Group therapy as an option for bi-polar disorder

TriBeCa Therapy is located in Downtown Manhattan, NYC and provides individual psychotherapy and group therapy for adults, children, teens and couples who are looking for creative help in living and building their lives.

Bi-polar disorder (sometimes still referred to as manic-depressive disorder) is a mood disorder characterized by dramatic variations in mood ranging from depressed to manic. Group therapy is an excellent option for individuals who struggle with bi-polar disorder. You can read more about bi-polar disorder here.

Yet even without going into more detail, we have to agree that first sentence is a lot to take in. The great dilemma for someone, including a therapist like myself, who doesn’t organize an understanding of who people are around labels and diagnoses is how to take seriously the very serious problems that come with bi-polar disorder without relating to a person with that diagnosis as that diagnosis.

For some, bi-polar can be life threatening. It’s a serious matter requiring serious care, and any therapist who takes on a patient with bi-polar has a responsibility to see that everything is in place that can be to minimize the risk of harm.

BUT!

People are not their diagnoses. Taking a diagnosis seriously is not the same thing as relating to someone as damaged, crazy, weak, broken or otherwise incapable of creating their lives. What we assume when we organize therapy for someone with bi-polar disorder around their bi-polar disorder is that the only benefit they could possibly receive from therapy is keeping their bi-polar disorder under control. Of course this couldn’t possibly be so.

What’s more, this perspective makes the mistake of forgetting that none is a collection of disorders or diseases or issues. Human beings are complicated creatures capable of all sorts of things, chiefly among them (from my perspective) is growth!

So, why group therapy and bi-polar?

Largely the answer is the same case made in many ways in favor of group therapy in other parts of this site. But all add some merits to the list. Having a group of people who know you, know your moods and the warning signs is a great help with a disorder like bi-polar where moods can shift, often suddenly and dangerously. Group therapy is a terrific context for creating a stable life with the consistency those with bi-polar need. Finally, bi-polar often comes with a debilitating stigma. Having a context where the struggles, often embarrassing, can be shared with others can help break the stigma.

For more information on creative group therapy for bi-polar disorder, contact:

TriBeCa Therapy
matt@TriBeCaTherapy.com
212-571-5799
291 Broadway, Suite 801
New York, NY 10007