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Conflict Resolution in Group Therapy: Strategies and Activities

Q: How can therapists prepare clients for conflict before it happens in group therapy?

Therapists can prepare clients by normalizing the idea that conflict is a natural part of group dynamics. Introducing group rules, encouraging open communication, and framing conflict as an opportunity for growth helps set expectations and reduces fear when disagreements arise.

Q: How should therapists document conflicts that happen during group sessions?

Therapists should document conflicts factually and neutrally, noting what occurred, how the group responded, and specific interventions used. Records should avoid assigning blame or including personal opinions, instead highlighting therapeutic responses, group dynamics, progress toward resolution, and any follow-up actions needed to ensure comprehensive clinical documentation.

Q: Can persistent conflict indicate that a client may not be a good fit for group therapy?

Yes. If a client consistently disrupts sessions despite multiple interventions and shows no progress in conflict resolution skills, it may indicate they need individual therapy or a different group setting. The therapist should discuss alternatives compassionately with the client while ensuring appropriate referrals and follow-up care to avoid therapeutic abandonment.

Conflict is a natural part of human interaction — even in therapeutic settings. In group therapy, unresolved disputes or tensions can derail progress and reduce cohesion. That’s why group therapy conflict resolution is not just helpful but essential. In this post, you’ll learn how to handle conflict in a group setting effectively, discover conflict resolution group therapy activities you can use immediately, and see how using a purpose-built tool like ICANotes can streamline your group therapy workflow.

Eric Patterson, MSCP, NCC, LPC

Last Updated: October 2, 2025

Group therapy participants navigating conflict resolution

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Miscommunication, disagreements, microaggressions, and conflict are common, if not inevitable, aspects of group therapy. Being unable to address or overcome conflict during group therapy can fracture the group and rupture the therapeutic process. But when the therapist is able to identify and resolve conflict quickly and efficiently, conflict in group therapy can become a fantastic growth opportunity for clients.

Why Conflict Arises in Group Therapy

Interpersonal conflicts are a typical and healthy part of interactions, and these conflicts are often apparent in group therapy sessions and mental health treatment. Conflict — if managed well — can catalyze growth, insight, and deeper bonds among group members. But left untreated, it can fragment the group, stifle trust, or drive members away. Some therapists may aim to avoid problems at all costs or act as if conflicts are not present. This could be a mistake, though, as helping clients attend to and act toward conflict resolution and conflict management in the safety of the group setting can help them outside of the session.

Conflicts in group therapy can present in various ways. When the therapist is aware of these types, they can learn how to overcome conflict during group therapy. Common sources of conflict include:

Disagreements in personality traits, beliefs, and opinions
Differences in communication styles or cultural norms
Competing needs for attention or validation
Perceived favoritism or cliques
Power struggles, dominance, or resistance
Opposing treatment goals and unmet expectations about group rules or process
Frustration over perceptions of honesty and participation in the session
Conflict that comes from outside the session based on previously held relationships or personal relationships built after the group initiated

Addressing these types of conflict early and explicitly helps maintain safety, structure, and therapeutic momentum.

Group therapy conflicts can occur in several forms including:

Client vs. client
Client vs. therapist
Client subgroup vs. client or another subgroup
Client subgroup vs. therapist

No form of conflict is better or worse than another, but they all present opportunities for growth, learning, and change.

Understanding the types of conflict in group therapy

The Role of the Group Therapist

In group therapy conflicts, there is no singular “right” approach or conflict management style for the therapist to take. The strategies and tools therapists use to help deal with therapy conflict will depend on factors like their experience, theoretical orientation, communication style, and stage of the group process.

A great starting point for a group therapist is to provide education and understanding to the group members that conflict is a likely part of the experience. By letting clients know that early group sessions usually are marked by some reluctance and mistrust before the hesitation gives way to openness and intimacy. This phase, sometimes called the storming stage, is where a lot of conflict can begin.

Here, the therapist should take action that is in line with previously established group rules, policies, and procedures. At this point, a therapist may:

Identify and acknowledge the conflict
Discuss the impact of conflict on the group process
Re-establish or maintain group as a safe, open environment
Speak in ways that emphasizes the differences of opinion, rather than notions of “right and wrong”
Remain neutral in the conflict, while using empathy to understand the situations of the members

Early on in the group, the therapist may need to take the lead in resolving conflict. This serves to put the group back in a good direction, but it also provides an example to the members about the process of noting, discussing, and resolving group therapy conflicts. As additional conflicts occur, the therapist can take a gradually more passive role and allow the group as an entity to find solutions. In the best of situations, group members can use this information and apply it to their conflicts outside of the group.

Principles of Healthy Conflict Resolution in Groups

For a therapist learning how to handle conflict in group therapy, it’s important to remember that there are countless ways to make the situation better and a few ways to make the situation worse. Controlling, compromising, accommodating, motivational interviewing, and collaborative conflict resolution in group therapy can all be effective when performed in an intentional and skillful way.

