detoxing masculinity: group for men of color
This facilitated weekly group will utilize a combination of psychoeducation, group process/discussion and experiential activities (mindfulness, trauma-release, expressive arts,etc) to explore our diverse experience as men of color. Part of our work as self-identified men of color is to unlearn ...
Hosted by Sarwang Parikh
Marriage & Family Therapist, MA, LMFT
Verified Verified
Group meets in Oakland, CA 94611
This facilitated weekly group will utilize a combination of psychoeducation, group process/discussion and experiential activities (mindfulness, trauma-release, expressive arts,etc) to explore our diverse experience as men of color. Part of our work as self-identified men of color is to unlearn ...
Men's Group
A group for men to connect, share about personal topics and support one another. Topics may include: intimate relationships, expressing emotions, work & career, and examining the ways men are socialized in society, all with the goal of fostering more ...
Hosted by Woody Wu
Marriage & Family Therapist, MA, LMFT
Verified Verified
Group meets in Berkeley, CA 94702
A group for men to connect, share about personal topics and support one another. Topics may include: intimate relationships, expressing emotions, work & career, and examining the ways men are socialized in society, all with the goal of fostering more ...
Wild Women Unleashed
In this 8 week expressive arts therapy group for women, we will be utilizing movement, drama, painting, writing, and collage to explore the archetype of the Wild Woman as a doorway to personal power, intuitive knowing and creative energy. This ...
Hosted by Judy Noddin
Marriage & Family Therapist, LMFT
Verified Verified
Group meets in Oakland, CA 94603
In this 8 week expressive arts therapy group for women, we will be utilizing movement, drama, painting, writing, and collage to explore the archetype of the Wild Woman as a doorway to personal power, intuitive knowing and creative energy. This ...
Ongoing adult therapy group
This ongoing group consists of mental health professionals or graduate students who wish to enhance their personal growth and development. It is a very stable group whose participants are interested in expanding their ability to trust, support and gently challenge ...
This ongoing group consists of mental health professionals or graduate students who wish to enhance their personal growth and development. It is a very stable group whose participants are interested in expanding their ability to trust, support and gently challenge ...
Somatic Therapy Skills Group
An 8-week holistic therapy group drawing from yoga philosophy, mindfulness meditation, EMDR and Dr. Peter Levine’s Somatic Experiencing®. Learn skills to trust and utilize your body as your guide in working toward greater awareness, authenticity and presence. In this group ...
Hosted by Shauna Bergh--Somatic Therapy & EMDR
Marriage & Family Therapist, MA, LMFT, RYT-500, SEP
Verified Verified
Group meets in Oakland, CA 94608
An 8-week holistic therapy group drawing from yoga philosophy, mindfulness meditation, EMDR and Dr. Peter Levine’s Somatic Experiencing®. Learn skills to trust and utilize your body as your guide in working toward greater awareness, authenticity and presence. In this group ...
Healing Course to a Healthy & Lasting Relationship
Calling all Single Women! It's Your Time. Are your ready to embark on a life changing journey towards attracting a healthy, emotionally available mate? Are you tired of being in a dysfunctional or toxic relationships? Do you repeatedly find yourself ...
Hosted by Dr. Vernita Marsh & Associates
Psychologist, PhD
Verified Verified
Group meets in Oakland, CA 94610
Calling all Single Women! It's Your Time. Are your ready to embark on a life changing journey towards attracting a healthy, emotionally available mate? Are you tired of being in a dysfunctional or toxic relationships? Do you repeatedly find yourself ...
Recovery Group
We will discuss sorting out your different sources of stress and identifying and prioritizing specific actions that are in your power to take to address them.
Hosted by Women's Support Groups
LPC Intern, APCC
Verified Verified
Group meets in Oakland, CA 94611
We will discuss sorting out your different sources of stress and identifying and prioritizing specific actions that are in your power to take to address them.
Beyond Surviving to Thriving
This group is for adult survivors of childhood trauma, who have worked on the issues of their childhood, and are now ready to focus on thriving in their lives. Work in the group is focused on creating and sustaining healthy ...
Hosted by Phyllis Rothblatt
Marriage & Family Therapist, MA, LMFT
Verified Verified
Group meets in Berkeley, CA 94709
This group is for adult survivors of childhood trauma, who have worked on the issues of their childhood, and are now ready to focus on thriving in their lives. Work in the group is focused on creating and sustaining healthy ...
DBT Skills Group
Hosted by Hannah Michele Raiden-Wright
Clinical Social Work/Therapist, LCSW, MPH
Verified Verified
Group meets in Oakland, CA 94610
Meditation Support Group
This group is for beginning and intermediate meditators to learn and practice meditation in a supportive small group. Many people feel they "can't" meditate, they give up quickly, or continue to try but find it very difficult and unpleasant, often ...
