
Written by A Friend
I’ll admit it: when I first heard about group therapy, I wasn’t exactly sold.
Sitting in a circle and talking about my feelings? Awkward at best. Terrifying at worst.
But desperation has a way of pushing you out of your comfort zone. So I went. And what I discovered in those rooms changed my life.
Group therapy became an essential part of my healing from alcohol addiction. It’s where I first felt understood. It’s where I first felt like I wasn’t alone anymore. The lessons from group therapy and learning to listen, really listen to others, have been so transformative in my recovery.
The power of connection
Walking into a group therapy session for the first time can be incredibly nerve-wracking. You cannot predict who else will be there and why they are there. Opening up to strangers isn’t easy. But once people start sharing, something incredible happens. You hear stories that feel familiar. You see pieces of yourself in their words, and suddenly, things start to connect.
Listening to others share their pain, their guilt, and their fears is a reminder that none of us are as alone as we think. Hearing other people share their stories gave me the courage to confront my own. This was my first big lesson: healing starts with connection. When I felt isolated because of my addiction, my pain felt insurmountable. But being in a group showed me that I was part of something bigger than myself and gave me the strength to keep going.
How to listen, really listen
I will admit that prior to getting sober, my listening skills were, at best, nodding when someone was talking without having a clue what they were talking about. Learning how to listen took some time and practice. It’s about really tuning in. You let someone’s words sink in, reflect on what they are saying, and think about how it relates to your own life.
When you’re genuinely listening, you start to notice things—new perspectives, new ways to cope, even patterns in your own life that you hadn’t seen before. I remember one session where someone said their addiction felt like “chasing something that was never really there.” That hit me hard at the time because it described how I was feeling, but I had never been able to put it into words.
Listening also builds empathy. As I heard other people talk, I saw their struggles and successes. This understanding didn’t just deepen my relationship with them; it helped me treat myself with more compassion and kindness, too.
Lessons learned from shared stories

While I used to tune out the people I couldn’t relate to in group therapy, I learned that I was missing out. Now I see that one of the best things is hearing so many different perspectives. Every story can teach me something. Here are a few lessons I have picked up over the years:
Resilience looks different for everyone
I will never forget the time someone in my group shared about relapsing after years of sobriety. They talked about the shame they felt and how they almost gave up completely. However, they didn’t give up. They used the relapse as a wake-up call to make changes and seek more support. Their story amazed me because I often thought of relapse as the end. I saw that relapse doesn’t have to be the end. It’s a chance to learn and grow stronger.
Vulnerability is powerful
Another person shared how hard it was for them to admit they needed help. They resisted help because they knew it would mean being vulnerable. When they finally let their guard down, they found the love and support they had been craving. This story stuck with me because it’s easy to fall into the thinking that vulnerability makes us weak. However, the truth is quite the opposite. It’s the vulnerability that builds the strongest connections.
Healing takes time, and there is no standard timeline
One of my group members used to talk about how impatient they felt with recovery. They wanted to feel better right away and felt as though their progress was too slow. I, too, struggled with what I thought was slow progress. Then I realized progress is progress, no matter how slow. If you’re moving forward, you’re going in the right direction. Healing takes time, and recovery isn’t a linear progress. Sometimes, there will be steps back. But it’s still about showing up every day and doing the work.
Self-compassion is key
One of the most important lessons I’ve learned in group therapy is the value of self-compassion. I remember a group member who was incredibly hard on themselves for past mistakes. Over time, they worked on forgiving themselves, learning that shame only kept them stuck. I, too, struggled with past shame, keeping me emotionally paralyzed. I realized that if I’m constantly beating myself up, I cannot move forward. Learning to treat myself with compassion and kindness has been one of the biggest shifts in my recovery.
How listening helps you heal

Listening to others is such a powerful tool in my recovery today. It isn’t a passive act, either. Here’s why listening helps you heal:
It breaks down the walls
When you hear someone share an experience that mirrors your own, it shatters the illusion that you’re alone. You start to see that your thoughts and feelings are part of a bigger, shared human experience, and that is incredibly freeing.
It encourages self-reflection
Listening to others can feel like holding up a mirror to your own life. You may hear someone describe a behaviour or feeling that you recognise in yourself, and suddenly, things click. This type of self-awareness can be a game-changer in recovery.
It builds empathy
Empathy is such an underrated part of healing, but it is such a huge part. The more you listen, the more you understand the people around you. As your empathy for others grows, so does your ability to treat yourself with patience and kindness.
How to get the most out of group therapy

If you’re new to group therapy or want to start group therapy, here are a few tips that have helped me:
Be consistent
This one can be hard, especially at first, but it pays off. The more you show up, the more comfortable you feel. After my first few group therapy sessions, I wanted to run away, but I just adopted the motto: Just show up. And I did. The consistency also built trust within the group, which made it easier to open up and connect.
Listen actively
I mentioned this previously, but listening is not a passive act. When someone is speaking, give them your full attention. Practice staying in the present moment. Absorb what they are saying. Don’t worry about what you’re going to say or how their story relates to or doesn’t relate to yours. Just actively listen.
Be open to sharing
Listening is essential, but so is sharing your own story. Being vulnerable helps you connect with others and gives them the chance to learn from your experiences. I was incredibly shy when I started group therapy, but I remember one of the counselors telling me that I was letting others miss out on what I had to say—that something I said may help someone else. After that, I tried to be consistent about sharing more.
Write things down
I have no problems with taking a notebook or journal to groups because I knew there would be things I wanted to jot down and reflect on later. Writing things down is a big part of how I connect with myself and others in recovery. If I forget a notebook and pen, I can also use my phone’s notes app. The goal is to absorb as much as you can both in the session and later.
Why group therapy matters
At its heart, group therapy centers around the community. It’s about coming together to support each other through the ups and downs of recovery. It’s a reminder that we don’t have to face anything alone.
As someone who used to cringe at the idea of being honest about my struggles in a group setting, today, I can say group therapy has been a lifeline. It’s a place where I’ve learned, grown, and healed as well as a place where I continue learning, growing, and healing.
If you have been thinking about trying group therapy but haven’t taken the first step yet, I encourage you to go for it. Yes, it can feel awkward and intimidating at first, but the lessons you will learn and the connections you make are worth it.
Sometimes, the most significant breakthroughs come not from speaking but from simply listening.
How Centres for Health & Healing can help
If you’re ready to take the next step in your recovery, Centres for Health & Healing is here for you. Our compassionate, professional team provides a safe environment where you can share, listen, and heal. You don’t have to do this alone—contact us today and start your journey toward freedom. We are here for you every step of the way.