Group Therapy
You Don’t Have to Do This Alone
There are some struggles that individual therapy helps us understand. And there are some wounds that only begin to heal in relationship with others.
Group therapy offers something profoundly different: the opportunity to experience yourself in real time with others, where you can see your patterns, practice new ways of relating, and feel supported by people who are also committing to learning and growing.
If you have ever wondered:
- “Why do I keep ending up in the same relationship dynamic?”
- “Why do I feel alone even when I’m not?”
- “Why is it so hard for me to say what I need?”
- “Why do I feel different from everyone else?”
Group therapy may be exactly where healing begins.
What Is Group Therapy?
Group therapy at Maple Counseling brings together a small group of individuals with two therapist facilitators. Together, members explore emotions, relationship patterns, identity, and life challenges in a safe and confidential environment.
Research consistently shows that group therapy is just as effective as individual therapy for many concerns, and in some cases, even more powerful because of the relational learning it provides.
Process Groups: The Maple Counseling Approach
| Process Groups (What We Offer at Maple) | Support Groups |
|---|---|
| Focus on relational patterns in real time | Focus on shared experiences or specific issues |
| Explore emotions as they arise in the group | Share coping strategies and resources |
| Encourage interpersonal feedback | Often more structured and topic-based |
| Emphasize emotional growth and insight | Emphasize validation and mutual support |
| Aim for deeper, long-term change | Often short-term or issue-focused |
Both formats have value and both offer support. Maple’s groups are primarily process-oriented, meaning they focus on emotional awareness, relationship dynamics, and lasting psychological growth.
Is Group Therapy Right for You?
You may benefit if you’re struggling with:
- Repeating relationship patterns that leave you feeling stuck
- Anxiety, depression, or persistent loneliness
- Difficulty setting boundaries or expressing your needs
- Shame, self-criticism, or feeling “not enough”
- Feeling misunderstood or disconnected from others
- Social anxiety or social skills that hinder a feeling of belonging
- Grief, loss, or significant life transitions
- Questions about identity, belonging, or meaning
You do not need to be outgoing or “good at groups.” Many members begin feeling unsure. Over time, the group itself often becomes a meaningful source of support and insight.
If you’re wondering whether this format is right for you, our Welcome Center can help you think it through.
📞 Call the Welcome Center to learn more at (310) 271-9999.
Our Current Therapy Groups
Gay Men’s Therapy Group: All Ages
Virtual
Meets every Tuesday from 5:15pm – 6:45pm
The Gay Men’s Group is an ongoing therapy group for adult gay men. It offers an LGBTQ+ affirming, confidential space to explore the emotional and relational realities of living as a gay man.
Members examine experiences related to:
- Relationships and intimacy
- Self-image and identity
- Shame and internalized homophobia
- Managing difficult feelings toward self and others
- Recovery from self-sabotaging patterns
- The social and cultural influences that shape men’s lives
- Any and all other issues from just being human
Queer Identities Therapy Group: All Ages
Virtual
Meets every Thursday from 5:20pm – 6:50pm
The Queer Identities Group is an ongoing therapy group for LGBTQ+ adults of diverse genders and sexual identities, including individuals who identify as queer, non-binary, trans, bisexual, lesbian, and gay.
This affirming group provides a nonjudgmental, reflective, community-building space to explore:
- Gender identity and sexual orientation
- Self-acceptance and internalized homonegativity
- Relationships and vulnerability
- Identity development and belonging
- The lived experience of existing outside heteronormative expectations
- Any and all other issues from just being human
Adult Therapy Group: Ages 40+
Hybrid Format: Alternating Weeks Virtual and In-Person at Maple
Meets every Tuesday from 6:30pm – 8:00pm
This ongoing therapy group is designed for adults age 40 and over who are navigating the complexities of midlife and beyond.
Members often come to explore:
- How early life experiences continue to shape present relationships
- Long-standing relational patterns that feel difficult to shift
- Career transitions, reinvention, or questions of purpose
- Changing family roles, parenting adult children, or caregiving
- Grief, loss, aging, and evolving identity
- Questions about meaning, legacy, and the next chapter of life
Adult Therapy Group: Ages 20 - 45
Virtual
Meets every Wednesday from 6:20pm – 7:50pm
This ongoing virtual process group is designed for adults navigating early and mid-adulthood, a period often marked by growth, uncertainty, and meaningful life transitions.
Members explore:
- Relational patterns across romantic, family, and social relationships
- Career development, ambition, and professional identity
- Anxiety, self-doubt, and comparison
- Shifts and changing social roles within friendships, partnerships, and family
- Questions of identity, belonging, and direction
- How early relational experiences continue to shape present choices
Seniors Therapy Group
In-Person at the Maple Counseling Center
Meets every Thursday from 12:00pm – 1:30pm
This ongoing, in-person therapy group offers a supportive and reflective space for older adults navigating the emotional complexities of later life.
Members may explore:
- Adjusting to retirement and shifting daily structure
- Grief, loss, and changes in health
- Evolving identity and independence
- Loneliness and maintaining meaningful connection
- Family dynamics across generations
- Questions of legacy, meaning, and life reflection
Ready to Get Started?
The first step is simple.
Call Maple’s Welcome Center to speak with a care coordinator who can help determine which group may be the best fit for you.
📞 Call the Welcome Center: (310) 271-9999
Group therapy may feel unfamiliar at first, but many members say it becomes one of the most meaningful parts of their therapeutic journey.
You don’t have to heal alone.
We’re here to help you begin.
Our services are all provided by counselors working towards licensure in the State of California under supervision of highly-experienced licensed clinicians.
Welcome Center Hours of Operation
9 AM – 5 PM, Monday – Friday
Virtual Therapy Service Hours
Monday – Thursday, 9 AM – 9 PM
Friday, 9 AM – 5 PM
Saturday, 9 AM – 2 PM
NEW In-Clinic Hours of Operation
Monday, 11 AM – 9 PM (appointment end time)
Tuesday, 9 AM – 9 PM (appointment end time)
Wednesday, 9 AM – 7 PM (appointment end time)
Thursday, 11 AM – 7 PM (appointment end time)
Friday, 9 AM – 5 PM (appointment end time)
PCRC Hours
Administrative Hours:
Tuesday – Friday: 9 AM – 6 PM
Saturday: 9 AM – 4 PM
Sunday – Monday: Closed
Client Service Hours:
Tuesday – Wednesday: 10 AM – 7:30 PM
Thursday – Friday: 10 AM – 6 PM
Saturday: 10 AM – 4 PM