Better Together: On the Strength of Group Therapy

Humans live, survive, and make meaning in groups. We rely on one another to process experience, share burdens, and find belonging. It only makes sense that we benefit from healing together, too. 

Group therapy is often understood as an alternative to individual treatment or simply a way to reach more people with limited resources. However, it is becoming increasingly clear that it also supports our fundamental social needs. 

The group format shifts the underlying logic of the therapeutic process. Instead of the interaction between therapist and client being the focus, group dynamics, relationships between participants, and shared experience become central to the work. 

In this sense, group therapy is not an additional technique layered onto existing practice, but a different way of effecting change. 

This is why most Heal Ukraine Trauma (HUT) programs have a group-based approach at their core. It is central to the Group Ketamine-Assisted Psychotherapy (G-KAP) training program, our support groups for partners and families of military personnel, and our work with children through Teaching Recovery Techniques. This choice is shaped both by the realities of the current context and by HUT’s longer-term vision for scalable, evidence-based mental health care in Ukraine. 

The connective element is particularly significant in Ukraine today. During an ongoing war, the group becomes a space where individuals can rebuild trust and a sense of shared experience with others. In the Ukrainian context, where trust is often built within close circles rather than broader systems, group-based approaches can feel both familiar and meaningful. In the group, connection and support can naturally emerge. 

In his new book, Jesse Gould, a US Army Ranger, founder of Heroic Hearts Project, and HUT Board member, describes the benefits of group therapy for veterans: "Group sessions help veterans recognize the importance of authentic connection, vulnerability, and mutual support. They create spaces where veterans can share their unique experiences, including gallows humor and shared understanding of military life, while developing deeper, more meaningful relationships than typically possible in civilian settings." This shift also changes the role of the therapist. Rather than being the sole holder of the process, the therapist becomes part of a broader structure that includes the group, co-facilitators, and ongoing supervision. This requires a distinct set of skills, a broader sense of responsibility, and a different approach to the work. 

International data also supports the potential of this approach. Research published in American Psychologist in 2023 suggests that broader use of group therapy could significantly expand access to care while reducing system strain. Even a modest shift toward group-based formats has the potential to reach millions more people who would otherwise remain outside the system. 

Group therapy is both an important clinical intervention and part of a broader shift towards a new therapeutic culture. This outcome is equally significant. Not only are we introducing new treatment approaches, but we are supporting the emergence of a professional community capable of responding to the challenges Ukraine is facing now and will continue to face long after the war ends.