The best online group therapy may not be the same for every person, but with the accessibility, confidentiality, and convenience available, each person can find an option that works for them. From general, open groups to specific meetings targeting specialized symptoms, the choices for online group therapy keep expanding. Explore the top choices to find the best fit for you.
What Is Online Group Therapy & How Does It Work?
Whether the service is online or in-person therapy, group therapy works very much like individual therapy. By meeting with an educated and experienced licensed mental health professional, the client will work to address and resolve their symptoms in order to live a happier and healthier life.1
Group therapy boasts an extra layer of benefit beyond compared to individual therapy because the other group members become an added level of support, insight, and experience. They may provide new perspectives and explanations that shift and enhance the client’s understanding.
Group therapy online can vary greatly in frequency, length, and duration with some options meeting each day for several hours. Most often, therapy groups meet for one or two hours each session with one session per week.2
Group therapy is usually centered around specific conditions like:2
- Depression
- Panic disorder
- Social anxiety
- Obsessive-compulsive disorder
- Substance use disorders
Therapy groups can also address numerous other concerns like:
- Grief and loss
- Pain
- Public speaking
- Anger
- Low self-esteem
Benefits of Online Group Therapy
With online group therapy, a person receives all the benefits of therapy, group therapy, and online therapy rolled into a single package. A person could add online group therapy to their treatment plan or address all of their symptoms with only online group therapy.
Benefits of online group therapy include:1,2
- An outlet to build a new community of supports
- Lower feelings of isolation and loneliness
- Receive new points-of-view from others
- Improve coping strategies
- Increase trust in others
- Boost communication skills
Some people will need the safety and security of in-person sessions due to issues with suicidality or intense symptoms. For others, online therapy options are effective, convenient and helpful.
Best Online Group Therapy Options
Online support groups are numerous, but the options for therapy groups with a licensed mental health professional are currently limited by comparison. Depending on an individual’s needs and symptoms, the benefits of having trained mental health professionals to help manage their depressive or anxious symptoms may be well worth the extra searching.
The best online group therapy for depression and anxiety are:
1. Grouport
With a wide variety of group therapy options all led by mental health professionals, Grouport is a great choice to manage depression, anxiety, and other disorders. Each week, users participate in an hour-long group to learn valuable interventions.
Cost: $35 per weekly session billed monthly
Facilitators: Expert mental health facilitators
Geographic Areas Served: Nationwide
2. Charlie Health
Charlie Health provides evidence-based group therapy, specifically for teens and young adults. The service places people in therapy groups run by licensed professionals to address their symptoms and needs.
The provider offers group therapy, family therapy sessions, and individual therapy depending on the individual’s needs.
Cost: Works with insurance, out-of-pocket payment may also be available
Facilitators: Sessions led by mental health professionals
Geographic Areas Served: AZ, CA, DE, ID, IL, MT, OR, PA, TX, UT, WA, WY, & NJ
3. Center for Discovery
Center for Discovery takes an established intensive outpatient treatment (IOP) level for eating disorders and converts it to a virtual experience for people in need. The program included at least 10 hours of treatment each week for three to four months to achieve the wanted results.
Cost: Works with insurance, out-of-pocket payment may also be available
Facilitators: Sessions led by mental health professionals
Geographic Areas Served: Available in at least 14 states. Check availability here.
4. The Recovery Village
The Recovery Village started as a treatment center based in Florida but has been expanding across the country in recent years. They have expanded to the online world as well by offering individual and group therapy options with licensed mental health professionals that are effective and convenient.
With various levels of care, including partial hospitalization (PHP), intensive outpatient (IOP), and standard outpatient services, The Recovery Village has helpful options for many people.
Cost: Works with insurance, out-of-pocket payment are also available
Facilitators: Sessions led by licensed mental health professionals
Geographic Areas Served: Florida, Colorado, New Jersey, Ohio, Maryland and Washington with the company working to expand coverage
Support Groups & Peer Support vs Group Therapy
Group therapy and support groups are both helpful resources, but they are not equal. Support groups are less formal meetings of peers. They do not involve licensed therapists. Therapy groups involve expert guidance from trained professionals.2
When it comes to group therapy vs. support groups, you don’t have to pick one or the other. In most situations, people can utilize both resources without issue.
Group options may be listed as support groups, self-help, or peer support groups, but in reality, these are the same. In the world of mental health treatments, there is no significant difference separating support groups from peer groups. They are all a great source of support, but they are not a substitute for formal treatment.3
Group Support
Group support may be a term often used to describe a group session. This term implies that the meeting is not therapy and does not include a mental health professional.
Peer Support
Though the names are different, peer support and group support are essentially the same. It is not therapy and there is likely not a professional involved in the planning or facilitation of the session. Oftentimes, these groups may be led by a peer who has been through a similar experience.
Self-Help
Self-help is a common phrase used to describe books, seminars, and groups. Though “self-help” suggests the person is working alone, it is the full efforts of the group that helps to create the wanted change.
Again, all of these groups are essentially the same, despite the difference in name. The same could be said for counseling, therapy, and psychotherapy. Different names for the same services.
Best Online Support Groups
The below groups may be facilitated by trained professionals, but the services are support groups. You won’t receive therapy in a group setting by a licensed professional in any of the below options.
Here are the best online group support and peer support groups:
1. Circles
Circles provides online support facilitated by mental health professionals for numerous conditions, including anxiety and depression. Circles promotes itself as offering:
- Weekly video and chat sessions with small groups
- Science-based sessions using cognitive behavioral therapy interventions
- Access to your support people at any time
- A free one month trial
Cost: $79 per month after one month trial
Facilitators: Expert mental health facilitators
Geographic Areas Served: Nationwide
Circles requires out-of-pocket payment and does not work with insurance providers. You may only join one group at a time.
