In 1976 a study was conducted in a nursing home called Arden House in Connecticut. Known as the Langer and Rodin study, researchers divided residents into two groups. A
“high responsibility” and “low responsibility” group. Residents who participated were given plants to take care of regardless of the group they were assigned to. The “high responsibility group” was told they were responsible for the plant’s care and were provided other opportunities to exercise choice as well. The “low responsibility” group was told the nursing staff would take care of the plants for them as well as take care of them. The end of the study noted that the “high responsibility” group presented as being more alert, active and happy compared to the control group and also experienced a reduced mortality rate eighteen months later.

We live in highly uncertain times. It’s hard to disconnect from the turmoil that seems to be ever-present around us. Oftentimes we may find ourselves in a place where we feel like so much is out of our control. We look at the horrifying things on our news feed and feel the fear, anxiety, anger and confusion, yet find ourselves wondering what we could
even do about it.

In the study that I shared above, the takeaway isn’t really plants; it’s control. When we feel like our actions have a direct impact, particularly on something living that we can connect with in some routine way, our sense of control increases, and many domains of mental health-related functioning may improve.

However, take it from someone who cannot keep a plant alive no matter how hard he tries; there are other ways to achieve this. In fact, if you’ve tried individual talk therapy and found it difficult to engage with, I’d highly recommend trying group therapy.

Group therapy, in part, operates on this same principle. One of its most impactful therapeutic factors, as identified by Irvin Yalom, is altruism, among many other things. When we support someone in this setting and witness direct change in another because of the influence of that support, we ourselves may experience this same increase in control, or even an increase in our belief that we have something meaningful to offer to others. Similar to routinely adding water to a plant, we begin to see that it is at least possible to affect change in others. It then becomes all too easy to ask ourselves, “Why not me?”

In groups, it is a very common phenomenon to see that individuals who never speak in the group session are still impacted. In fact, witnessing change and growth in another in itself can be a change agent in our own lives. Instillation of hope, universality of struggle and even corrective recapitulation of our primary family group can all occur in a group therapy setting.

So if you’re feeling burdened by things outside of your control, which I feel is quite easy when you keep up to date with current world events, it can be a helpful mindset shift to lean into altruism and observe the impacts our caring actions can have.

If you’re interested in exploring group counseling, Welty Health and Counseling Center currently has two groups that meet weekly. Moving Forward With Social Anxiety, a
group that focuses on managing social anxiety and its impacts, meets every Friday from 1:00pm to 2:00pm at Welty, 11 Merriam St. (please contact Nichole Vernon, LMHC, at
[email protected] for more information). Also, Power of Purpose, a group that focuses on guiding you on a journey to discover your true purpose and learn how to bring it to life. This group takes place every Friday from 4:00pm to 5:00pm at Welty (please contact Lucinda Richards, MSW, LSWAIC, at [email protected] for more information). You can also call our main line at (509) 527-5281 for more information on either of our group offerings.