# Group Therapy in London: Choosing an Appropriate Format Canonical: https://rehablondon.uk/group-therapy-london/ Publication: Rehab London Updated: 2026-10-17 Group therapy in London can mean a structured CBT course, a skills group, or psychotherapy that focuses on relationships within the group. Peer-support meetings and educational webinars are different formats again. Before joining, establish the group's purpose, who leads it, what participation involves, and how it fits the difficulties you want help with. The [Royal College of Psychiatrists](https://www.rcpsych.ac.uk/mental-health/treatments-and-wellbeing/psychotherapies) describes group psychotherapy as regular work with other participants and one or more therapists. Other members can offer perspectives and opportunities to understand recurring relationship patterns. A group is therefore more than several individual appointments happening in the same room. ## Compare the actual format A skills-based group usually has a topic and learning goals. The facilitator may introduce a technique, invite discussion, and ask participants to practice between meetings. A psychotherapy group may give more attention to what happens in the interaction itself. These structures can feel quite different, even when both are called group therapy. Format | What to clarify before joining | Structured CBT group | The condition or problem addressed, skills taught, and work between sessions. | DBT skills group | Whether individual therapy, coaching, and the rest of a DBT program are also included. | Group psychotherapy | The therapeutic approach, expected commitment, and use of relationships within the group. | Peer support | The shared purpose, facilitator role, and limits of clinical support. | Educational webinar | Whether it is information only or includes assessment and individual clinical follow-up. | A webinar can be useful without providing psychotherapy. Likewise, a peer group can offer meaningful connection without being a medical service. Clear naming helps you avoid expecting one format to provide something it was not designed to deliver. Ask what happens if a participant needs more personal or urgent attention. ## How learning with other people can help In a skills group, another person's example may make a technique easier to understand. Hearing different ways of responding to a similar problem can widen your options. The value is not that every suggestion fits everyone; it is that the group provides material to consider, test, and discuss with the facilitator. [Tower Hamlets Talking Therapies](https://www.elft.nhs.uk/tower-hamlets-talking-therapies/group-therapy) describes clinician-led groups involving practical strategies, reflection, and work between sessions. It explains that listening and observing can also contribute to learning. This is relevant if your concern is that joining a group means immediately telling strangers every part of your history. For example, a fictional participant who finds it difficult to decline extra work might hear how someone else communicates a limit. The group can discuss what is useful about the approach and what would need adapting. The aim is to develop a response that fits the person's circumstances, not to copy another member's words unquestioningly. ## Relationship-focused groups use a different kind of material The [Institute of Group Analysis](https://www.groupanalysis.org/services-3) describes group analysis in the context of relationships and society. Attention may be given to how people experience themselves with others, both now and in relation to earlier experiences. The therapeutic material can include how someone enters a conversation, responds to difference, or feels when they are misunderstood. A person who often assumes that nobody wants to hear from them might notice that expectation in the group. With careful facilitation, they can explore it and consider other ways of participating. This is not the same as being told to speak more. The work concerns the meaning of the pattern and its effect on relationships. Ask whether the group uses a set curriculum or a more open discussion, and why that approach is recommended for you. Someone seeking a brief course on a particular symptom may have different needs from someone seeking longer-term exploration of repeated relationship difficulties. ## Open and closed groups have different rhythms The [American Psychological Association's group therapy guide](https://www.apa.org/topics/psychotherapy/group-therapy) distinguishes groups that admit new participants over time from groups with a fixed membership. This affects continuity and how new material is introduced. Neither structure is automatically better; the question is how the structure serves the group's purpose. In a course with a fixed sequence, missing an early session may mean missing material used later. A rolling group may revisit core topics so newcomers can join. Ask how absences are handled, whether you can catch up, and what happens if illness or work makes regular attendance difficult. Also ask how endings are managed. A defined course should explain its final review and next steps. In a longer-term group, leaving may be something to discuss in advance. Understanding this before joining helps avoid a mismatch between the commitment you can make and the format being offered. ## Discuss participation before the first meeting Concerns about groups are useful assessment information. You might worry about being recognized, having to speak, hearing distressing experiences, or finding it difficult to follow several voices. Describe the specific concern rather than assuming that all groups will operate like a previous one you found uncomfortable. [Hammersmith and Fulham Talking