Not only is group therapy more affordable, group therapy can be just as effective, if not more so, than one on one.

Many of my clients come to my public speaking groups only to be surprised by how much they enjoyed the experience. Not only is group therapy more affordable, group therapy can be just as effective, if not more so, than one on one.

In fact, research has found that group therapy is effective when treating social anxiety. Although social anxiety isn’t the focus of this program, the fear of public speaking is similarly rooted in concerns over other people’s perceptions of us.

It’s also fun! Group work is inherently social, so the group setting is a bonus for those with a fear of speaking in the workplace. However, it’s not like the movies! Group therapy is often shown in the media as a circle of participants sitting in chairs and going around and around to share. This is not the case here: my public speaking groups are skills-based and led by me, which means you don’t have to worry about being put on the spot. 

The real magic of public speaking groups is the opportunity to share your experiences and progress, get hands-on experience applying the tools, and practice the skill of vulnerability in breakout rooms.

These are where I see individuals really emerge as leaders, since breakout rooms and other group work inherently creates a space for showing off your fearless new skills. When participants break out into planned activities or speak in front of their peers, their leadership skills really start to grow—which might be why they’re often participants' favourite part of the experience!

Let’s talk about some of the other benefits of joining a public speaking group for public speaking anxiety:

Groups are financially (and physically) accessible

There are many reasons someone might choose a group over individual sessions, but one of the most common is how affordable they are. For participants who want to improve their public speaking skills but don’t have benefits, group workshops are less than 50% of the cost. If your health coverage or organization doesn’t cover individual sessions (or only covers part) you might consider learning with others like you! Most people haven’t participated in a group therapy or program before, but my experience has been that people surprise themselves by how much they actually enjoy it. 

Even if benefits do cover the cost of one on one, the best option might still be a group. 

Many employers also include group therapy in their benefits, and you might find the group setting even more valuable than individual time. Plus, extended group sessions (like my 8-10 week groups) are a great way to ensure you get in regular, structured time—which you might not have if you have to pay for, or book, sessions on your own. 

Plus, my public speaking groups are virtual. This means that anyone can join across the entire province of Ontario with no traffic, weather, or distance to get in the way. 

Public speaking groups help you practice your skills

My public speaking groups include breakout rooms and exercises where speaking is required. This is where I see the most progress and growth. Participants emerge as leaders when they can use group work to tap into their talents, and individual sessions don’t offer similar time. It has surprised me how empowered group members feel by participating in these breakout rooms! As we work through the weekly activities together, you not only learn science-backed tools for fearing less and speaking more, you also get to put them into practice with others. 

The author of In the Spotlight, Janet Esposito, says ‘hands on’ group work helps participants get more comfortable speaking in front of others—not only learning new skills, but reducing their fears and inhibitions at the same time. 

In my workshops, participants work together over the course of the sessions, then show up to the final capstone project and pick from a list of options. Top takeaways, a personal manifesto, and a ‘before and after’ are all choices for what you’ll teach your peers and learn more about yourself. These capstones are also practice: when you speak up in front of others, you’re putting down the necessary framework for more public speaking self confidence one session at a time. But what they also allow you to do is to synthesize and integrate your learning, in a personal way, across your time spent in the group. 

Scheduled group sessions hold you accountable to your goals

Just like joining a group exercise class, art class, or sports team, taking part in a group holds you accountable to your goal. When you know that the session will be going on with or without you in it, you’re more likely to show up to the class (and do the homework, too!). Individual sessions can be rescheduled to accommodate a busy week or a rough day, but group sessions go on no matter what. This gives a lot of people an extra push to make the effort and join in.

Plus, weekly group sessions come with weekly take-home activities, like reviewing chapters of an assigned book. When your peers are depending on you to take ownership of the task and help provide them information too, you’re more likely to put your all into learning more. 

Groups are great for visual learners

Group sessions are ideal for visual learners. Weekly Zoom meetings not only introduce you to other participants, they also come with visual tools like diagrams or outlines of the science-backed tools we use. If you’re more likely to pick up on a concept if you see it in action—or displayed on a screen—group work might be the best way to go.

Learning as part of a group also gives you the opportunity to hear questions asked by your peers: potentially giving you additional information or clarification on a concept, as well as letting you know there’s someone else in the same boat. 

Groups give you comfort that you are not alone

With a condition as stigmatized as public speaking anxiety, joining a group can also help to realize you aren’t alone. There are thousands of other people who struggle with public speaking anxiety, and they come from all stages of their career. For professional perfectionists (and perfectionist professionals!) who feel ashamed about what they often view as a flaw, this can be almost as eye opening as the course itself. 

You aren’t alone in having fear, and you’re also not alone in being successful in your career despite it. Group workshops can be an eye-opening way to see this in other people like you. What’s more, you’re not alone in taking the steps to work through it—which means there will be plenty of support on all sides. This also helps build connection to the work. As you hear about others’ progress, the tools that are working (or not working) for them, you celebrate successes with others who are invested in your own rise. This provides extra support and insight you might not experience from individual sessions. 

It’s important to note that your privacy is still protected in a group space.

You are not required to provide your full name or any identifying information about yourself, and theoretically, you could even attend under another name. Like all psychological services, your comfort and privacy is a top priority. While you may get additional benefit from joining a public speaking group versus doing individual sessions, privacy is something you won’t have to sacrifice. 

Joining a public speaking group can feel both scary and exciting! It’s not surprising that people with a fear of public speaking are sometimes hesitant to join a group, but these experiences and interactions are some of the best ways to learn. Hands-on learning is ideal for getting over your inhibitions and reducing your fears. 

Interested in learning more? Sign up to be on the waitlist for my next public speaking group!

Public speaking groups aren’t like the movies: there’s no folding chairs, sitting in a circle, or going around and around to share. My groups are skills-based and led by me, although there are many opportunities to practice applying the tools or come out of your shell. Not only are public speaking groups affordable and effective, most people are surprised by how much they enjoyed the experience!

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