Hosted by Heather Hardeman Galvano
Marriage & Family Therapist, MA, LMFT
Verified Verified
Group meets in Berkeley, CA 94705
This group is for beginning and intermediate meditators to learn and practice meditation in a supportive small group. Many people feel they "can't" meditate, they give up quickly, or continue to try but find it very difficult and unpleasant, often ...
Christian DBT Skills Group (Online)
This group is to learn skills to change behaviors, emotions, and thoughts that cause problems in living. The group includes a mindfulness, distress tolerance, emotion regulation, and interpersonal effectiveness modules. We will learn how to learn how to 1.) be ...
Hosted by Katina Laib
Marriage & Family Therapist, LMFT
Verified Verified
Group meets in Fremont, CA 94538
This group is to learn skills to change behaviors, emotions, and thoughts that cause problems in living. The group includes a mindfulness, distress tolerance, emotion regulation, and interpersonal effectiveness modules. We will learn how to learn how to 1.) be ...
Foresight Mental Health
Foresight helps you find your path to mental wellness. We’re a community of mental health experts who offer a dynamic range of care that flexes with your particular needs and goals. Our team includes licensed therapists, psychiatric providers, researchers, a ...
Foresight helps you find your path to mental wellness. We’re a community of mental health experts who offer a dynamic range of care that flexes with your particular needs and goals. Our team includes licensed therapists, psychiatric providers, researchers, a ...
Dialectical Behavioral Therapy (DBT) for HS Teens
DBT Group For High School Aged Teens (In-person only) Does your teen have issues with managing: •Anxiety • Depression • Panic attacks • Mood swings • Avoidance • Anger • Substance abuse • Truancy Dialectical Behavioral Therapy (DBT) is not ...
Hosted by Laura Michelle Eklund
Clinical Social Work/Therapist, LCSW
Verified Verified
Group meets in Pleasanton, CA 94566
DBT Group For High School Aged Teens (In-person only) Does your teen have issues with managing: •Anxiety • Depression • Panic attacks • Mood swings • Avoidance • Anger • Substance abuse • Truancy Dialectical Behavioral Therapy (DBT) is not ...
Adolescent Intensive Outpatient Program (IOP)
Adolescents (ages 12-17) are good candidates for IOP if they experience frequent, significant mental health difficulties such as anxiety, depression, and suicidal behavior that impact functioning in their relationships, school, work, and/or community. IOP offers more severe preventative treatment than ...
Hosted by Bay Area Clinical Associates - BACA
Psychiatrist, MD, LMFT, LCSW, MPH, AMFT
Verified Verified
Group meets in Berkeley, CA 94705
Adolescents (ages 12-17) are good candidates for IOP if they experience frequent, significant mental health difficulties such as anxiety, depression, and suicidal behavior that impact functioning in their relationships, school, work, and/or community. IOP offers more severe preventative treatment than ...
cancer and cancer treatment support
I have been leading a cancer and cancer treatment support group at San Quentin State prison since 2015. I have been deeply moved by the courage and fortitude of my patients as they have faced various cancers and the challenges ...
I have been leading a cancer and cancer treatment support group at San Quentin State prison since 2015. I have been deeply moved by the courage and fortitude of my patients as they have faced various cancers and the challenges ...
Adolescent Anxiety Group
Introducing a teletherapy process/support group to assist adolescents struggling to cope with their current environment due to the recent global pandemic.
Hosted by Bridge Psych Services - Dr. Aisling Forbes
Psychological Associate, PhD
Verified Verified
Group meets in Oakland, CA 94607
Introducing a teletherapy process/support group to assist adolescents struggling to cope with their current environment due to the recent global pandemic.
Cinical Consultation Group
To Be Arranged. Currently working psychotherapist or those in training consult with me concerning individual clients. Our focus is basically from the perspective of the psychology of CG JUNG. More directly our work incorporates the theory and practice of Integrative ...
To Be Arranged. Currently working psychotherapist or those in training consult with me concerning individual clients. Our focus is basically from the perspective of the psychology of CG JUNG. More directly our work incorporates the theory and practice of Integrative ...
Adult Process Group
This is a process group for adults ages 30 - 50, who wish to develop skills for forming more intimate and satisfying relationships.
Hosted by Raymond Scott Fortner
Marriage & Family Therapist, MFT
Verified Verified
Group meets in Pleasanton, CA 94566
This is a process group for adults ages 30 - 50, who wish to develop skills for forming more intimate and satisfying relationships.
