Group Therapy

Online support groups and process groups for English-Speaking residents of Korea

“People need people - for initial and continued survival, for socialization, for the pursuit of satisfaction. No one - not the dying, not the outcast, not the mighty - transcends the need for human contact.”

― Irvin D. Yalom

sad woman looking down

Connection to something larger than ourselves is a necessary part of life. 

When we face struggles of many kinds, it’s not uncommon to feel like we are the only one in the world who is suffering with this issue. We may believe that our problems are only confined to our lives and that no one shares our plight. 

We can feel isolated and alienated, and many times due to the stigma that surrounds mental health, talking about our problems with another can be intimidating or embarrassing. Finding a welcoming and supportive community to turn to in these moments can provide an incredible boost to your resilience.

group therapy session

Group therapy can help remind us that we are not alone in the struggles we face. 

Group therapy is a well-evidenced tool in supporting personal growth and mental health that’s recognized internationally. Through this impactful treatment modality, people who are facing a similar problem gather together to share their experiences and receive support. Sessions are structured and guided under the supervision of a trained therapist. You will have the opportunity to connect with people who have similar experiences to yours while sharing perspectives, personal stories, and growing from the experience. 


At Healing Together, our therapy groups provide a therapeutic space from which to process your thoughts and feelings with others who can relate to your experience. Through sharing stories, validations, and ideas with those who can relate and empathize, you are invited to expand on perspectives about your experiences and responses to challenges, as well as helping others expand theirs.

Who can benefit from groups?

There are many times a person might benefit from joining group therapy. Whether you have recently moved to the country and are finding your adjustment difficult, or you have a partner who is in the military and is away on assignment, or you are feeling stressed by the demands of school or work, there is a group available for whatever challenge you might be facing at this time in your life.

  • Validating Atmosphere

    Too often in life, and certainly as an expat, you might feel that no one can understand what you are going through. You may feel isolated and alienated, keeping the truth of your struggles as a private affair.

    Groups allow people who are experiencing a similar conflict to come together and share experiences, encouragement, and validation from a perspective that sees the inside of the struggle. Members' first-hand experiences may differ, but the emotional touchstones typically stay the same.

  • Therapeutic Connection

    Group therapy provides a therapeutic space from which to process your thoughts and feelings with others who can relate to your experience.

    It can provide a sounding board for clients where they can gain a wider range of perspectives about themselves and receive feedback on how they are responding to their problems. Working in groups can illuminate blind spots or reframe your thoughts in a way you haven’t considered before. It’s also a way to learn from how others might be coping with a similar loss or issue.

  • Presence of Trust

    Most importantly, group therapy can help remind you that you are not alone in the struggles you encounter.

    Meeting regularly with others who have a first-hand understanding of a challenge similar to yours fosters a deep sense of trust and community. Everything shared within the group space is expected to remain confidential and privileged. The presence of trust allows people to be themselves and share freely, without the worry of being judged.

From solving problems to sharing common experiences, moving toward healing in group spaces offers unique therapeutic benefits. 

  • Feeling validation and gratitude

  • Feeling like you are not alone in your struggle

  • Increased resiliency

  • More confidence in your choices

  • Deeper self-discovery

  • Greater connection with others

  • Receive genuine support

  • Empowerment through empathy

  • Increased self-compassion

  • Combatting isolation and loneliness

  • Benefitting from others’ perspectives

  • Developing your support network

  • Witnessing others’ growth and development

  • Building skills in interpersonal relationships

  • Feeling like you’re contributing to something bigger than yourself

Group therapy is an effective way to navigate relationships within and outside of yourself.

Types of Groups

We offer three kinds of group therapy: support groups, process groups, and psychoeducational groups. For each need and community we serve, we can help you to determine which is going to be the best fit for you. Every group brings people together to offer support through a difficult situation or significant life change.

  • Support groups bring you together with others who share your struggles and experiences to find community healing.

    These groups, sometimes called self-help groups, are centered on sharing personal experiences of a situation that is common to the whole group. For example, a support group might include people who have a spouse who is addicted to substances, or have a spouse who is in the military. They may also include expats and foreigners who are struggling with loneliness and feeling homesick. Members of support groups are seeking support from others who can understand and relate to the problem they are dealing with every day.

    In these groups, the focus is on sharing your story. The use of storytelling is a powerful way to shape our experience and give meaning to something significant that has happened to us.

  • In process groups, you’ll be encouraged toward personal growth by treating the group as a microcosm of your relationships outside.

    These types of groups are usually unstructured. While they may be based around a common life experience, in process groups you’re more likely to encounter people who have encountered different life experiences than your own. The true power of groups lies in the tendency to engage with other members of the group as you would with important others in your life and receive feedback on the interaction. Through the careful facilitation by the therapist, you may be able to work through long-standing trauma from your family of origin, recognize how you’re contributing to unhealthy dynamics in your partnership, and develop confidence in who you are and how you communicate. Each process group takes on new life depending on the needs of its members.

  • Psychoeducation groups are designed to impart factual information and knowledge about various topics related to mental health, such as diagnoses, stress response system, substance use, coping strategies, holistic care, and specific interventions and skills.

    Psychoeducation groups are typically structured around an agenda for each session. Each session may consist of a new concept or module. Some examples of psychoeducation groups might include groups on ways to cope through anxiety, dealing with shame and vulnerability, improving communication with your partner, or parenting in a multicultural family to name a few.