Group Therapy in Atlanta: Understanding Peer-Supported Mental Health Treatment

Group therapy is treatment led by a trained clinician for a small group of people working on related problems, and the members’ support for one another is part of how it works. That is what “peer-supported” means here. It is not the same as a peer-led support group, which can help but is not treatment. For many conditions, research finds therapy groups work about as well as comparable individual therapy, though not for every problem: for adults with social anxiety disorder, the UK’s NICE guideline prefers individual CBT.

Therapy group or support group: what is the difference?

A therapy group has a clinician in charge, a method and a clinical goal. The American Group Psychotherapy Association (AGPA) describes it as a small number of people meeting “under the guidance of a professionally trained therapist,” and says the therapist’s role is “to evaluate each person prior to forming the group” (AGPA). The therapist is also bound by professional confidentiality rules that other members do not share.

A peer-led support group is run by people who share the experience, not by a clinician. The Depression and Bipolar Support Alliance (DBSA), for example, describes its meetings as free peer support groups and presents peer support as a way for people living with mood disorders to find connection. Peer support groups can sit alongside treatment, but no one in the room is responsible for assessing or treating you.

The line is not always sharp. Some support groups are run by therapists: Emory University’s Counseling and Psychological Services (CAPS), for instance, describes one of its groups as “a confidential, therapist-led support group” (Emory CAPS). When you look at any group, ask two questions: who leads it, and does anyone screen members before they join?

How group therapy works: why the other members matter

Psychiatrist Irvin Yalom, coauthor with Molyn Leszcz of the textbook The Theory and Practice of Group Psychotherapy (sixth edition, 2020), described 11 therapeutic factors. Among them are instillation of hope (seeing others improve), universality (learning you are not the only one), altruism (the effect of helping someone else), interpersonal learning and group cohesiveness. Several of these come from fellow members rather than from the therapist, which is why a group is not simply individual therapy with an audience.

Cohesion, the sense of belonging and connection among members, has been studied directly. A 2018 meta-analysis of 55 studies by Burlingame, McClendon and Yang found an average correlation of 0.26 between cohesion and outcome, according to a 2021 research review in the American Journal of Psychotherapy. The review notes that this is about the same size as the link between the therapeutic alliance and outcome in individual therapy, and that the link was stronger in interpersonal groups, in groups whose leaders emphasized member interaction, and in longer-running groups. A correlation of that size is modest, and it shows an association, not proof that cohesion causes improvement.

Is group therapy as effective as individual therapy?

The same review, by Rosendahl, Alldredge, Burlingame and Strauss, pulled together 11 meta-analyses covering 329 randomized controlled trials and more than 27,000 patients (American Journal of Psychotherapy, 2021). The meta-analyses covered social anxiety, panic disorder, obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD), posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), eating disorders, borderline personality disorder, substance use disorders, schizophrenia and mood disorders, plus a direct comparison of group and individual formats.

Three findings matter for a decision:

• Against no treatment, groups showed large effects for anxiety, OCD and depression, medium effects for PTSD (smaller for military-related trauma), and small effects for substance use disorders and schizophrenia.
• Against individual therapy, the review reports “outcomes equivalent to those of individual psychotherapy” when the treatments were comparable. That is a pooled result, not a rule for every condition: for adults with social anxiety disorder, NICE’s guideline says do not routinely offer group CBT in preference to individual CBT, because group CBT is less clinically and cost effective than individual CBT there.
• The limits: most of the evidence comes from short-term outpatient groups. The authors say controlled studies of truly long-term groups are not available apart from a few Norwegian studies, and that research on psychodynamic and group-analytic groups is thin.

England’s National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) includes group cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) and group behavioral activation among the treatment options for less severe depression in its depression guideline; group CBT is described as delivered by two practitioners, usually over 8 sessions with about 8 participants.

