New York Times “Why Group Therapy Worked”
By David Payne
August 11, 2015
Why Group Therapy Worked is a personal reflection on how group therapy led to meaningful change in his life when individual therapy did not.
He first entered individual therapy in the late 1980s, finding it intellectually enriching but ultimately ineffective in fostering real behavioral change. Despite six years of therapy, he remained in an unhappy relationship and continued struggling with alcoholism. He describes this experience as gaining erudition but not transformation.
In 2004, facing deep personal crises—an unhappy marriage, the death of his younger brother, and worsening alcoholism—he reluctantly joined group therapy. Initially, he struggled, frequently “erasing” others’ contributions and resisting emotional dependency. The group’s candid feedback forced him to confront his patterns of avoidance and self-deception, particularly in his marriage and relationships.
Unlike individual therapy, which focused on past wounds, group therapy illuminated his current behaviors and their impact on others. Over time, this confrontation led to genuine change: he achieved sobriety, reevaluated his marriage, and eventually left it in search of a healthier, more fulfilling life. Payne concludes that group therapy’s effectiveness lay in its multiple mirrors—offering unfiltered perspectives—and its emphasis on present actions rather than past injuries. This painful but necessary self-awareness was what
ultimately enabled his transformation.
How One Therapist and a Circle of Strangers Saved My Life
By Christie Tate – 2020 - Simon and Schuster
How One Therapist and a Circle of Strangers Saved My Life by Christie Tate is a memoir about the author’s journey through group therapy and how it transformed her life.
At the start of the book, Tate is a high-achieving law student who outwardly appears successful but struggles with deep loneliness, self-destructive behaviors, and an eating
disorder. When she meets Dr. Rosen, an unconventional yet compassionate therapist, he insists that joining a psychotherapy group—where she must share her rawest
thoughts and feelings with strangers—is the key to healing.
Through these intense and unfiltered group sessions, Tate confronts her past traumas, self-worth issues, and patterns of seeking validation through unhealthy relationships.
The group becomes a source of support, honesty, and vulnerability, helping her learn to trust others and, ultimately, herself.
The book is a raw, emotional, and often humorous account of personal growth, breaking down the stigma of therapy while illustrating the power of human connection. It highlights how sharing our struggles in a safe space can lead to profound healing and change.