“What’s the difference?” is a common question when people begin exploring group based mental health support. Support groups and psychotherapy groups are often listed side by side, described in similar language, and sometimes even offered by the same practice. At a glance, they can appear interchangeable, a group of people gathered together around shared experiences. Yet despite these surface similarities, they function in distinct and meaningful ways.
What is a Support Group?
A support group is typically organized around a shared lived experience such as grief, illness, neurodivergence, caregiving, or identity. The primary purpose of a support group is connection. Members gather not to be treated, but to be understood. The structure is usually flexible, the tone conversational, and the emphasis rests on mutual recognition and validation rather than analysis or intervention.
What often stands out in support groups is the relief participants feel when they realize their experience is not singular. Hearing someone else articulate a familiar struggle can be grounding in a way that requires no interpretation or guidance. In this sense, support groups are especially effective at reducing isolation and normalizing emotional responses. They offer containment through community rather than through a formal clinical process.
At Yellow Chair Collective, support groups are one of the ways this kind of connection is offered intentionally and accessibly. These groups are designed to bring people together around shared experiences while maintaining a clear understanding of their purpose. Even when facilitated by trained clinicians, the role of the group remains communal rather than therapeutic. The focus is on resonance, shared language, and the reassurance that one’s experience exists in a wider human context. For many, support groups serve as a meaningful entry point into care or a complementary space alongside other forms of support.
This strength, however, also defines the scope of support groups. They are not designed to diagnose, treat, or systematically address psychological patterns. They do not track change over time, nor do they aim to challenge internal defenses or relational habits. This does not make them insufficient. It simply clarifies what they are meant to offer.
What is a Psychotherapy Group?
Psychotherapy groups operate from a different premise. While they may outwardly resemble support groups, they are a form of treatment. Led by a licensed therapist, psychotherapy groups are structured with clinical intention, ethical responsibility, and clearly defined therapeutic goals. The focus extends beyond what participants are experiencing to how they experience, relate, and respond, both within the group and in their lives outside of it.
What most clearly distinguishes psychotherapy groups is the role of the group process itself. Interactions between members are not incidental. They are central to the work. Patterns of avoidance, conflict, attachment, and emotional regulation emerge in real time and are explored with guidance. The therapist is not only holding space but actively intervening, drawing attention to dynamics, inviting reflection, and supporting behavioral and emotional change in service of treatment goals.
Psychotherapy groups operate from a different premise. While they may outwardly resemble support groups, they are a form of treatment. Led by a licensed therapist, psychotherapy groups are structured with clinical intention, ethical responsibility, and clearly defined therapeutic goals. The focus extends beyond what participants are experiencing to how they experience, relate, and respond, both within the group and in their lives outside of it.
What most clearly distinguishes psychotherapy groups is the role of the group process itself. Interactions between members are not incidental. They are central to the work. Patterns of avoidance, conflict, attachment, and emotional regulation emerge in real time and are explored with guidance. The therapist is not only holding space but actively intervening, drawing attention to dynamics, inviting reflection, and supporting behavioral and emotional change in service of treatment goals.
This difference can be summarized simply:
Support groups prioritize connection.
Psychotherapy groups prioritize treatment.
Both are valuable. Neither is inherently better. Their usefulness depends on what someone is seeking at a given moment.
This distinction matters because expectations shape experience. When someone seeks treatment and encounters only validation, they may feel stuck or unclear about progress. When someone seeks support and encounters therapeutic confrontation, the experience may feel overwhelming or misaligned. Often, dissatisfaction comes not from the group itself, but from a mismatch between expectations and purpose.
Ultimately, the question is not which type of group is better, but what kind of support is needed right now. Those looking for shared understanding, community, and reassurance may find support groups sufficient. Those hoping to work through recurring emotional or relational patterns may benefit more from psychotherapy groups. Some people move between the two over time. Others engage in both simultaneously.
The answer does not need to be fixed or rushed. Meaningful support begins with an honest assessment of where one is, and what kind of holding would be most supportive in this moment.
Seek An Individual Therapist at Yellow Chair Collective in Los Angeles or New York
If you are seeking therapy specifically tailored to your needs, consider reaching out to the therapists at Yellow Chair Collective. We understand that there may be unique contextual factors that may influence your experiences.
At our Los Angeles, CA, and New York City, NY-based therapy practice, we have many skilled, trauma-informed, and culturally sensitive therapists who can provide an empowering therapeutic experience. For your added convenience and simplicity, we offer online therapy for anyone in the state of California or New York. We know that navigating your mental health journey can be challenging, and we want to support you along the way. Follow the steps below to begin.
- Fill out the contact form to get connected with us.
- Get matched with one of our culturally sensitive therapists.
- Start the next step in your healing journey today.
Other Services at Yellow Chair Collective
There are many options for treatment using online therapy in California and New York, it just depends on what you’re needing. And while we certainly service Asian American folks, we also work with individuals from other cultures, too. So, whether you’re needing support in overcoming anxiety, burnout, trauma, or PTSD, we can help. Likewise, we serve teens and couples in need of support, too. So when you start online therapy with us, you can bring your whole self, including past struggles, cultural impacts, and more.