Types of group therapy, and who each suits

Type	What happens	Who it tends to suit	Example in metro Atlanta (as of November 2026)
Psychoeducational	The leader teaches about a condition and how it is treated (SAMHSA TIP 41)	People who want to understand a condition and its treatment	Peachtree Comprehensive Health describes its DBT skills groups as psycho-educational, not process-oriented (see the skills row)
Skills groups, including dialectical behavior therapy (DBT) skills	Members learn and rehearse specific skills, such as stress management or emotion regulation	People who want concrete tools. A DBT skills group is one of the four parts of comprehensive DBT; if self-harm or suicidal behavior is involved, read that before choosing a skills group on its own	Emory CAPS skills-based groups (students); Peachtree Comprehensive Health DBT skills groups in 8-week modules, open only to people in weekly individual therapy with any therapist; Georgia State University Psychology Clinic DBT skills groups (open to the community; details below)
CBT groups	Members work on the thinking and behavior patterns that keep a problem going (TIP 41)	A defined problem such as depression or an anxiety disorder; see which problems CBT has the clearest evidence for	Fulton County's adult behavioral health services list group counseling; ask which method a group uses and whether it targets your problem
Interpersonal process groups	Members' relationship patterns show up in the room and are worked on in the "here-and-now" of the group (TIP 41)	People whose problems are mainly in relationships and who can commit to a longer group	Georgia State's Interpersonal Relationship Group (students); for the individual version of this depth work, see insight-oriented psychodynamic therapy
Therapist-led support groups	Members with a shared experience or identity support each other, with a clinician leading	People who want connection plus professional oversight	Emory CAPS support groups (students)
Groups inside intensive programs	Several hours of treatment a day, with group therapy among the services	People who need more than weekly therapy	Rogers Behavioral Health, Sandy Springs: partial hospitalization (PHP) and intensive outpatient (IOP) programs for depression, OCD and anxiety, and trauma; MARR Treatment Centers: describes group therapy as integral to its addiction treatment, including its IOP

Sources for this table: SAMHSA TIP 41 on group therapy; Emory CAPS group counseling; Peachtree Comprehensive Health DBT skills groups; Fulton County adult behavioral health services; Georgia State University Counseling Center groups for enrolled students; Rogers Behavioral Health Atlanta; MARR Treatment Centers group therapy page.

Related guides: the four parts of comprehensive DBT; which problems CBT has the clearest evidence for; insight-oriented psychodynamic therapy.

Process groups ask more of leaders and members alike. A protocol from the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) on group therapy in substance use treatment notes that process groups are used less than other models, “chiefly because of the extensive training required to lead such groups” and their long duration, which demands a high degree of commitment from both providers and clients (TIP 41). A process group works on what happens between members now; it is not mainly a place to retell your history.

When to start with individual therapy first

StatPearls notes that “clients in acute distress are unlikely to tolerate group therapy,” and treats low motivation, trouble following group rules and difficulty connecting with others as relative reasons to wait, unless a group is designed for exactly those problems (StatPearls). It also stresses that these exclusion criteria are “relative rather than absolute,” so screening is a conversation, not a pass-fail test.

A weekly group is not a crisis service. If you are thinking about suicide, have recently hurt yourself, or are not sure you can stay safe until the next appointment, call or text 988 now, or call 911 if you are in immediate danger, and ask for an individual safety assessment before any group placement. A group can be added once things are steadier. Group and individual therapy can also run side by side: Georgia Tech, for one, lets students combine individual counseling, groups and workshops at the same time (Georgia Tech FAQ).

Before you join: screening and the first sessions

Expect a conversation before your first group. At Emory CAPS, a student first has a consultation in which a clinician discusses “whether group therapy may be a good fit,” then gets referred to a group (Emory CAPS); Georgia Tech also starts with an initial consultation (Georgia Tech). Screening can include individual interviews and sometimes questionnaires (StatPearls, Group Therapy). Its purpose is to check that the group fits your problem and that you are likely to benefit.

Some practical expectations, from AGPA and StatPearls:

• Sessions last about 60 to 120 minutes.
• Short-term groups built around a concrete issue run about 4 to 20 sessions; open-ended groups let members leave when their goals are met.
• Groups commonly have 7 to 10 members.

Ground rules come early, including a confidentiality agreement; StatPearls advises that each member sign one (StatPearls). As Emory’s group page puts it, “You choose what you share.”

AGPA suggests asking a group leader four things: their background, how they think a group would work for your situation, their credentials as a group therapist, and whether they have training relevant to your problem. Add your own: Is the group closed (same members throughout) or open to new members? What attendance is expected? What happens if someone breaks confidentiality?

Is group therapy confidential?

The therapist’s side is written down: the American Psychological Association’s ethics code requires psychologists who run groups to describe “the roles and responsibilities of all parties and the limits of confidentiality” at the outset (APA Ethics Code, Standard 10.03).

