There’s lots of mention of individual Therapy aka talk therapy these days but what is it exactly? And what’s the difference with group therapy where there’s also lots of talk? In this article, I explain what individual therapy is, its benefits for treating mental health and addiction issues, and then compare it with group therapy.
What Is Individual Therapy?
Sometimes called talk therapy or psychotherapy, individual therapy is based on an individual’s one-on-one therapy work with a licensed professional psychiatrist, psychologist or counselor who serves as a catalyst, facilitator or interpreter.
The relationship between these two individuals forms the basis of the therapeutic alliance, the foundation for this type of therapy. That’s why it’s important that you feel comfortable with your therapist and take time to get to know them, or other therapists, before deciding who to work with.
Sessions usually last about 50 minutes. They are completely confidential. Individual therapy can also be used alongside appropriate medications.
When Is Individual Therapy used?
In individual therapy the focus is usually on helping a person identify and change troubling emotions, thoughts and behaviors. The main goals are to [A]:
- Process significant events or issues
- Help gain relief from symptoms
- Help deal with emotions
- Modify behavior or thinking
- Maintain or enhance daily functioning
- Improve quality of life
Benefits of Individual Therapy for Addiction
Individual therapy is a key part of addiction treatment. There is a range of types of therapy that may be used, including:
- Psychodynamic therapy which provides in-depth exploration of issues
- Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) which helps reframe negative thoughts and actions to more positive ones
- Dialectical Behavioral Therapy (DBT) which combines elements of CBT with mindfulness work, stress tolerance and emotional regulation
- Motivational Interviewing which acknowledges the difficulty in making significant change while building motivation to follow through
- Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR) which processes past traumatic events through the practice of specific eye movement to help rebuild positive pathways in the brain
Individual therapy offers a number of benefits to those recovering from substance abuse including:
- Confidentiality: Trust is a critical issue for those in recovery and confidentiality is a central aspect of individual psychotherapy
- Personalized approaches: In a 1-to1 setting, you can discuss with your therapist their recommended approaches to understand what they are doing. Together you can focus on what’s most important, such as trigger management, stress reduction, building self-esteem, relapse prevention, etc.
- Appropriate pace: Your therapist will progress at a pace appropriate to your issues and readiness
- Productive therapeutic alliance: Individual therapy enables the creation of a stronger, effective bond between therapist and patient
- Develop greater self-awareness: Through discussion with the therapist and processing their feedback
- Improved communication skills: Most contemporary psychotherapy is an interactive, communicative process, as opposed to classic psychoanalysis where the patient lies on the couch with the therapist behind them
Benefits of Individual Therapy for Mental Health
Individual therapy has many benefits for mental health issues. Common mental health issues for which individual therapy is used include [1]:
- Provide in-depth insight into unresolved childhood issues related to attachment and emotional regulation
- Help a patient, using CBT. to become aware of thought patterns that are inaccurate or harmful, question those, understand how they affect their emotions and behaviors and change them
- Identify how to cope with stress and develop problem-solving strategies
- Look at patterns of social interaction and improve them
- Understand and manage irrational fears
- Learn and apply mindfulness techniques such as breathing exercises and meditation
- Use exposure therapy to help overcome anxiety disorders such as panic attacks
- Monitor emotions and behaviors to better understand their patterns and impact
- Provide supportive counseling to help with distressing issues
- Create safety plans for those with suicidal thoughts or plans
Individual Therapy Vs Group Therapy
There is now evidence supporting the view that individual and group therapy are of equal effectiveness. Essentially this is because humans are biologically social creatures and people are relational. Five types of therapy groups have been identified for substance use recovery purposes [2]:
- Psychoeducational groups: Teach about substance abuse
- Skills development groups: Work on the skills to break addiction
- Cognitive behavioral groups: Reframe thinking patterns and actions that lead to addiction
- Support groups: Where members can debunk each other’s excuses and support constructive change
- Interpersonal process groups: Enable members to recreate their pasts, re-think their ways of relating and examine other life problems that have contributed to their addiction
Here is a quick comparison of the main elements of individual and group therapy:
| Topic | Individual Therapy | Group Therapy |
| Number of people | 1 | 6-12 |
| Goals | Varies with approach described above:Gain insightAwareness of thought patternsAddress attachment issuesImprove emotional regulationImprove problem-solvingManage addictions recovery | Enhance self-respectDeepen self-understandingImprove interpersonal relationshipsGain peer support in coping and problem-solvingImprove emotional regulationManage addictions recovery and relapse |
| Cost | Higher | Lower |
| Effectiveness | Similar | Similar |
| Peer Interaction | None | High |
| Motivation Required | High, as it’s 1-to-1 | Lower, as peer support from group |
| Commitment to abstinence | Lower, since no peer support | Higher, with peer support and pressure |
| Help with co-occurring mental health disorders | Lower since no social interaction with peers | Higher, as variety of issues from others is shared |
| In-depth exploration of issues | Higher as the focus is only one patient | Lower, due to group size |
| Application to outside life | May be lower; depends on type | Higher due to social interaction and feedback from others |
| Support from/to others | None | High, if group functions well |
| Therapeutic alliance | High | May be lower. Varies with functioning of group |
| Center of attention | High | Low, as shared with others |
| Confidentiality | High | Low, as shared with others |
| Flexibility of scheduling | High | Low, as need to accommodate others |
| Negative group dynamics | Low. Dynamic is between therapist and patient | Varies with ability of therapist to manage |
| Modeling of others | High, but only with therapist | High, with a variety of group members |
| Help for marginalized groups (LGBTQ+, refugees) | No peer support | Focused peer support possible |
| Special focus on shame, stigma, isolation | Only with therapist | Can be very helpful once initial reservations are overcome |
| Focus on interpersonal process | Low, as only the therapist | High, as can be worked on with others |
Corner Canyon Can Help
Treatment is available in Utah. Are you or a loved one looking for a compassionate space to heal from trauma, other mental health issues or addiction? Our licensed professional therapists and counselors can provide compassionate help.
Reach out to our Admissions team now at Corner Canyon Health Centers. We’re in a peaceful setting bordered by the beautiful Wasatch Mountains.
Sources
[1] What is psychotherapy? National Institute of Mental Health.
[2] Substance Abuse Treatment: Group Therapy [Internet]. Rockville (MD): Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (US); 2005. (Treatment Improvement Protocol (TIP) Series, No. 41.) 1 Groups and Substance Abuse Treatment.
