Skilled Based Groups

There are many types of group therapy. Some may focus on a specific clinical diagnosis, such as social anxiety; others may be centered around a theme, like managing grief for example. This Skills Based Group will provide you with a personal toolkit to take care of your mental health throughout your daily life.

There are different types of models for group work that include:

• Psychoeducation groups: A therapist may use the group to teach people about clinical conditions or look at current coping mechanisms
• Cognitive-behavioural groups: A therapist may use CBT techniques to help individuals identify and change unhelpful thinking and behaviours into more constructive ones
• Skills development groups: This model encourages clients to support each other talking about the strategies they use or problem solving activities.
• Interpersonal groups: These groups help clients gain an understanding of how to improve their emotional development and behaviour by analysing their social interactions and interpersonal relationships with other group members.

Sometimes these approaches are combined - depending on the needs of the group.

In relation to this Skills Based Group, we will offer a mixture of psychoeducational, cognitive-behavioural and skill development groups. It will serve as a supportive, practical space to learn new tools whilst working towards an individual goal.

This group is based on the principles of evidence-based psychological approaches: Cognitive Behavioural Therapy and Compassion Focussed Therapy, with each of the five sessions centred around a specific theme. Techniques have been selected based on what people routinely say they have found most helpful in therapy; the strategies they come back to again and again in enabling more effective, meaningful and fulfilling lives.

Groups themselves have been shown to reduce symptoms of anxiety and depression. In the group setting, individuals are able to share personal issues and experiences in a confidential space, enabling a unique sense of interpersonal support that individual therapy alone cannot provide.

What to expect

• An initial phone consultation with Dr Michalczuk, where you can ask any questions and will be supported to identify a therapy goal to work towards during the group.
• Five 90 minute in-person sessions over five consecutive weeks. If any sessions are missed due to illness/unforeseen circumstances, there will be the opportunity to schedule a 1:1 session with Dr Michalczuk to recap on session content.
• A weekly check-in email exchange with Dr Michalczuk to support implementation of new strategies in your daily life.
• Opportunity to meet and learn from other people. This will be a closed group, with 4-6 participants.
• To receive comprehensive therapy skills handbook (“toolkit for daily life”) and other resources designed to facilitate ongoing progress beyond the group.
• Fees are £980 for the full course. Payment for the full course will be required prior to the first group session. Unfortunately, most insurers (apart from GeoBlue) do not
  cover the fees for any group-based therapy so sessions will need to be self-funded.

Course schedule

Week 1: Low Mood and Stress

• Exploring our own triggers for low mood and establishing behavioural coping strategies

Week 2: Unhelpful Thinking

• Identifying and addressing unhelpful thinking styles. Understanding how our thinking can be a barrier, and building skills in self-compassion

Week 3: Worry and Rumination

• Overcoming the impact of worry and rumination, which commonly play a significant role in maintaining stress

Week 4: Sleep

• Establishing the fundamentals of good sleep and implementing strategies to sleep well consistently. (This is more than just sleep hygiene!)

Week 5: Getting out of your head and into the moment

• Knitting together the skills we’ve covered, with a particular focus on bringing ourselves into the present moment - the only place where life can be lived!