What is CGP?
A CGP or Certified Group Psychotherapist is a medical professional who is certified to provide mental health services, specifically group psychotherapy. A typical CGP should have earned a basic degree in Psychology and has been certified by the National Registry of Certified Group of Psychotherapists to perform effective psychotherapy services in groups.

The practice of CGPs is managed and enhanced by a non-profit organization called the AGPA or the American Psychotherapy Association. This particular organization was built to help practitioners with their needs in performing their functions. The AGPA specifically aims to promote group psychotherapy as an accessible, effective, and cost-conscious treatment method. It also finds ways to advance the profession involving group psychotherapy and provide practitioners with continuing educational options and a network of support systems for their own needs.

There are many areas of specialty that a particular CGP may want to practice on. One such specialty is on the management of “transitional” events in people’s lives. An example of a transitional event is when a person had a divorce. It is no question that the life of a divorced person suddenly changes when the partner is no longer part of a home or a family. Psychotherapy sessions for this transitional event may be done in groups and handled by CGPs to let participants cope with their negative emotions with an instant support group that can relate to their individual concerns and problems. Other transitional events include death of a family member, moving to a new city, or losing a relationship.

Another specialty for CGPs involves the management of people’s emotions. These emotions may be in the form of fear, anger, anxiety, depression, and self-esteem issues among others. Any of these emotions may have been caused by different things that a happen in a person’s life and it is the CGPs task to get to the bottom of it and help the participants understand and respond to their emotions better.