Men's Support Group
Men are socialized to solve problems, not to feel our feelings. We’re taught to "suck it up," but we can struggle with taking responsibility. And when we fall, we're seldom taught to reach out for help when we really need ...
Hosted by Josh Freund
Marriage & Family Therapist Associate, AMFT
Verified Verified
Group meets in Berkeley, CA 94705
Men are socialized to solve problems, not to feel our feelings. We’re taught to "suck it up," but we can struggle with taking responsibility. And when we fall, we're seldom taught to reach out for help when we really need ...
DBT Consulting Group for Therapists
Peer Consultation Group for therapists who want to practice Dialectical Behavioral Skill building, in a supportive and peer run circle (of up to 10 clinicians).
Hosted by DBT certified: Myra Altenau, PhD
Psychologist, PhD
Verified Verified
Group meets in Piedmont, CA 94610
Peer Consultation Group for therapists who want to practice Dialectical Behavioral Skill building, in a supportive and peer run circle (of up to 10 clinicians).
See more therapy options for Alameda County
FAQs - About Group Therapy and Support Groups
How can I find a support group in Alameda County?
Search for nearby support groups by inputting your city, zip code, or the name of the group into the search bar. From there, you can filter to find a group that suits your needs, whether you are looking for support for a teenager, a group that focuses on a specific issue, such as depression, or a particular program type, such as one geared toward developing social skills. To navigate between locations within the same country, enter a new city or zip code into the search bar.
How does group therapy work?
Therapy groups are led by one or more therapists and serve to help people process their experiences and learn from others who understand their challenges firsthand. They can be based on a specific issue, such as addiction, grief, physical illnesses, parenting, and caregiving. They can involve a specific type of program or therapy, such as a social skills group or CBT group. They can also be specific to a particular population or community, such as teens or LGBTQ.
Support groups, like Alcoholics Anonymous, also focus on a specific issue, but are typically led by members with lived experiences and are less structured than therapy groups. Most therapy groups will meet for a fixed length of time with a consistent group of members, while many support groups meet for an indefinite period of time with members coming and going.
Support groups, like Alcoholics Anonymous, also focus on a specific issue, but are typically led by members with lived experiences and are less structured than therapy groups. Most therapy groups will meet for a fixed length of time with a consistent group of members, while many support groups meet for an indefinite period of time with members coming and going.
What are the benefits of group therapy?
Support groups help connect people with shared challenges or physical and mental health conditions. In a group setting, participants can receive support and feedback from peers and can acquire new skills, strategies and perspectives by listening to one another. Discussing your experience with someone who also has a cancer diagnosis, or whose son also struggles with addiction, for example, can help you feel less alone, reduce distress, find empathy and connection, and learn practical or medical information that has helped others. Group therapy can also be a more affordable option than individual therapy and just as effective.
Is group therapy as effective as individual therapy?
Support groups can be deeply valuable for both emotional support and/or treatment outcomes. It’s difficult to make a blanket statement on efficacy due to the many different types of support groups and conditions treated, but group therapy has been found to be just as effective as individual therapy in establishing long-term abstinence for conditions such as substance abuse, addiction and alcohol abuse.
How much does group therapy cost?
Group counseling is typically less expensive than individual counseling, with each session costing on average between $60 to $75. Meanwhile, individual therapy sessions can run anywhere from $100 to $200 and up, even after insurance. It is possible to find low-cost group therapy options and many therapists offer group sessions free of charge.
Does insurance cover group therapy?
As with individual therapy, many insurance companies do offer coverage for group therapy sessions. However, the coverage varies based on your insurance plan details and whether you choose an in-network or out-of-network mental healthcare provider. Individuals are encouraged to check with their insurance providers to verify coverage.
How long does group therapy last?
The length of a support group session is often one hour but can fall anywhere between 45 minutes and two hours. The amount of time that people remain in a support group varies based on their specific needs and goals and the type of therapy. Some individuals may seek a shorter-term group, such as a bereavement group, that may last between six and 20 weeks. Some may seek a longer-term group that lasts for a year or indefinitely.
What are the limitations of support groups?
Support groups have many benefits, but there are a few limitations as well. Support groups do not constitute formal therapeutic or medical treatment, and are not run by licensed mental health professionals, so some people may opt for group therapy or individual therapy instead. Additionally, support groups can depend on the other participants, so a disruptive individual has the potential to mar the group dynamic, and the anecdotal information shared may sometimes be unhelpful or inaccurate. Because it is a group setting, confidentiality can be more difficult to guard and participants receive less personalized attention than they would in an individual therapy session.