Even when you have wonderful people in your life, relationships can still be challenging to navigate. Luckily, there is a lot you can learn to support your relationship goals and help you co-create the dynamics you want with others. As a counselor with a special experience in relationships of all types, I’ve found that a Relationship Process Group is one of the best ways to learn.
Relationship groups that are process groups are different from a support group or individual counseling. Process groups act as a sort of laboratory for experimenting with new ways to interact with others. You can discover more about your own patterns, get real time feedback on how you are showing up and being perceived, and then you can practice your new skills all in one space!
Who Might Benefit from a Relationship Process Group?
I tend to believe that everyone can benefit from learning more about relationships since they are often so central to meaning in our lives. However, there are some specific patterns that you may have noticed that could be limiting you. Maybe you tend to give more than you get, have difficulty trusting others or obtaining the level of intimacy you want, or feeling like you are always being judged or perceived negatively.
Perhaps the quality of your relationships has been plagued by communication issues, jealousy, insecurity, or the inability to successfully resolve conflicts. Some people may experience challenges in specific areas like co-parenting or navigating nontraditional partnerships like polyamory. Whether your concerns are primarily related to your platonic or romantic connections, your experiences can add value to a Relationship Process Group, and you can benefit from learning new skills with others.
What to Expect from Participating in a Relationship Process Group
The key to the effectiveness of a Relationship Process Group is the quality of the relationships established among and between the members. Because the therapists and the group will work together to co-create a space that feels safe, it should feel accessible to be vulnerable and share your feelings which will develop these relationships further.
Groups do this by adhering to confidentiality and not revealing any details that would identify other participants outside of the shared space. You respect each other by not offering advice and instead, listening for how someone is feeling. Group members are open, honest, and offer feedback from a place of empathy and kindness. You may learn to communicate openly, and are committed to showing up for each other.
All of this creates a dynamic where you are invested in each other’s success and can encourage each other to stay on track as you pursue your goals.
Benefits of Joining a Relationship Process Group
Challenges with relationships can have a significant impact on your mental health. By improving your relationships, you can improve your overall quality of life.
A big part of how you learn in a Relationship Process Group is through gaining a deeper understanding of yourself. You’ll do this by noticing how you interact with other members of the group (facilitators can help us learn to recognize this) and hearing from others how your behavior affects them.
This self-awareness provides the foundation for making positive changes in your relationships. By listening to other group members and understanding their perspectives, you can develop a greater sense of empathy. This whole process requires authenticity, vulnerability, and honesty about your own feelings throughout, but these are all valuable relationship skills in and of themselves!
In a Relationship Process Group, you can also learn and practice communication skills, assertiveness, and tools for navigating conflict.
What to Consider When Joining a Relationship Process Group
Relationship process groups can help you improve your relationships, and they take time. Here at Catalyss Counseling, we ask that participants commit to a minimum of four weeks in the group. This gives yourself a chance to get comfortable enough to start participating in the work of the group. And, this will give you a better sense of whether the group is a good fit for your personality and values and how you might benefit. You also get an individual screening with a counselor who will help you assess whether the group would be a good fit for you.
The Relationship Process Group that I co-facilitate at Catayss Counseling is focused on here-and-now interactions, open to all genders, closed, and limited to six people. This group also offers rolling, open enrollment as spots are available. You can work with the group as long as it feels supportive for your relationship goals. If you are willing to put in the work, joining a Relationship Process Group can be a rewarding experience that can help you to improve your relationships and overall well-being.
How We Can Help
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Other Therapy Services Available at Catalyss Counseling:
Here at Catalyss Counseling, we want to meet all of your counseling needs in the Denver area. Our supportive therapists provide depression counseling, therapy for caregiver stress, grief and loss therapy, stress management counseling, couples counseling, and more. We also have specialists in trauma and PTSD, women's issues, pregnancy and postpartum depression or anxiety, pregnancy loss and miscarriage, and birth trauma. For therapists, we can also provide clinical supervision with Firelight Supervision! We look forward to connecting with you to help support your journey today.
Author Biography
Jessica Carpenter is a therapist with Catalyss Counseling who works with adults who have experienced stress or trauma to develop better self-regulation skills. Jessica is also a licensed massage therapist, yoga therapist, and TRE provider. She is passionate about making wellness accessible to everyone. Follow Catalyss Counseling on LinkedIn, Facebook and Instagram.