Group Therapy
Group therapy can be a powerful way to grow. It offers information, support, and a place to try out new ways of relating in a structured, professionally led setting. In addition, many people find that hearing from others with similar struggles reduces shame and helps them stay engaged in change.
At the Rochester Center for Sexual Wellness, Mr. Rosen facilitates several interpersonal process groups that focus on how people connect in the moment. Instead of only talking about life events, group members pay attention to what happens between them in the room and use that experience to practice healthier, more satisfying patterns.
Group for Men with Out-of-Control Sexual Behavior (Online)
This group is for men who feel their sexual behavior is no longer aligned with their values, commitments, or agreements and who want support to make more deliberate choices. You might struggle with pornography use, sexting, anonymous hookups, or paying for sexual services. You may also feel stuck in cycles of secrecy, shame, or repeated broken promises to yourself or others.
In this interpersonal process group, you have a place to talk openly about these experiences in a structured, confidential setting. Together, you and other group members explore what drives the behavior, how urges show up in your daily life, and what happens in relationships when you try to change. Because the group focuses on live interaction, you can practice reaching out instead of acting alone, tolerating difficult feelings, and staying connected when you feel exposed or embarrassed.
The goal is not to “police” you, but to help you understand your patterns and build more grounded, value-consistent choices. As you participate, you may notice more space between impulse and action and a stronger sense of agency over your behavior.
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Format: Ongoing interpersonal process group
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Who it is for: Men who identify their sexual behavior as out of control or problematic
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Location: Online (Zoom)
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Schedule: Wednesday evenings
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Eligibility: Open to residents of New York State
Interpersonal All-Gender Process Group (In Person)
This all-gender interpersonal process group serves adults who want to understand how they relate to others and build more comfort in relationships. You may notice that you shut down, over-explain, try to please everyone, or stay silent when you want to speak. You may also feel unsure how to ask for what you need without guilt or fear.
In the group, you and other members pay attention to what happens between you in the moment. You practice naming emotions, asking questions, giving and receiving feedback, and trying new ways of engaging. Because the group focuses on live interaction, you can see your patterns more clearly and experiment with change in a supportive environment.
This work often supports shifts in many areas of life, including friendships, family relationships, romantic partnerships, and professional settings. In addition, the group provides a structured place to explore how shame, identity, and past experiences show up in your day-to-day interactions.
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Format: Ongoing interpersonal process group
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Who it is for: Adults of all genders
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Location: In person, 625 Panorama Trail
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Schedule: Tuesday evenings
Interpersonal Process Group for Men (Online)
This men’s interpersonal process group focuses on deepening emotional awareness and improving connection with others. You may feel pressure to “have it together,” find it hard to talk about feelings, or notice that people experience you as distant or quick to withdraw. Alternatively, you might feel that you overshare and then regret it.
In this group, you learn to stay present with your own feelings and with other people in real time. You and the other members practice noticing what happens in your body, how you respond to conflict, and when you move toward or away from closeness. Because the group is men-only, it offers a specific space to explore masculinity, vulnerability, and intimacy in a more focused way.
Over time, many participants develop more comfort with emotional expression, clearer boundaries, and stronger, more satisfying relationships. Furthermore, the skills you build in group often support ongoing individual therapy, couples work, or medical care.
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Format: Ongoing interpersonal process group
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Who it is for: Men interested in working on relationships, emotions, and connection
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Location: Online (Zoom)
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Schedule: Monday afternoons
How to Decide if a Group Is Right for You
Choosing a group can feel like a big step, especially when sexual or relational concerns feel private or stigmatized. To help, Mr. Rosen offers a brief consultation before you join. During this conversation, you can describe your goals, ask questions, and explore whether a particular group matches your needs.
Because not every group fits every person, this consultation helps you and the clinician decide together on the best next step. Sometimes that will be a group. Other times, it may be individual therapy, couples work, or a different timing for group participation.
If you would like to explore group therapy, start by reaching out for a conversation. From there, we will walk you through options and help you choose a path that feels both safe and meaningful.
Call 585-865-3584, email info@rochestercenterforsexualwellness.com, or follow the link below for more information about our groups.
What is an Interpersonal Process Group?
Group therapy is a confidential, therapist-led space where several people work together on similar concerns or goals. An interpersonal process group is a therapist-led group where the main focus is how you relate to other people in the moment. Instead of just talking about your life “out there,” you pay attention to what happens between you and others in the room, which becomes the main vehicle for change. The overall goal is to share the emotionally significant story of your life and to put thoughts and feelings into words.
How is this different from a skills or support group?
Skills or support groups often center on teaching strategies or sharing information. In an interpersonal process group, the emphasis is on real-time interaction, noticing patterns, and experimenting with new ways of relating in a safe, structured environment.
What happens in a typical session?
Group members and the therapist sit together and talk about whatever feels most alive in the moment—thoughts, feelings, tensions, and questions that come up between people. The therapist gently guides this process so it stays respectful, emotionally safe, and focused on growth rather than criticism or advice-giving.
How can this kind of group help me?
Interpersonal process groups can help you notice patterns that may be hard to see on your own, such as pulling away, over-sharing, people-pleasing, or staying silent when you want to speak up. By practicing new responses in the group, you can build more flexible, grounded ways of relating that carry over into intimacy, friendship, work, and family life.
How does this approach support sexual and relational concerns?
Many sexual and relational struggles are deeply tied to patterns of closeness, distance, shame, and communication. Working with those dynamics directly, in a live group setting, can reduce isolation and shame, build more honest communication, and support healthier, more satisfying sexual and emotional connections.
How is privacy and safety handled?
Privacy is taken VERY seriously. All members agree to confidentiality, and the therapist sets clear expectations about protecting each other’s stories, using first names only, and handling any situations that could compromise safety or discretion.
What if I’m quiet, introverted, or slow to trust?
Many people feel anxious or unsure about joining a group at first. It often becomes easier once you meet the facilitator, understand the structure, and see that others are there for similar reasons. It is completely acceptable to move at your own pace. Many people begin by listening and gradually participate more as they feel safer; the therapist will help you find ways to be involved that match your comfort level and goals.
What if I am already working with an individual therapist or medical provider?
Group therapy can sit alongside individual therapy, medical treatment, or couples work. With your permission, your clinicians can coordinate care so that the insights and changes you experience in group are supported across all aspects of your treatment.
How can group therapy help with out-of-control sexual behavior?
Out-of-control sexual behavior often involves secrecy, shame, and difficulty talking openly about urges, choices, and consequences. In a group, you have a place to bring those experiences into the open, understand the emotional and relational triggers underneath them, and practice staying connected rather than acting out in isolation. Group members learn to notice when they feel pulled to hide, numb, or “check out,” and to experiment with reaching out instead of acting alone. Over time, this can support more deliberate choices, a healthier relationship to desire, and a more stable sense of self that is not driven by compulsion.