, contact outside the group, and leaving?
- Can I see an individual therapist at the same time?
- What does it cost, and how does my plan treat group sessions?
A simple way to decide
- Start with the diagnosis. Find out what you are treating, since that may point to a format with better support, as it does for PTSD.
- Name your main goal. Is it symptom relief, deeper personal work, or feeling less alone and relating better to others?
- Be honest about privacy. Think about what you would need to talk about, and whether you could say it in a room of people.
- Check the practical side. Consider the fixed time, the start date and the cost.
- Try it, then review. Set a point to check in, because the first few sessions in any format can feel awkward. APA notes that an open group may involve an adjustment period while you get to know people.
You may not have to choose just one
APA notes that many people find it helpful to take part in both group and individual therapy. If you are unsure, starting with an individual evaluation can clarify what you are treating. From there, you can talk through whether adding a group makes sense. For guidance on choosing a clinician, see questions to ask before you start, and for broader background, different types of psychotherapy explained.
What to know about Mind Body Seven
Mind Body Seven offers individual therapy. One specific point: its DBT is individual only, with no DBT group. For anything else about group options, ask the intake team. Request a consultation, and the intake team confirms fit, scheduling and costs.
FAQs
Will I have to speak in my first group session?
Expectations differ by group. Ask the leader beforehand how new members are introduced and whether you can mostly listen at first.
Can a teen go to group therapy?
Some groups are designed for teens, but details vary widely. A child and adolescent clinician can advise on whether a group fits and what to look for.
Is group therapy cheaper than individual therapy?
It can be, but it varies by program and insurance plan. Ask about the fee and how your plan treats group sessions before you commit.
Does Mind Body Seven run therapy groups?
This article does not describe any group program. Please ask the intake team whether any group is offered. DBT at the practice is individual only.