2. Pace
Rather than placing users in an established group, Pace takes information provided by the user and links them to others with similar needs in a new group. This group meets weekly for 90 minutes to create progress.
Pace says that it is not traditional group therapy and not available for insurance coverage, so it has more of a group support structure.
Cost: $89 per session billed monthly
Facilitators: Expert mental health facilitators
Geographic Areas Served: Nationwide
3. Sesh
Sesh claims to be a support group platform even though its sessions are led by licensed therapists, likely because they do not provide therapy in a group setting, but serve to facilitate the group instead. Sesh offers small group video conferences through Zoom. Each participant signs up for individual group sessions with monthly or a la carte payment options.
Cost: Membership of $60 per month for unlimited sessions or $30 per session
Facilitators: All sessions are led by licensed mental health professionals
Geographic Areas Served: Nationwide
4. Sanvello
Sanvello does not explicitly provide group therapy, but they do use technology to connect people to a supportive network with similar concerns. The service provides several levels of support including individual therapy, coaching, peer support, and self-care. With this combination, people can receive well-rounded care with some professional treatment with access to group support. You can read an in-depth review of Sanvello to learn more about the multiple services offered.
Cost: Works with insurance. Plans range from $54 per year for self-care to about $85 per session with a therapist
Facilitators: Peers, coaches, and mental health experts offer different services
Geographic Areas Served: Nationwide
5. Growing Self
Loss comes in many forms, and Growing Self acknowledges this. Rather than focusing on death and dying, this site specializes in the loss of a relationship through divorce and separation.
Growing Self offers a weekly breakup and divorce support group through online video to help meet the needs of people from all over the country.
Cost: Works with insurance, out-of-pocket payments available on a sliding scale
Facilitators: Sessions led by mental health professionals
Geographic Areas Served: Based in Colorado with services available nationwide
6. Grief in Common
Grief in Common covers the entire range of support for loss. The site promotes online chat, individual coaching, and Zoom support groups. Some of the grief topics include:
- General grief
- Grieving the loss of a parent
- Complicated grief
- A grief book club
- Dealing with anger, guilt, and regret around loss
Many sessions will be facilitated by a grief coach. The site even has a learning hub to provide education on grief and grief-related topics.
Cost: Group sessions are $20 or $25 each with some package pricing for additional sessions
Facilitators: Sessions led by mental health professionals
Geographic Areas Served: Nationwide
7. GriefShare
GriefShare purports to be a friendly and caring network of support for people going through the pain of grief and loss. They work to make sure no one has to manage their loss alone. GriefShare allows users to search available meetings, facilitators, and locations.
Groups have a small fee and a facilitator to help manage the flow and content of the group session. Some groups may also provide an in-person option for anyone interested in moving between online and face-to-face sessions.
Cost: Many free options. Some groups have fees to cover materials.
Facilitators: Some groups are peer-led. Others are facilitated by mental health or religious professionals.
Geographic Areas Served: Nationwide
8. SMART Recovery
SMART Recovery is a leader in the recovery space. It is a community of support groups that can help address substance use disorder as well as behavioral addictions, like gambling, overeating, or compulsive shopping. SMART Recovery aims to:
- Build motivation to change
- Help cope with urges
- Help people live a balanced life
Group sessions are available in-person and online with an emphasis of professionals and peers working together to achieve the best possible outcomes.
Cost: Free
Facilitators: Many sessions led by trained facilitators
Geographic Areas Served: Nationwide
9. Monument
Instead of being an option that tries to tackle all addictions, Monument is singularly focused on alcohol use disorders. Built around flexibility, affordability, and accessibility, Monument helps with:
- Online alcohol therapy
- Medication to stop drinking
- An online forum
- Online support groups
All sessions use the best cognitive behavioral therapy and motivational interviewing skills available. At the beginning of treatment, all users can check out an orientation group to learn more about what lies ahead.
Cost: Works with insurance, out-of-pocket available. Plans range from free to $250 per month
Facilitators: Group sessions “moderated” by mental health professionals
Geographic Areas Served: Nationwide
10. NAMI Connection
resented by the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI), NAMI Connection provides 90 minute weekly sessions to get and give support associated with mental illness. Groups help build coping skills, learn forgiveness, and find humor.
Cost: Free
Facilitators: Led by people living with mental health conditions
Geographic Areas Served: Nationwide with local in-person and online video options
11. Depression and Bipolar Support Alliance
People with mood disorders may be interested in the Depression and Bipolar Support Alliance support groups. In addition to general groups, they have offerings that specialize in:
- Young adults
- Military & Veterans
- People of color
- Friends, family, and caregivers of loved ones with mood disorders
- People with substance use and mood disorders
Cost: Free
Facilitators:Led by peers
Geographic Areas Served: Nationwide
How to Pick the Right Group Therapy for You
The best group for you may be difficult to find at first because you may not know what you are looking for in a group. Consider experimenting with several options before committing to one specific group.
Good groups will find a balance between being comfortable and inviting, while challenging you to rethink your current patterns. If you think you may need additional support through individual therapy, it can be helpful to search an online therapist directory.
Final Thoughts
Therapy groups can be a great way to address, treat, and resolve a number of mental health conditions from the comfort of home. Though these may not be right for every situation, many people can find an opportunity to benefit from online therapy groups.
For Further Reading
- People Seeking Help
- Psychotherapy: Understanding group therapy
- For Group Therapy in California, check out our Foresight Mental Health Review
