Group psychotherapy is a special form of therapy in which a small number of people meet together under the guidance of a professionally trained therapist to help themselves and one another. Group psychotherapy, like individual psychotherapy, is intended to assist people who would like to improve their ability to cope with difficulties and problems in their lives. The aim of group psychotherapy is to help with resolving emotional difficulties and to encourage the personal development of the participants in the group. Therefore, group therapy helps people learn more about themselves and improve their interpersonal relationships. Members of the group share with others personal issues which they are facing. In response, other participants give support, feedback, or share their thoughts and feelings. Members in the group feel that they are not alone with their problems and that there are others who feel similar. The group can become a source of support and strength in times of stress for the participant. Ultimately, the feedback participants get from others in the group can improve awareness of maladaptive behavioral patterns. Thus, the group can offer opportunity to practice new behaviors. Group psychotherapy is suitable for a large variety of problems and difficulties, including people who would like to develop their interpersonal skills and people dealing with emotional problems like anxiety, depression and eating disorders. In research studies comparing group psychotherapy to individual therapy, group therapy has been shown to be as effective and sometimes even more effective.