Therapies](https://www.westlondon.nhs.uk/handf-talking-therapies/group-therapy) describes courses and workshops in which people are encouraged to contribute without being put on the spot. That describes its stated approach; another type of group may have different expectations. Ask the actual facilitator how participation is negotiated. A group should have boundaries around respectful communication. Find out how the facilitator responds if one person dominates, gives intrusive advice, or shares material that becomes difficult for others. The answer should explain the process, not simply promise that conflict never happens. ## Confidentiality needs a realistic explanation Clinicians have professional responsibilities, and participants should be asked to respect each other's privacy. However, no group can guarantee that every other member will always keep information confidential. The APA guide discusses the importance of privacy expectations. Consider what you are comfortable sharing and ask how breaches would be addressed. Useful rules cover names, identifiable stories, recordings, social media, and contact between members outside sessions. If you discover that someone from work or your community is in the group, ask privately how the service handles that situation. A London location or a large participant pool cannot eliminate every chance of overlap. For remote groups, ask about display names, cameras, headphones, and who might overhear at home. Joining from a shared room can expose other members' information as well as your own. Discuss practical limits before enrollment so you know whether an in-person or differently structured option would be more suitable. ## Match the group to the clinical need A group should have a reason for bringing those participants together and a process for assessing whether it fits. Similar symptoms do not necessarily mean identical treatment needs. A person may need an additional individual intervention, medication review, or support for another condition alongside the group. For example, a DBT skills group is only one possible component of a broader DBT program. Our [London DBT guide](https://rehablondon.uk/dbt-london/) explains the distinction. A general stress-management group should similarly not be assumed to deliver condition-specific treatment for every anxiety disorder, trauma presentation, or addiction problem. [NICE's social anxiety guidance](https://www.nice.org.uk/guidance/cg159/chapter/Recommendations) recommends individual, disorder-specific CBT for adults and does not recommend routinely preferring group CBT to it. This illustrates why the format should follow the clinical question. A service offering a group should explain its rationale and discuss suitable alternatives rather than saying all formats are equivalent. ## London pathways include both local courses and specialist psychotherapy Tower Hamlets Talking Therapies invites self-referral followed by assessment, where group options and availability can be discussed. Check its current borough eligibility and the exact course offered. A description of several possible groups does not mean every group is running or accepting new members at the same time. [Westminster Psychotherapy Service](https://www.cnwl.nhs.uk/services/mental-health-services/adult-and-older-adult/westminster-psychotherapy-service) describes an initial consultation that may lead to individual psychotherapy, group psychotherapy, or mentalization-based treatment. It advises interested patients to speak with their GP or care coordinator. This is a different route from signing up for an open educational workshop. [Camden and Islington Psychodynamic Psychotherapy Service](https://www.northlondonmentalhealth.nhs.uk/service-details/service/camden-and-islington-psychodynamic-psychotherapy-service-84/) also describes individual and group treatment for adults. Its local service scope and assessment process need checking. The existence of an NHS group in another borough does not automatically create access for every London resident. ## Addiction groups need appropriate facilitation The [UK alcohol treatment guidance](https://www.gov.uk/guidance/clinical-guidelines-for-alcohol-treatment/5-psychosocial-interventions) emphasizes training and supervision for practitioners delivering group interventions. Managing several participants' needs requires skills beyond giving a talk. Ask who facilitates the group and whether they are trained in both the specific intervention and group work. A residential timetable may contain therapy, educational sessions, activities, and peer meetings. Ask which sessions involve a qualified clinician and which serve another purpose. The number of group hours alone does not establish the amount of psychological treatment. Our [day-program guide](https://rehablondon.uk/day-programs-intensive-outpatient-london/) explains how to compare the wider schedule. ## Review the fit after joining Early discomfort can be expected in an unfamiliar group, but it should remain discussable. Tell the facilitator if the format prevents you from learning, if a boundary feels unclear, or if another participant's behavior is concerning. A constructive response considers the issue rather than assuming that every difficulty is resistance. Review your own goals alongside attendance. Are you applying a skill, understanding a recurring pattern, or finding it easier to engage with others? If the group is not meeting the intended need, discuss adjustments or alternatives. The guides to [individual therapy](https://rehablondon.uk/individual-therapy-london/) and [practitioner credentials](https://rehablondon.uk/checking-treatment-provider-credentials-london/) can support that comparison and help you choose the next step.