3 Interventions That Help Keep Therapy Groups Alive

What a Dream Taught Me About Connection in Group Work

Earlier this week, I had a dream about my own therapy group.
Dreams about group therapy aren’t uncommon for clinicians who spend their days attuned to relational processes, but they always hold meaning. In fact, there is a long-standing tradition in the group therapy literature—particularly in the work of Irvin Yalom—of viewing dreams as windows into the unconscious material unfolding within the group system.

So I brought the dream to my group.

What followed was a lively, thoughtful discussion as members interpreted the dream through the lens of their own experiences. Their reflections illuminated interpersonal patterns, unspoken feelings, and subtle dynamics that often remain under the surface. It became a moment of collective insight—one that re-energized the group and strengthened cohesion.

These are the kinds of interactions that make group therapy uniquely powerful.
They create connection. And connection is what brings a group to life.

Sustaining that aliveness—week after week—requires intentional facilitation. Across my years of leading process groups, certain interventions consistently help deepen engagement, strengthen relationships, and promote here-and-now awareness.

Below are three of the interventions I use most often to keep groups vibrant and connected.

1. Asking “Here and Now” Questions

One of the most effective ways to activate a group is to shift attention from storytelling to immediacy. “Here and now” questions redirect members from past-focused content into the present relational moment.

These questions invite members to:

• Notice their emotional reactions
• Reflect on the impact of others’ words
• Step into vulnerability
• Make the interpersonal process explicit

Examples include:

• “What do you feel hearing what was just shared?”
• “What’s it like to receive that feedback right now?”

These questions anchor the group in shared experience rather than individual monologues, creating the conditions for authentic connection.

2. Asking “Who” Questions

“Who” questions illuminate the relational landscape of the room. They help members identify alliances, tensions, fears, and longings—material that is often central to therapeutic change.

This type of inquiry surfaces interpersonal patterns such as:

• Who members seek approval from
• Who they avoid
• Who they feel protective of
• Who feels emotionally distant or close

Examples include:

• “Who are you most worried about saying the wrong thing to?”
• “Who do you feel closest to today?”

These questions help the group understand itself as a living system, not a collection of individuals.

3. Making Connecting Statements

Connecting statements are powerful interventions that draw attention to the ways group members respond to one another. They help members become aware of gestures, expressions, and emotions they may not consciously notice.

These interventions might sound like:

• “Did you notice Sara nodding as you spoke?”
• “I see you nodding—can you put that nod into words?”

By highlighting these micro-interactions, the therapist “bridges” members to one another, strengthening attunement and fostering relational depth.

Bringing Groups to Life Through Connection

Whether prompted by a dream, a moment of silence, or a spontaneous disclosure, the vitality of a therapy group emerges from the relationships in the room. Effective group leadership requires cultivating conditions where members move beyond content and into connection—where they can see and be seen.

The three interventions above—here-and-now questions, “who” questions, and connecting statements—are core tools for helping groups stay alive, engaged, and therapeutically rich.