Highest Standards, Nationally Recognized:
Every group therapy at Avalon Malibu is designed to help the client work towards a restructuring of the self. At Avalon Malibu, group activities and excursions through nature allow our clients to experience a peaceful setting in which to explore and engage with peers in order to heal. Staff members guide clients to participate in healthy, mindful and positive interactions. Avalon Malibu offers a wide range of recreational options to help clients re-create a happier, healthier lifestyle. Art group and individual therapy choices serve a purpose which goes far beyond entertainment.
Group psychotherapy is a form of therapy in which a small group of people meet under the guidance of professional therapists. These therapists are trained in allowing group members to help themselves and one another. This has been a standard treatment option for over 50 years. Introspection can help people uncover specific things about themselves that they need to work through their feelings. This type of self-reflection can contribute to strengthening family and intimate relationships. Avalon’s effective methods help clients address feelings of isolation and depression, and help participants to make changes to improve the quality of their lives.
At Avalon Malibu, therapy sessions are collaborative, in which the therapist assumes responsibility for the whole group and its members. Within each session, members typically work through their problems, emotions, ideas and feelings as honestly as possible. This openness gives the group relevant information and enables each person to understand and help each other. Group therapy allows each of the members to become therapeutic helpers.
Group therapy or psychotherapy is diverse; not every group is alike. There are a variety of styles that groups use, including interacting between members or addressing thoughts and behaviors. Some group methods are geared toward learning how to control negative thoughts or phobias, and others may work to relieve anxiety-inducing situations.
At Avalon Malibu, group psychotherapy is always led by a professional therapist. Group therapy is different from an alcohol or drug support group, or a self-help group, in that self-help groups usually focus on a particular shared symptom or situation.
As individual clients join group therapy at Avalon Malibu, they will learn from each other to better understand their own patterns of thought and behavior. They will see similarities and perceive reactions from one another. Each member learns that they are not that different from one another and they are not alone. The whole group learns to work on a shared problem together, which creates more involvement, progress and benefit for every participant.
Avalon Malibu’s therapists and counselors are highly knowledgeable in converting conflict and resistance into positive energy, which supports and powers group therapy. Consistency in procedure helps provide a safe and stable environment within our group therapy sessions. When the upheaval in the lives of our clients is considered, it is important to keep a constant predictability in all aspects of the group. Disruptive group members, such as clients who talk incessantly or bolt from the sessions, are assisted professionally. Crises are turned into opportunities quickly and effectively. People who abuse substances are within a broad spectrum of the population spanning all ages, ethnic groups, personal histories and conditions. Avalon Malibu’s strong and effective leadership team of therapists uses the skills, qualities, styles and approaches required in any kind of therapeutic group setting.