Thematically, therapists and mental health professionals should consider some guiding principles of conflict resolution in group sessions like:

Normalize conflict: Make it clear that disagreements can emerge and that the group can process them safely.
Establish ground rules early: Enforce norms around respectful listening, “I” statements, confidentiality, turn-taking, and nonjudgment.
Use process comments: Name what’s happening in the “here and now” (e.g. “I notice a tension in the room”) to bring awareness and de-escalate.
Balance inclusion and individuation: Encourage each member to voice their perspective, but also keep group cohesion in mind.
Model vulnerability and humility: The therapist can acknowledge their own reactions and missteps when appropriate.
Focus on interests, not positions: Help members move from entrenched “positions” to underlying needs or emotions.
Set time limits and check-ins: Recognize when tensions are escalating and offer a brief pause or regroup.

Active listening and empathy: Stay open-minded, nonjudgmental, and fair.
Mediation and facilitation: Help clients resolve the conflict, don't resolve it for them. Be a mediator, not a fixer.

The specific conflict resolution techniques and conflict resolution group therapy lessons used will depend on the chosen style, but generally, therapists will do well to:

Set the tone for optimism, success, and resolution
Illustrate issues and differences creating the conflict
Work with members to build emotional intelligence and verbalize their feelings, rather than acting out on them
Focus on the problems, not the other people
Avoid threats and intimidation
Promote the importance of relationships in group therapy
Find ways to meet the needs of the members
Encourage patience, empathy, and understanding
Build assertive communication skills, while working to point out passive or aggressive styles

Depending on the phase of the group, the therapist could be very active in leading and mediating the conflict. If the group is well-established, the group as a unit could work towards a resolution, or a group member could emerge as a temporary facilitator to work through the group conflict.

How to Handle Conflict in a Group: Practical Steps

When conflict surfaces, here’s a step-by-step guide for facilitators:

Pause and slow down: Don’t rush. Acknowledge the tension and ask for a moment to address it.
Check the emotional temperature: Ask each party or the group to rate their current distress or agitation (e.g. 0–10).
Ask clarifying questions: Use curiosity to understand: “What’s coming up for you right now?” or “What did you hear?”
Reflect back and validate: Summarize each person’s experience without judgment. Validate emotion even if you don’t agree with content.
Invite reframing: Help individuals (and group) reframe from blame to “what’s beneath” (e.g. fear, unmet needs).
Encourage negotiation or problem-solving: Brainstorm options, evaluate pros/cons, and invite members to propose compromises.
Check for agreement and commitment: Ask, “Is this acceptable? Can you try this for our next sessions?”
Follow-up: At the next session, circle back and revisit the agreement, checking whether the resolution is holding and adjusting if needed.

Use these steps flexibly, as conflict dynamics differ. Sometimes you’ll need to pull aside one or two members, other times the full group processing is appropriate.

Conflict Resolution Group Therapy Activities

Incorporating structured conflict resolution group therapy activities into your sessions can help members practice communication, build empathy, and transform tension into growth. Below are some practical exercises you can adapt for your groups.

Conflict Resolution Group Therapy Activities
Activity	Purpose	Instructions / Tips
“I feel … because …” Round Robin	Encourages expression of underlying emotions and needs	Each person briefly states “I feel <emotion> because I need <need>” related to the conflict; keep it concise and validate each share.
Fishbowl with Rotating Roles	Helps members observe and reflect on conflict dynamics	Two members role-play a disagreement while others observe; rotate roles and debrief on what escalated/de-escalated tension.
Values vs. Behaviors Sorting	Surfaces gaps between group values and actual behaviors	Provide cards (or a list) of values and behaviors; sort together and discuss discrepancies and commitments for alignment.
Conflict Mapping / Timeline	Visualizes how the conflict evolved over time	On a whiteboard or shared doc, map triggers, key moments, escalation points, and potential turning points; identify repair steps.
Solution Carousel	Generates multiple options and builds buy-in	Pairs/triads brainstorm solutions, rotate to add improvements, then vote or prioritize; convert top options into concrete agreements.
“What I Wish You’d Know”	Builds empathy and perspective-taking	Members write a short note to another person (or the group) about what they wish others understood; share and reflect with ground rules.

After any activity, debrief to link the exercise back to the group’s relational dynamics, and tie it into the therapeutic goal

Facilitator Guidelines & Tips

Watch for triangulation (A speaks to B about C). Bring it back to direct communication.
Be alert for subgrouping or alliances that isolate others.
Monitor whether someone is silencing another — intervene to uphold fairness.
Use check-ins or “temperature checks” at mid-group to catch tensions early.
If conflict is too heated, call a “time-out”, use a brief break, and return with a calm, structured intervention.
Document the conflict process (e.g. what was resolved, next steps) to revisit and support accountability.

Download our Group Therapy Conflict Resolution Activity List