We can be in contact with people throughout the day, exchanging messages, responding to emails and keeping up with what's happening. Yet that isn't necessarily the same experience as spending time together. And when diaries are full, getting together just to get together can easily slip down the list.

Reflecting on Yalom's therapeutic factors, we explore the power that can happen when people get together with a shared purpose. Its the healing life of groups.

If you’ve ever facilitated or participated in a therapy group, you’ll know that some groups seem to “click” in a way that others don’t. Something subtle but palpable begins to form — a sense of we. It’s the difference between a circle of individuals and a living, breathing organism.

Working with groups offers counsellors and psychotherapists a powerful way to deepen their practice. From personal growth to transferable skills and creative connection, here are five reasons why learning to work with groups is a great next step in your professional development.