group therapy

American  

noun

1. psychotherapy in which a number of patients discuss their problems together, usually under the leadership of a therapist, using shared knowledge and experiences to provide constructive feedback about maladaptive behavior.

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group therapy British  

noun

1. psychol the simultaneous treatment of a number of individuals who are members of a natural group or who are brought together to share their problems in group discussion

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group therapy Cultural  

1. Any form of psychotherapy involving a group of patients, rather than a one-on-one session between a patient and a therapist. (See encounter group).

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Group therapy is often used to explore interpersonal relations.

Etymology

Origin of group therapy

First recorded in 1940–45

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

group therapy

But inviting us to sit down with a show about mental health professionals mending their spirits is group therapy on a massive scale in a time of diagnosable disorder.

From Salon ● Feb. 7, 2026

It felt a bit like being in a group therapy session in which you alone are the primary and discomfited focus.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jan. 22, 2026

The claim is sometime made that funerals are about the living, but that reduces the event to a group therapy session, overlaid with the cloying odor of lilies and gladioli.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Nov. 6, 2025

The organization advocated for area survivors, served as a sounding board to vet contractors and, at times, functioned as group therapy.

From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 30, 2025

Every day is the same: movement therapy, homework, lunch, group therapy, art therapy, individual therapy, then “closing circle.”

From "I Am Not Your Perfect Mexican Daughter" by Erika L. Sánchez