Why group psychotherapy?

Psychologically speaking, group therapy offers normalization of experience, social support, direct and vicarious learning, opportunity to better understand how you function in relationships, and an opportunity to practice giving and receiving feedback. Financially speaking, group therapy is an affordable way to participate in psychotherapy on a self-pay basis.

Groups dealing with the issues of Existence & Being

Staying Awake/Mindfulness Practice Group
Meaning of Life Group (Logotherapy group application)

Recovery-oriented groups:

Meaning of Life Group (for substance use clients)

This is an 8 sessions long group that is structured around the Logotherapy curriculum for substance use clients developed by P. Somov.

The rationale for examining the existential backdrop of substance use is as follows: a) the search for meaning aids in search for motivation for recovery, b) recovery, while a treatment goal, is not a life goal per se; recovery is a means to end, not an end in and of itself, and c) substance use is normalized and humanized as an understandable but problematic search for meaning, for some, and, for others, as an understandable, albeit problematic, form of coping with meaninglessness. The facilitator models a contemplative, non-judgmental atmosphere and reinforces the idea that philosophizing or thinking about meaning of life is not a luxury but a necessity.

The following are the specific eight discussion themes that structure the curriculum of the Meaning of Life group, as they pertain to the issues of substance use.

Theme 1: Meaning of Meaninglessness
Theme 2: Meaning of Adversity
Theme 3: Meaning of Self
Theme 4: Meaning of Presence
Theme 5: Meaning of Death
Theme 6: Meaning of Freedom
Theme 7: Meaning of Substance Use
Theme 8: Meaning of Transition


Lapse/Re-lapse Prevention Group (for substance use clients)

This is an abstinence-maintenance12session long structured group that offers the following agenda:
- learning to distinquish between Slips, Lapses, and Re-Lapses
- craving control training
- Slip Prevention training
- Lapse Prevention training
- Relapse Prevention training
- Relapse Termination planning
- assistance with devising a customized Use Prevention Plan
- behavioral dress-rehearsal/psychodrama/role-play of use prevention skills (as described in P.Somov (2008) article on the use of psychodrama for substance use


Stress Management groups:

Leaving Work at Work group

an 8-session co-ed process group designed to facilitate end-of-the-work-day de-compressing beforereturning home; the group offers each participant to review the stressors of the work-day, to receive support from fellow group members, to experience a degree of normalization, as well as possible feedback on coping; the group offers in-session guided relaxation training conducted by the facilitator; and an element of priming before going home after work that enables a healthy re-entry into one's personal life, while leaving work at work.

General Stress Management group

a structured 4-session group designed to enhance client’s stress management by helping clients develop cognitive, meta-cognitive, behavioral, and mindfulness-based psychological resources; aside from addressing personal stress management skills, the group also emphasizes attributional re-training to help clients enhance their interpersonal functioning in family, work, and personal relationships.


Interpersonal/Relational Health groups:

• Co-Ed Process Group
• Men's Process Group
• Women's Process Group

All of the Interpersonal Health groups are unstructured, but professionally facilitated process groups designed to increase one's insight into the interplay between intra-personal (internal) and inter-personal (external/relational) dynamics, to leverage better relational health and relational satisfaction.

Health Psychology/Behavioral Medicine groups:

Chronic Pain & Headache Management Group

structured 6-session groups designed to help clients develop cognitive, behavioral and mindfulness-based psychological resources to deal with the condition in question, as well as to provide a supportive forum to facilitate normalization and adjustment to illness.


Skin Disorder/Psychocutenous Group

a structured 6-session group for sufferers of skin disorders that have been shown to be exacerbated by stress (psoriasis, etc.), to facilitate symptom management, stress management and adjustment to illness; clients with skin disorders with chronic itching and scratching (dermatitis, eczema, pruritis, etc.) are provided with behavioral and mindfulness-based skills to break the itch-scratch cycle.


Mindful-not-Mouthful Eating Re-Training Group & Workshops

based on P. Somov's book "Eating the Moment: 141 Mindful Practices to Overcome Overeating One Meal at a Time"


Cardiac Health Group

a structured 4-session group designed to facilitate cardiac health through stress management and establishment of a systematic psychological self-care routine; aside from facilitating psychological self-care through cognitive, behavioral and mindfulness-based approaches, the Cardiac Health Group also provides attributional re-training with the goal of facilitating less reactive, less stress-prone interpersonal/social functioning.


