Season 3 Episode 6: "Belonging As Treatment: The Power of Group Therapy" - Cheri Marmarosh, Ph.D

In this episode, Bruce sits down with Dr. Cheri Marmarosh, associate professor of clinical psychology at George Washington University and author of Attachment in Group Psychotherapy, to explore how belonging itself can serve as a form of treatment.

Dr. Marmarosh, one of the leading experts in group psychotherapy, discusses the evidence showing that group therapy is as effective as individual therapy — and in some cases, even more powerful. She and Bruce examine why this proven approach remains underutilized, uncovering barriers such as limited training, financial disincentives, and cultural biases toward individualism.

The conversation highlights how group therapy helps people heal through connection, offering a powerful antidote to the growing crisis of loneliness and disconnection. Dr. Marmarosh explains how being part of a group fosters empathy, self-awareness, and emotional regulation in ways individual therapy cannot replicate.

They also discuss how the rise of teletherapy has changed the dynamics of group work, the training required to lead effective groups, and how modern therapists can integrate group modalities to expand access to care.

Dr. Cheri Marmarosh, Ph.D., is Associate Professor of Clinical Psychology at George Washington University and a leading voice in attachment and group psychotherapy research. Dr. Bruce Wampold, Ph.D., is Emeritus Professor at the University of Wisconsin–Madison and author of The Great Psychotherapy Debate: The Evidence for What Makes Psychotherapy Work.