Supportive Group Therapy to Strengthen Connection and Understanding
There is something that happens in a room full of people who genuinely understand what you are going through that is difficult to replicate anywhere else. Not because they have identical experiences, but because the specific texture of the struggle is familiar. The self-doubt, the exhaustion, the moments where functioning feels harder than it looks from the outside. Hearing someone else name that out loud changes something.
Group therapy at Vantage Mental Health is clinically led and intentionally structured. It is not a support group in the informal sense. Sessions are facilitated by a licensed therapist who guides the conversation, keeps the work focused, and creates the kind of safety that allows people to be honest rather than just polite. The shared space amplifies what individual therapy does well and adds something individual therapy cannot fully replicate: the experience of being witnessed by peers, not just a clinician.
We currently offer a Women’s Group running weekly via telehealth, open to adults 18 and older throughout Minnesota.
What Is Group Therapy?
Group therapy is a form of structured psychotherapy in which a small number of clients meet regularly with a licensed therapist to work on shared concerns. Unlike individual therapy, where the therapeutic relationship is one-on-one, group therapy uses the dynamics of the group itself as part of the treatment. How people relate to one another in the room, what they notice in each other’s experiences, how they give and receive support, all of that becomes clinically useful material.
Research consistently shows group therapy to be as effective as individual therapy for a wide range of conditions, and in some areas, particularly around interpersonal difficulties and social anxiety, it offers advantages that individual work does not. The experience of belonging to a group, of contributing to someone else’s progress as well as your own, carries its own therapeutic weight.
At Vantage, group therapy is not a replacement for individual care. For some people it works well alongside individual therapy. For others it functions as a meaningful step between a higher level of care and independent functioning. The right fit depends on where you are and what you need.
Benefits of Group Therapy
Group therapy offers a kind of support that extends beyond what any single session can provide on its own.
- Reduces the isolation that often accompanies emotional struggle
- Offers perspective from people navigating similar challenges
- Builds interpersonal skills in a safe, structured setting
- Strengthens confidence through shared experience and mutual support
- Provides consistent, weekly structure that supports stability
- Creates accountability that reinforces progress between sessions
Our Group Therapy Services
Women's Group
The Women's Group is an ongoing therapy group for adult women who are transitioning from a higher level of care or looking for a meaningful supplement to individual therapy. It is appropriate for those navigating depression, anxiety, grief, shame, work stress, and related challenges. The group meets weekly for 75 minutes on Thursday afternoons from 2:30 to 3:45 PM via telehealth. It is open to adults 18 and older throughout Minnesota. Sessions are billed to individual health insurance plans, and weekly attendance is an important part of the group's effectiveness. Members are asked to notify the facilitator of any expected or unexpected absences as soon as possible. The group is facilitated by Laura DaBruzzi, MSW, LICSW.
Future Groups
Vantage is committed to expanding group therapy offerings over time as clinical need and capacity allow. If you are interested in a group that is not currently available, please reach out. We welcome your input as we continue to develop this area of care.
What to Expect:
When you join a group at Vantage, you can expect the facilitator to have already laid the groundwork for a space that feels genuinely safe. This includes clear group norms around confidentiality, respectful communication, and how members support one another without overstepping. None of this is incidental. It is what makes the therapeutic work possible.
Group therapy typically includes:
- A structured but flexible format guided by a licensed therapist
- Space to share your own experience and respond to others
- Skill-building and insight developed through the group process
- Consistency in meeting time and membership that builds trust over time
- Regular check-ins on how the group is working for each member
The Women’s Group meets for 75 minutes weekly via telehealth on Thursday afternoons. Consistent attendance matters, and members are expected to prioritize showing up week to week as part of their commitment to the group.
Concerns Commonly Addressed in Group Therapy
Group therapy at Vantage is well-suited for people navigating a range of emotional and interpersonal concerns, including:
- Depression and persistent low mood
- Anxiety and chronic stress
- Grief and loss
- Shame and low self-worth
- Difficult life transitions
- Work-related stress and burnout
- Social isolation or difficulty feeling connected
- Adjusting after a higher level of care
Why Choose Vantage for Group Therapy?
At Vantage Mental Health, group therapy is not an afterthought or a waiting room alternative. It is a clinically intentional service led by experienced therapists who understand what makes a group work and what can get in the way. As a nonprofit clinic, our focus is on providing care that is genuinely useful, not on filling seats.
We keep groups small enough that every member has space to be present, and we take the matching process seriously. Not every group is the right fit for every person at every point, and we will be honest with you about whether the group we currently offer makes sense for where you are.
What Sets Us Apart:
- Clinically facilitated groups led by licensed therapists, not peer-support only
- Small group size that allows for genuine individual attention within the group format
- Telehealth delivery that makes consistent weekly attendance more accessible for people across Minnesota
- Integrated care options when individual therapy or psychiatric support is also needed
- A nonprofit model that keeps the focus on clinical outcomes rather than volume
Is Group Therapy Right for You?
If you are looking for consistent support, connection with others who understand what you are going through, and a structured space to work on what is keeping you stuck, group therapy may be a meaningful next step.
We serve adults throughout Minnesota via telehealth, including those in the Twin Cities metro, Northeast Minneapolis, Roseville, Stillwater, Edina, St. Anthony, and surrounding communities. We are here to answer your questions and help you figure out whether the Women’s Group or another form of care at Vantage is the right fit for right now.