Women’s Only Group Therapy

(Date: TBA)

I facilitate therapy groups for women who are seeking support while making significant changes in their lives, large or incremental.  The intention of the group is for participants to gain encouragement from myself, and each other, as they each set goals for themselves and take actionable steps to reach them over time. For example, a number of women have moved from a deep fear of conflict to a place of strength where they’re able to withstand the anxiety they previously associated with conflict, allowing them to create the life they really want. Some participants have sought out higher education, while others have found the courage to leave relationships that fizzled out years before. No matter what the goal, working together with a group of women who’ve set their own goals, seems to offer each member the motivation to rise to their challenges.

Why work in a group?

It’s been my experience over time that doing this sort of personal work in a group setting can often be more effective than in a one-to-one situation. For example, as you work through the hurdles that you face while making significant changes, you’ll receive helpful feedback and suggestions from not only myself, but from the others in the group. And, as you get to know the women in the group, you’ll likely come to see the fears you’ve struggled with throughout your lifetime are shared by many others. You’ll come to understand that you truly aren’t alone.

How many participants?

There will be a maximum of 6 participants in the group, mainly to keep it to a size where members feel comfortable and safe enough to share their own experiences. In this way, it’s possible to get to know – and be known – intimately among other women in the group. And yes, many have developed connections with each other that move them beyond the group setting, such that several remain friends today.

Who can participate?

Women who are interested in doing this kind of work. You must be over the age of 25.

When?

The sessions will take place weekly on Thursday evenings at 6:30-8:00m in my West Vancouver office. Please contact me to find out when the next group will be starting.

Timeline?

There won’t be an official ‘end’ to the group. Rather, I would ask you to commit to 4 weeks at a time, and at the end of that period, you can either continue (again, for another 4 weeks), or you can step out of the group if you wish. The timing will be entirely up to you. We can discuss this further at our first session, but feel free to send me an email if you have any specific questions regarding this, or about anything else regarding the group.

The cost?

The cost of each session is $90 but, as I mentioned previously, you’ll need to prepay for four sessions. Payment is by eTransfer or by Visa or MC.

My individual client sessions are $200/hr (plus $10 GST) so this is significantly more cost-effective than seeing me privately. However, please feel free to make an appointment to see me individually throughout (or after) the group if you think it would be helpful to you.

What to do next?

Just send me an email to: Suzanne@stjohnsmith.ca and put  “Group Therapy: Save Me a Spot!” in the header.