I have started to host and facilitate more and more book groups.
I am doing this for a number of reasons. The first is that I realize that therapy is expensive. Not everyone can afford $250/per session. Yet, almost everyone can benefit from being in a therapeutic environment!
I have a friend who is a Pilates instructor, and it was actually her groups that inspired me to offer my own. She offered a 30-minute virtual group that met weekly for a period of weeks. I joined, and realized I really got a lot out of it. It wasn’t as beneficial or specific as it would have been in a private lesson, but there was still something wonderful about being a part of a group, all focused on growing in a similar way, and all of us joining from our respective homes. (You can see her website here if you’re interested in checking out her awesome pilates groups!)
So I started with a free 30-minute somatic practice group, and then I’ve done two book groups. The current book group is based on Francine Shapiro’s book Getting Past Your Past. This is the second time I have read this book, and I have gotten some good things from it each time.
The groups that I offer are not therapy groups, but they are designed to support people who are therapy-adjacent.
By therapy-adjacent, I mean people who have done therapy before, but are not currently in therapy, or are currently seeing a therapist, but wanting an additional support to work through something specific, or someone who is a therapist, or someone who is interested in working on themselves and has some experience doing this.
I have absolutely LOVED hosting groups, and I plan to continue. I believe I already have the next book selected for “Foundations for Healing Pt. 2”- but I will wait to reveal that until I am sure.
Books are amazing and can offer us so much support. Getting help and finding community does not have to be very expensive. The groups that I have run so far have been less than $20/session, including the cost of the book!
If you are interested in finding some healing, don’t let finances get in your way. Groups are a wonderful way to work on healing.
Some of the benefits that were mentioned by group participants were:
The camaraderie. Whenever one person shared, several people in the group would thank the person for sharing because it paralleled an experience they were having!
The psychoeducation. Books contain so much knowledge, it is easy to educate yourself on therapeutic techniques, examples for setting boundaries, and so much more.
The cost. This method of working allows for less financial backing. Some people spend more at Starbucks each week than the group!
The accountability. Participants in the last group shared how lovely it was that they knew that every Thursday at 6 PM we would be discussing the material together. It helped them to do the reading and think about how it applies to their life.
Convenience. The virtual group format is so convenient to hop on, and because it isn’t a therapy group, you don’t have to join from the same state. (For example, I’m only licensed to practice in Arizona, so whenever I see my therapy clients virtually, they also have to be joining from the state of Arizona.) So if you’re traveling for work, or vacation, you can still hop on for the book discussion, no problem!
The benefit of self-work. This one is hard to put into words, and is different for everyone. For someone, it might mean a closer relationship to their spouse, more boundaries with a family member, or the ability to speak up for themselves with their boss. In the group right now, I see one benefit for participants of being able to calm themselves when triggered. This EMDR primer by Francine Shapiro helps to recognize triggers and gives a whole toolbox of grounding and calming exercises to choose from.
I am so grateful to all of the participants in all the groups that we’ve run so far. It has been a joy to see others relate, empathize, and heal in a virtual community together.
If you have an idea for a book club for the next group workshop, please leave a comment below!