You don't need to be a veteran of group therapy sessions to feel you know more than a little something about them - screenwriters love them. If you want to show a character's vulnerabilities, make them wax confessional. Create a plausible arena for conflict. You know the schtick: a circle of chairs, bad coffee in the paper cups, and a common struggle or condition is the go-to scene for many scriptwriters.

But you don't know it all just because you might have seen it on TV. It would be unfortunate if one of the more versatile modes of mental health support gets kicked to the side because it's become an onscreen cliché.

Part of the appeal of group therapy - both in fiction and reality - is the variety of forms it can take. Perhaps the simplest, but also most important, distinction between the various types of group therapy is that drawn by some practitioners between 'therapy groups' and 'support groups.'

All else being equal, it is suggested it can be helpful to think of a therapy group as one which is focused on change. For example, in the sense of treating an addiction: stopping smoking, gambling, or drug use. It's also good for those suffering from depression, specific (or not) phobias and eating disorders, just to name a few.

The therapy group is facilitated by one or more mental health professionals who, if you're lucky, may be specialists in the field.

Alternatively, a support group is focused on helping its members to cope, for example, providing a group of caregivers with the opportunity to share their experiences and find comfort from those dealing with similar issues.

Common ground is the only prerequisite for setting up a support group. A group of people who need an outlet to share what they are going through can get the chairs and coffee and sit down and talk. Some advocacy groups also take the initiative to set them up.

That distinction - between 'change' and 'cope' - can be most useful when you're considering joining a group. The first question you might ask is, 'What do I want out of this?' And that leads inevitably to 'What is this group trying to achieve?' If those two objectives aren't aligned, it's probably not the group for you.

There are many different ways in which group therapy can be structured. Even before the pandemic drove us all inside and online, the internet was a tremendous resource for connecting people and allowing groups to form around shared experiences or needs without the necessity for physically meeting up.

For people dealing with rare conditions, or based in small communities, an online forum can sometimes be the only practical way of meeting with a group of one's fellow travellers. Online groups can also be a little easier to convene - no need to book or rent a space; no worries about parking or transport - allowing for greater flexibility regarding the length and frequency of meetings than the in-person option. For those who favour anonymity, the virtual meeting may also be preferred.

Beyond change-or-cope and online-or-in-person, there are yet more optio