Group Type: Workshop
Goals of the group
This is a space where we can explore overthinking rather than suppressing it (as we know, saying “don’t think about it” or “you’re overthinking, stop” rarely works!). We aim to understand what our mind is truly trying to convey, avoid, distract, or notice beneath the guise of overthinking. At the heart of overthinking lies anxiety, which often forms a cloud of overthinking. But what is this cloud really obscuring or trying to communicate?
Our goal is not to provide a 5-step formula to eliminate overthinking. Instead, we seek to understand how our mind works and coexist with this aspect of ourselves. As a group, we will explore various ways to cope with the cloud of overthinking that often hinders decision-making. Sharing similar experiences and situations, we can offer support and understanding to one another.
Workshop Regime
Session 1: Unpacking Overthinking
- What led you to join this workshop?
- How does overthinking affect your sense of self?
- What coping mechanisms have you been using?
- What are your expectations for the group?
Session 2: Getting to Know the Overthinker in You
- What is your relationship with overthinking?
- Exploring sensations, feelings, and needs
- Understanding the functions of overthinking
- Cultivating curiosity and compassion
Session 3: Exploring Pain Points
- Negative bias vs. fantasizing
- Exploring thought patterns
- The balance between indulgence and resistance
- Making informed decisions
Session 4: Building Perspective and Finding Support
- How has your narrative around overthinking evolved?
- Seeking self-validation
- Nurturing facets of support
- Group check-in
Note: The session topics, order, and other details may be subject to change based on the needs and preferences of the group members and facilitators.
Please note that the session topics, order, and other details may be subject to change based on the needs and preferences of the group members and facilitators.
Facilitator Bio:
In my work as a psychotherapist, I’ve come to see that spirals of overthinking are rarely random. They are often rooted in anxiety, past experiences, and the quieter parts of us that long for control, clarity, or reassurance. These loops may look like mental noise on the surface, but underneath they carry meaning; traces of old fears, unspoken needs, and unfinished stories.
My approach is trauma-informed, relational, and grounded in presence. I draw from Internal Family Systems (IFS), psychodynamic understanding, mindfulness, somatic practices, and ACT-based tools to help create space between ourselves and the spirals. From this space, we can begin to notice the intentions behind our overthinking, to listen to the parts that carry old burdens, and to reconnect with the steadier qualities of Self.
This group is not about silencing thoughts or fixing what feels broken. It is about learning to relate differently to our inner world, with curiosity, compassion, and care. In slowing down together, we can discover that overthinking, too, has a place, and that we are more than the loops our mind repeats.
