Individual Therapy vs Group Therapy: Which Is Right for You?
If you’re considering starting therapy in Mississauga or Ontario, one of the first practical questions you’ll face is: should I do individual therapy or group therapy? Both are legitimate, evidence-based approaches to mental health care — and both have distinct strengths. The right choice depends on your specific goals, your comfort with others, your budget, and sometimes what your therapist recommends. This guide breaks down the key differences so you can make an informed decision that fits your life.
What Is Individual Therapy?
Individual therapy — also called one-on-one or private therapy — involves regular sessions between you and a single therapist. These sessions are entirely focused on your experiences, your history, and your goals. You set the agenda. The conversation is private. The relationship between you and your therapist is the primary vehicle for change.
Individual therapy in Mississauga typically involves weekly or bi-weekly sessions of 50–60 minutes. It can be delivered in person or online (virtual therapy is widely available throughout Ontario), and it encompasses a wide range of therapeutic approaches: CBT, EMDR, somatic therapy, psychodynamic therapy, and more.
What Individual Therapy Is Best For
- Processing trauma or abuse
- Anxiety, depression, or panic disorder
- Grief and loss
- Relationship difficulties (your half of the equation)
- Identity, self-esteem, and personal growth
- Exploring your past and understanding patterns
- Complex or layered presentations where you need undivided attention
- Topics you are not ready to share in a group setting
What Is Group Therapy?
Group therapy involves a therapist (or two co-facilitators) working with a small group of individuals — typically 6–12 people — who share a common concern, goal, or diagnostic category. Sessions may be structured (following a curriculum, as in a CBT skills group) or process-oriented (where group members interact freely and the group dynamics themselves become the therapeutic material).
Group therapy is distinct from peer support groups (like AA or grief circles) in that it is led by a trained, regulated therapist and uses evidence-based techniques. The group is not just a cost-saving measure — it is itself the therapeutic tool.
What Group Therapy Is Best For
- Social anxiety — learning to be with others in a safe, contained way
- Interpersonal difficulties — seeing yourself through the eyes of others
- DBT (Dialectical Behaviour Therapy) skills groups for emotion regulation
- Addiction and substance use recovery
- Grief support with others who understand the experience
- Building community after isolation
- Feeling less alone in your struggles
- Learning from others’ perspectives and coping strategies
Key Differences Between Individual and Group Therapy
Privacy and Confidentiality
In individual therapy, only you and your therapist know the content of your sessions. In group therapy, other participants share the confidentiality expectation — but you cannot guarantee how group members handle what they hear. For highly sensitive material (trauma, abuse, specific relationship details), individual therapy typically feels safer.
Cost
Group therapy is generally significantly less expensive than individual therapy, often ranging from $25–$80 per group session compared to $150–$250 for individual therapy in Ontario. This makes group therapy an excellent option for people who need support but face financial constraints, or who want to extend their coverage further.
Focus and Depth
Individual therapy can go wherever you need it to go — deep into your childhood, your specific trauma history, the nuances of your current relationships. Group therapy, especially structured groups, tends to be more focused on a particular skill set or shared theme. The depth is often broader (you benefit from many perspectives) but less tailored to your individual story.
Relational Learning
One of the most powerful things about group therapy is that it is inherently interpersonal. If you struggle with relationships — feeling unseen, difficulty trusting others, people-pleasing, fear of conflict — group therapy can surface these patterns in real time, as they happen between group members. This can be extraordinarily useful in ways that individual therapy simply cannot replicate.
Timing and Access
Individual therapy can typically be started fairly quickly with a private therapist in Mississauga. Group therapy often requires waiting for a group to form, meeting specific criteria, or completing an intake process. However, group therapy can sometimes offer more hours of support per week for those who need intensive care.
Can You Do Both?
Absolutely — and many clients find that combining individual and group therapy is the most powerful option. For example, a client dealing with social anxiety might attend a CBT skills group for practical tools while also working through the underlying roots of their anxiety in individual therapy. A person in recovery might attend a substance use support group while also doing trauma work individually.
If budget allows, and if the two modalities address different aspects of your experience, doing both simultaneously is entirely appropriate and can accelerate growth.
How to Decide: A Simple Framework
Ask yourself these questions:
- Do I need confidentiality around what I want to discuss? → Individual therapy
- Do I struggle primarily with relationships and social situations? → Group therapy may be particularly powerful
- Is budget a significant constraint? → Group therapy or combined approach
- Do I have complex trauma or a layered history? → Individual therapy first, or concurrent individual work alongside group
- Am I feeling isolated and looking for connection? → Group therapy offers community that individual therapy cannot
- Do I want to learn specific skills (anxiety management, emotion regulation)? → Structured group therapy excels here
What True Therapy Offers in Mississauga
At True Therapy, we offer individual therapy in Mississauga and across Ontario, both in person and virtually. We work with clients on anxiety, trauma, relationship difficulties, self-esteem, and more.
If you are exploring group therapy options in addition to or instead of individual work, we are happy to discuss what might suit you best, or refer you to appropriate group programs in the Mississauga and broader Ontario area. Your care is not one-size-fits-all — and neither should be how it’s delivered.
FAQ: Individual vs Group Therapy in Ontario
Is group therapy as effective as individual therapy?
Research shows that group therapy is as effective as individual therapy for many conditions — particularly interpersonal difficulties, social anxiety, depression, and substance use. For complex trauma and highly individualized presentations, individual therapy is typically recommended, at least initially.
Will I have to share personal details in a group?
You share what you choose to share. Group therapy is not a confessional. Your therapist will never force disclosure, and good group facilitators create an environment where you engage at your own pace. Many people find they gradually share more as trust in the group builds.
Is group therapy covered by insurance in Ontario?
This depends on your plan. Some extended health benefit plans cover group therapy when led by a regulated professional. Check your policy documentation or call your benefits provider. The OSP (Ontario Structured Psychotherapy) program also offers free group-based CBT for eligible Ontarians.
How do I find group therapy in Mississauga or Ontario?
Start by asking a therapist for a referral. Community mental health centres in the Peel Region also offer group programs. Your family doctor can also refer you to hospital-based outpatient group programs.
What if I try one and want to switch?
That’s completely okay. Many people start with individual therapy, find it helpful but want more social support, and add a group. Others start in group and eventually want deeper individual work. There is no wrong sequence — only what serves you at this stage of your journey.
The Right Therapy Is the One That Fits You
Whether it’s the focused, private space of individual therapy or the relational richness of group work — both paths lead toward greater self-understanding, reduced suffering, and a fuller life. What matters most is that you start.
If you’re in Mississauga or Ontario and want to discuss whether individual therapy might be a good fit for you, book a session at True Therapy. We’ll take the time to understand your situation and help you figure out the right next step.