Group Therapy Room Design

Group therapy room design can greatly add to the ambiance you’re trying to evoke during a group therapy session. In this article, we’ll go over group therapy room ideas that can contribute to members’ enjoyable bonding experiences facilitated in group therapy sessions. 

Ideally, we want our group therapy rooms to mimic the design of our own offices with their pleasing color schemes, comfy furniture, and abundant resources. This is oftentimes not possible, though, as we may be met with limited options, whether those limitations have to do with group therapy room dimensions or restrictions on how we can furnish spaces designated for group therapy. 

Rather than give way to these limitations, we can use assertiveness and creativity to consider group therapy room ideas and come up with your ideal group therapy room design.

Benefits and drawbacks of group therapy

From a counselor’s perspective, group therapy is a great option to consider. It maximizes our availability since we can meet multiple clients in one set time frame rather than spread across several hours. This reduces our time spent seeing clients while still meeting their needs. We can also treat the same problem in one session instead of throughout the day with different clients. 

From a client’s viewpoint, group therapy may be more cost-effective. It can be easier to pay for sessions of group therapy rather than a few individual appointments. 

Group therapy can also benefit clients, as they develop camaraderie with others who are affected by the same issue. Sharing  common mental health struggles can help clients better process their situations and learn ways to cope. 

However, not all clients and issues are suitable for group therapy. We must evaluate the suitability of individual clients before offering group work to them. 

If clients engage in high-risk behavior (i.e., self-injury, physical aggression), it’s best to work with them individually. 

Clients who are easily triggered, like those dealing with post-traumatic stress disorder or anger management, are also likely to benefit more from solo appointments. This situation changes, though, if we offer a group session with these specific behaviors as its focus. In such cases, we must vigilantly monitor members’ behavior during group therapy, since the chances for disruption and harm are much higher.

In general, clients who are wrestling with mood disorders, such as anxiety and depression, can find peer encouragement in group therapy. 

The chance to learn from other members’ experiences and build supportive relationships can alleviate symptoms and encourage resiliency. Clients who are dealing with specific life events, like divorce or death of a loved one, are also well-suited for group work since they can process these situations with a supportive audience. 

Group therapy varies in its meeting frequency and structure. In private practice settings, it’s commonly offered on a weekly basis, for a set number of meetings, during a 60 to 90-minute timeframe. 

Groups can be “open,” meaning new members can join at any time, or “closed,” which means new members must wait to join until the current group has finished. 

Group therapy is typically delivered in one of two formats: psychoeducation or process groups. 

During psychoeducation groups, the counselor’s role is more directive as they share information about relevant symptoms and coping skills. 

In contrast, during process groups, the counselor’s role is more passive as they facilitate discussion of presenting problems and solutions among members. 

When planning for group therapy, consider the following questions:  

• What’s the purpose of this group?
• Will the group be open or closed? 
• Over how many sessions will the group meet? If you plan to bill insurance, verify the number of sessions and their rates covered by each members’ plan.
• How long will each group session last? 
• Will the group focus on psychoeducation, process, or both?

Group therapy room design

It is important that we invest time in preparing a pleasant space for group therapy because of the emotional complexity involved in processing emotions and experiences with others. 

With individual sessions, we help one client regulate their emotions and process sensitive material. We regulate ourselves while sitting with individuals as they experience strong feelings and troubling thoughts. 

With group therapy, our role is tested as we help multiple clients keep their emotions in check and stay on track to address issues. 

Ensuring the location in which we’re meeting is safe, clean, and comfortable can help all members self-regulate and engage more in group work. 

When considering group therapy room ideas, you can apply the same plans as you would for a small office therapy design, such as:

• Verify there is sufficient, warm lighting.
• Decorate the space with neutral pictures and objects, such as landscape paintings and artificial or real plants. 
• Consider the best colors for therapy offices, such as calm tones, like creams, sages, and light blues, to help clients feel relaxed. 
• Make sure there’s enough space for all members to sit comfortably. 
• If the room will be used for other purposes besides group therapy, remove or conceal the reminders of these other uses during group time to help members focus. 

Confirm, too, that your group therapy room will always be available during scheduled group meeting times. 

I used to lead a psychoeducation group for military children at their school’s campus. For almost every meeting, we were shown to a different room for our session. Throughout the group’s duration, we met in the library, band room, classroom, and playground. This inconsistency made it incredibly difficult for me to prepare group materials and help members stay on topic. 

If you must share your group therapy room, ensure that it’s exclusively reserved for all your group meetings to create a sense of consistency and reliability, both in the therapeutic availability of the group and mirroring this effect with the group therapy room design.

Group therapy room dimensions 

The right size for a group therapy room depends on the number of group members, the age range of the group, and activities involved. 

In my experience, it is best to limit group participants to small numbers so that opportunities for group discussion and connection are maximized. I’ve found the general cap for my group work to be no more than 3-5 children, 6-8 teenagers, and 8-10 adults. However many group members you have, select a room that gives space for them all to easily sit in a circle without feeling cramped or overcrowded. 

If you’re working with children or teenagers, your group may need floor space for toys, crafts, or games. 

With adults, there are times you may need to place a worktable in the center of the group circle for collaborative activities. Verify there’s sufficient space in your group therapy room for these transitions. 

Also, consider the height and length of the room to avoid echoing effects during group conversation. 

Here’s a list of essential furniture, equipment, and items needed for group therapy:

• Comfortable chairs for all members 
• Computer paper and pens, for activities and note-taking
• Writing surfaces, such as clipboards
• Tissues, cough drops, and hand sanitizer
• Lysol and air freshener

Optional resources include:

• An “In Session” sign to hang outside of the door
• Bottled waters
• Folding tables, to use when needed
• A basket or plastic tub to keep cell phones/tech devices during the group session (particularly useful for groups with teenagers)
• Small rugs or floor pillows (especially for groups with children and teenagers)

Group therapy offers an efficient and innovative way to build your practice. Compared with individual work, group therapy presents many new opportunities—as well as challenges. 

Before starting group work, take time to reflect on your group therapy room design to offer your clients a prime experience.  

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