Other members are a different matter. They agree to keep what they hear private, and StatPearls advises that groups set clear consequences for breaches (StatPearls). But fellow members are not licensed professionals with the therapist’s legal and ethical duties, so complete confidentiality cannot be guaranteed. Plan for that: share at the pace you are comfortable with, and if you recognize someone at screening or in the first session, tell the therapist so you can decide together what to do.

Where to find a therapy group in Atlanta

Group schedules change every semester or season. The details below were checked in November 2026, so treat them as starting points and confirm directly.

If you are an enrolled student, groups at the Emory, Georgia Tech and Georgia State counseling centers cost nothing:

• Emory CAPS is free to all currently enrolled Emory students (Emory CAPS FAQ). It offers therapy groups, skills-based groups and support groups; examples include Anxiety Toolbox, Building Emotional Resilience and The Barbershop, a men’s group. Start with a consultation at 404-727-7450.
• Georgia Tech’s Center for Mental Health Care & Resources serves registered, degree-seeking students at no cost (Georgia Tech FAQ) and offers about a dozen counseling groups each semester, usually with two facilitators (Georgia Tech counseling). Call 404-894-2575.
• Georgia State’s Counseling Center offers enrolled students unlimited group counseling sessions and workshops free of charge (GSU FAQ). Its listed groups include a Graduate Student Support Group, an Anxiety and Depression Group and an Interpersonal Relationship Group, run by telehealth and in person (GSU groups). Call 404-413-1640.

To find a group therapist in private practice:

• AGPA’s Find a Certified Group Psychotherapist directory lists only Certified Group Psychotherapists (CGPs), a credential that identifies a therapist as meeting standards of education, training and experience in group psychotherapy.
• The Atlanta Group Psychotherapy Society, a regional AGPA affiliate, posts a Find a Group page for groups led by its members, for information only. It showed no listings, so contact the society or check back.
• Whatever directory you use, look the leader up in the Georgia Secretary of State’s license search, which is free.

Public and training-clinic options:

• The Georgia State University Psychology Clinic, a training clinic open to the metro Atlanta community rather than only to students, lists DBT skills groups among its services. Licensed psychologists supervise its graduate student clinicians. Fees are not posted online; call 404-413-6229 for them, and ask whether its DBT skills group requires you to have an individual therapist at the same time, as Peachtree Comprehensive Health’s groups do.
• The Cobb County Community Service Board’s mental health page describes group counseling built on skills training (coping, communication, social skills and recovery topics) and says people who are not in crisis can walk in to outpatient services Monday to Friday, 8 a.m. to 3 p.m.
• In DeKalb, Claratel Behavioral Health (404-892-4646) uses co-pays or an income-based sliding fee and says no one is denied services for inability to pay. In Fulton, the county’s behavioral health department lists group counseling among its adult services, and its FAQ says uninsured Fulton County residents are not charged for treatment; its adult behavioral health line in Atlanta is 404-665-8600. Ask either whether a group fits your needs.
• For groups inside intensive programs, see Rogers Behavioral Health and MARR Treatment Centers in the table above.

Peer-led support alongside treatment: DBSA says all of its online support groups are free, and its directory lists in-person groups too. NAMI Georgia describes NAMI Connection Recovery Support Groups for people living in recovery and Family Support Groups for relatives and caregivers. Ask NAMI Georgia which groups are meeting now near you, whether they meet online or in person, and how to register before you plan around one.

Insurance. Federal parity law does not oblige plans to include mental health benefits, but a plan that covers both medical and mental health care must apply parity rules to the mental health side. Ask your plan specifically whether group psychotherapy is covered and what your share is per session.

Picking a group and giving it a fair trial

1. Pick the type before the schedule. Use the table above to match the kind of group to what you want to change, then look for times that work.
2. Check your timing. If you are in acute distress, start with individual or crisis care and come back to group when things are steadier.
3. Shortlist a few groups and ask each for a screening conversation. Bring the leader questions above, ask about the confidentiality rules, and confirm the leader’s license.
4. Commit to the attendance the group asks for, then judge it on whether the work in the room is changing anything outside it. If it is not, tell the leader before you decide to leave.

If you are in crisis

• Call, text or chat the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline at 988, free and confidential at any hour; veterans can dial 988 and press 1.
• Text HOME to 741741 to reach Crisis Text Line.
• Call the Georgia Crisis & Access Line at 1-800-715-4225, 24/7; it can dispatch mobile crisis teams.
• Call 911 if you or someone else is in immediate danger.

General information only: whether a group suits you is a question for the clinician who screens you.

Last updated: November 2026.