The Power of Group Sessions

The first time you step into a group session, there’s this tension in the air. Everyone’s a little stiff, unsure of what’s about to happen. Nobody really wants to go first, and the silence stretches just a little too long. And then—someone starts the first exercise.

Let’s say it’s Spingle—short for speaking and mingling. The music starts, people move around the room, some hesitantly swaying, others fully leaning into the moment. And just when it starts to feel a little ridiculous, the music stops. Whoever you’re standing in front of, that’s your conversation partner. A topic pops up: “What makes you feel alive?” Five minutes. Just the two of you, no distractions.

At first, there’s hesitation. Then, maybe a small anecdote, a confession, something light. And suddenly—you're in it. The weight of expectations fades, and it’s just two people talking, recognizing a little bit of themselves in each other. And that’s when it happens: the moment you realize you’re not alone.

Why Talking Isn’t Enough

We all know talking about mental health is important. But the way we talk about it? That’s where things get tricky. In everyday life, there’s this pressure to have the right words. To explain things clearly. To say something deep, meaningful, or, at the very least, coherent.

But what if that’s not how we actually process things? What if the real breakthroughs happen not when we sit in a circle and just talk, but when we move, interact, and share in a way that feels organic—without feeling like we’re being put on the spot?

That’s the magic of structured group sessions. They don’t demand that you talk. They invite you to engage.

Icebreakers, Exercises, and Why They Matter

A lot of people roll their eyes at icebreakers. And to be fair, some of them are a bit cringeworthy. But the right ones? They shift the whole dynamic. They take the discomfort of silence and turn it into a shared experience.

Take Spingle. In the beginning, people feel a bit awkward. Dancing, moving around, locking eyes with strangers—it’s weird, right? But then the game takes over. The randomness of who you end up talking to, the absurdity of it all, makes it easier to let your guard down. By the second or third round, people aren’t thinking about the game anymore. They’re thinking about the conversation.

Or take a different kind of exercise—one where you sit in a circle, and each person writes down a feeling they’ve been carrying but haven’t shared. The slips of paper are folded, shuffled, and randomly read aloud. No names. No ownership. Just feelings, floating in the room, belonging to everyone and no one at the same time.

And yet, every time, someone hears their own emotions spoken by someone else. And suddenly, that weight they’ve been carrying? It’s shared.

When Support Goes Both Ways

One of the biggest misconceptions about mental health support is that there’s a giver and a receiver. One person helps, the other is helped. But that’s not how it actually works.

In reality, everyone in a group session gives and receives at the same time. One person shares, and someone else realizes “Oh. That’s me too.” Another person offers a perspective, and suddenly, the first person understands something about themselves they hadn’t put into words before. It’s this constant back-and-forth, this exchange of understanding, that makes group sessions work.

Because it’s not just about talking about struggles—it’s about recognizing ourselves in each other.

More Than Just Words

That’s why activities matter. They take the focus off “What should I say?” and shift it to “What am I experiencing?” Instead of sitting in a room full of strangers waiting for your turn to speak, you’re doing something. You’re interacting. You’re allowing conversations to emerge naturally.

And somewhere in that process—whether it’s through a ridiculous icebreaker, a creative exercise, or a moment of shared silence—you realize that you’re not just participating in a session.

You’re part of something bigger. And who knows, you might even make some new friends.