You may be used to managing stress, anxiety, depression, or substance use without letting other people see how much it is affecting you. For professionals and other adults who handle problems privately, discussing personal concerns in a group can feel unfamiliar or even uncomfortable at first.
Our mental health service in Decatur includes small-group therapy sessions with 8-12 participants, each guided by a licensed therapist. Groups provide structured treatment for mental health, substance use, behavioral addictions, and co-occurring concerns in a setting designed for meaningful participation.
Group therapy adds a dimension that one-on-one treatment cannot provide in the same way: working alongside people who are also making changes in their lives. The experience can reduce isolation while adding connection and shared understanding to the clinical work you are already doing.
Speaking in a group can be difficult when you are used to keeping personal concerns private. RestAura limits groups to 8-12 participants, giving each person more opportunity to contribute and receive attention from the therapist.
You are not expected to discuss every personal concern at once. The smaller setting gives you room to become more comfortable participating while still hearing from others working through their own mental health, substance use, or behavioral concerns.
For professionals in Decatur who may feel uneasy about entering a large group, this structure can make participation feel more manageable. It creates room to engage in treatment without becoming anonymous in a crowded session.
Group therapy is more than an open conversation about shared experiences. Each session is led by a licensed therapist who guides the discussion around specific therapeutic goals and helps participants connect the conversation to their treatment.
The therapist manages the pace of the session, encourages appropriate participation, and redirects conversations when they move away from the group’s purpose. They also help maintain boundaries so participants can discuss difficult topics in a structured setting.
This professional guidance allows the group to benefit from open discussion without relying on participants to direct the therapeutic process themselves. It is one of the key differences between clinical group therapy and a peer-led support group.
Knowing a coping strategy is different from being able to use it when stress, cravings, or difficult emotions take over. Group sessions give you structured opportunities to learn and practice skills before applying them in everyday situations.
CBT-based work can help you recognize triggers and challenge thought patterns that contribute to anxiety, depression, avoidance, or substance use. DBT skills can strengthen emotion regulation, distress tolerance, mindfulness, and communication during difficult situations.
The goal is not simply to understand why a problem happens. Practicing new responses in treatment can help you use those skills more effectively during conflict, work pressure, cravings, or other situations outside the group.
2450 Lawrenceville Hwy Ste 102, Decatur, GA 30033
Mon: 8am – 5pm
Tues: 8 am – 5 pm
Wed: 8 am – 5 pm
Thurs: 8am – 5pm
Fri: 8am – 5pm
Sat: Closed
Sun: Closed
Please call (678) 841-7394 to check for availability and
schedule an appointment
Some patterns are difficult to recognize from your own perspective. Hearing how others handle similar emotions, relationships, cravings, or setbacks can help you notice behaviors and responses you may have overlooked.
Listening to how other group members understand and apply changes in their own lives can also introduce perspectives you have not considered. You may see that people can face similar challenges while responding to them in very different ways.
For someone who has kept mental health or substance use concerns private, that interaction can also reduce isolation. Seeing others discuss setbacks and progress can build connection and accountability without assuming everyone has the same experience.
Mental health symptoms and substance use can affect each other in ways that make both harder to manage. Group therapy can address these concerns together by building skills that apply to emotional health and recovery.
For example, someone who drinks when anxiety rises may need strategies for managing anxious thoughts alongside tools for responding to cravings. Groups may address emotional regulation, triggers, communication, coping strategies, and relapse prevention based on their clinical purpose.
Your treatment team considers your symptoms, substance use, goals, and level of care when determining which group work fits your needs. This helps keep group participation connected to the problems you are actually working to change.
Group therapy can serve different purposes as you move through treatment. In our Partial Hospitalization Program (PHP) or Intensive Outpatient Program (IOP), groups may provide frequent opportunities to build coping, emotional regulation, communication, and recovery skills within a structured treatment schedule.
As you move into our outpatient program, group work can place greater emphasis on using those skills during work stress, relationship difficulties, social situations, cravings, and other real-world challenges. Group support can also continue as part of your aftercare program, providing connection and accountability as you take on more independence.
Your symptoms, stability, progress, and daily functioning help determine how group therapy fits into your overall care. As your need for structure changes, the focus of group treatment can change with it.
RestAura Behavioral Health is about 12 minutes from Downtown Decatur via US-29 and Lawrenceville Highway. The entrance and parking are wheelchair accessible.
Driving Directions from Downtown Decatur:
Our location is also convenient for adults traveling from North Decatur, North Druid Hills, and other DeKalb County communities.
No. You are encouraged to participate, but you are not expected to disclose every personal experience before you are ready. Your therapist guides participation based on the group’s purpose, your treatment needs, and what is clinically appropriate.
Group therapy follows clear expectations for privacy and confidentiality, but confidentiality among participants cannot be guaranteed in the same way as individual therapy. Your therapist explains these expectations and any legal limits to confidentiality so you understand them before participating.
Your treatment team matches you with groups based on your symptoms, treatment goals, substance use, clinical needs, and level of care. They consider which group structure and therapeutic focus best support the goals established in your treatment plan.
Yes. Being uncomfortable speaking in a group does not automatically mean group therapy is inappropriate for you. Your therapist considers your ability to participate safely and benefit from the group rather than expecting you to feel comfortable immediately.
That depends on your clinical needs. Your treatment team considers your symptoms, functioning, risk, treatment goals, and need for private one-on-one work when deciding whether group therapy should be combined with individual therapy or other services.
Get in touch with our caring team of treatment professionals today.
All queries are replied within 24hrs.
