Group Therapy
If your picture of group therapy is folding chairs in a basement and a sign-in sheet, this is going to surprise you. The room is calmer, smaller, and harder-working than the cliché. It's also the modality with some of the strongest evidence for substance use recovery.
Who group therapy fits
Group therapy is the practice's hero modality, and it's the one most underused. It fits adults who are sober-curious, in early recovery, post-detox, post-IOP, or in long-term recovery and looking for a steady weekly anchor. It particularly fits people who have spent years navigating substance use alone — internally, in private — and who would benefit from the company of others working on the same thing.
Group also fits people who tried individual therapy first and felt like they were repeating the same insights without movement. Something different happens when a peer says the thing your therapist has been pointing at. The mind has to take it differently.
What a session looks like
Groups are 6–10 adults, with one (sometimes two) clinicians, meeting weekly for 75–90 minutes. The room is closed (the same people each week, not drop-in), so trust builds across sessions. The format blends evidence-based skills work — relapse prevention, CBT skills, DBT distress tolerance — with open process work where members share what's actually happening in the week. There is no requirement to share, and no script.
We run several groups simultaneously, organized loosely by stage (early recovery, sustained recovery, co-occurring) and sometimes by population (LGBTQ+ affirmative groups, language-of-origin groups when caseload allows).
What it can help with
- Alcohol Use Disorder
- Opioid Use Disorder
- Cannabis Use Disorder
- Stimulant Use Disorder
- Polysubstance Use
- Relapse & Early Recovery
- Co-occurring anxiety, depression, and trauma
Frequently asked questions
Will I have to share on my first day?
No. You can sit, listen, and meet the group without disclosing anything beyond your first name. Most people share more starting around session three or four, when the room has gotten familiar.
Is this like AA or 12-step?
No — and we don't replace those programs. Group therapy is a clinical setting led by a licensed clinician, with structured skills work and a treatment plan. Many of our clients also attend AA, SMART Recovery, or another community recovery program; we support that.
How is confidentiality handled?
Group members agree in writing to confidentiality at the start. Clinicians are bound by HIPAA and the California CMIA. See our Notice of Privacy Practices for the full picture.
Is group covered by insurance?
Yes — most plans cover group therapy at the same rate as individual sessions. We verify before your first group meeting.
How is this different from IOP?
IOP is more intensive — three group sessions per week plus individual work, typically for 6–12 weeks. Standard group therapy is once weekly and continues open-ended. Many clients move from IOP to standard group as they stabilize. More on IOP →
You don't have to figure this out alone.
Reach out and we'll match you with a group that fits where you are right now.
Book your first session