Insomnia Management Group

a structured 4-session group designed to address primary insomnia via a combination of stimulus control and sleep hygiene to stabilize sleep-wake cycle, and development of cognitive-behavioral resources to deal with sleep-impairing cognitions; clients who fail to benefit from the initial insomnia management intervention are provided with a sleep-restriction protocol that they can attempt on their own or with Dr. Somov's assistance, onan individual basis.


Smoking Cessation Group

a structured 4-session group that utilizes QuitSmart™ cognitive-behavioral approach to smoking cessation; this group can be used in conjunction with nicotine replacement therapies and other pharmacological smoking cessation aids (such as Zyban, etc.); this group will be co-facilitated with Dr. Marla Somova, Ph.D. (a certifiedQuitSmart™ leader).

Group Rules

1. Confidentiality

In order for all group participants to feel safe to talk about their lives and to share their feelings and what is going on for them, it is vital that all group participants commit to maintaining each other’s confidentiality. While it may be quite appropriate for you to talk with others (outside of the group) about your own experience of the group, it is vital that in doing so you do not discuss confidential information that belongs to your fellow group members.

2. Respectful Communication and Behavior

In order for the group to be a meaningful experience, it is often necessary to share how you feel about what is going on for you at a given moment in the group. Any feelings are okay but we do have to be careful about how we express these feelings. Let us strive for respectful communication and behavior towards each other to assure a meaningful and safe experience.

3. Attendance

It is important that you make this group experience a priority for the next couple of months. Groups tend to develop cohesion, a sense of inter-reliance, over time, and function as a network. It is because of this network quality of the group that your presence is important: the group is not the same without you. With this in mind, it is important that you show up regularly and on time, for the duration of the group. Also, if possible, try to come in 5-10 minutes early to allow time to collect co-pay.

4. Socialization Outside of the Group

If you develop a relationship with a fellow group member outside of the group, you are encouraged to share this fact with the rest of the group. Doing so will help the rest of the group appreciate the possible changes in the dynamics between you and the other group member. Group-wide socialization (with everyone involved at the same time) outside of the group therapy sessions is preferable to group members socializing one on one. Once the group has run its course, group re-unions and any other forms of socialization between group members are certainly welcomed.

5. Participation

This is an unstructured, process- (rather than content-) oriented group. In some sessions, we as a group might spontaneously focus on a given individual, in other sessions the discussion might revolve around the issues and dynamics of several group members. While the group facilitator or fellow group members are likely to inquire about what is going on for you if you have been withdrawn or uncharacteristically silent, it is important that you take the primary responsibility for your participation.

6. Termination

You are, of course, free to withdraw from the group. If, however, you decide to stop participating in the group, it would be important if you could attend one more group session to share this decision with your fellow group members, to give yourself an experience of closing relationships and to also allow the courtesy of closure to your fellow group members.

Tips for Group Participation

Try to be you, exactly as you are, without worrying too much about what others think of you, without trying hard to be liked. Being you is enough.

At the same time, try to be open to feedback. Seek it out and, when it’s given, try to examine the feedback non-defensively. You have nothing to defend.

Take a risk of self-disclosure. That’s the beginning towards self-acceptance.

Try to be emotionally available to others. Offer support, if you can. Listen. Relate.

Feel free to ask questions of each other. Try to learn from each others’ experience.

You don’t have to talk to participate. You can participate by listening and attending to each other.

Say you are feeling something in response to something that is being said in the group. Allow yourself to reflect on this feeling. What do you make of this feeling you are having right now? Consider bringing this up for discussion.

Group Size:

While groups often include as many as 8 (and even more) participants, Dr. Somov offers small size groups (of no more than 6 individuals per group) to facilitate maximum opportunity for interaction and cross-talk.

Group Session Duration & Frequency:

All group session, unless noted otherwise, are 1 full hour in duration, unless otherwise specified,(that is, 60 minutes, as opposed to "clinical hour" of 45-50 minutes reimbursed by insurance/third party payers). Typically, groups will meet once a week, unless otherwise specified.

Copyright by Pavel G. Somov, 2008.