Support Groups vs. Therapy Groups

Understanding the Difference at The Center for Growth

At The Center for Growth, we offer both support groups and therapy groups in Philadelphia, PA, Ocean City, NJ, and Providence RI. While both types of groups help people connect, learn, and heal, they serve different purposes and reach different levels of emotional depth.

Whether you’re adjusting to a life transition or working through long-standing emotional pain, understanding the difference can help you choose the group that best meets your needs.

Give and receive emotional support
Learn practical tools and coping skills
Reduce feelings of isolation
Hear new perspectives from peers
Practice new behaviors in a safe setting
Experience therapy at a lower cost than individual sessions

	Support Group	Therapy Group
Primary Focus	Education, coping, and peer support	Emotional exploration and behavioral change
Led By	Licensed therapist (facilitator role)	Licensed therapist (clinical role)
Group Tone	Encouraging, informative	Reflective, insight-oriented
Depth of Work	Surface-level coping and connection	Deeper psychological and relational exploration
Ideal For	People seeking community and understanding	People seeking therapeutic change and personal growth

A support group is a gathering of people who share a similar life experience or challenge. These groups focus on mutual support, education, and connection rather than deep therapeutic exploration.

At The Center for Growth, all support groups are led by licensed therapists who skillfully facilitate open discussion, help members learn from one another, and ensure a safe, inclusive environment.

Anxiety & Depression
ADHD
Life transitions (e.g., retirement, divorce, caregiving)
Grief and loss
Chronic illness or pain management
Relationship and identity challenges

Support groups are often considered educational in nature—they help you better understand what you’re going through, share experiences, and gain practical tips from others walking a similar path.

Size: 6–12 participants
Duration: 1–2 hours per session
Focus: Learning, coping, and connection

Support Groups

A therapy group (sometimes called a process group or therapeutic group) is a more clinically focused experience led by a licensed therapist. Here, the goal is to explore underlying emotional and relational patterns, not just surface-level coping.

Therapy groups offer a unique opportunity to experience healing through interpersonal feedback, emotional insight, and guided self-reflection.

Anxiety and depression
Grief and trauma recovery
Codependency and boundary work
Sexual compulsivity or relationship concerns
Personality and identity development

Therapy groups are ideal for those who are ready to go deeper—examining how past experiences, emotions, and relationship patterns show up in the present moment.

Typical structure:

Size: 6–10 participants
Duration: 1.5–2 hours per session
Focus: Emotional processing, relational growth, and insight

Therapy Groups

We offer both support groups and therapy groups at some of our locations:

Philadelphia, PA
Ocean City, NJ
Providence, RI

Call to Register for a therapy group Call to Register for a support group

Group Therapy & Support Groups

The Center For Growth Approach