Icebreakers for Group Therapy

Last updated: February 8, 2026Reviewed date: February 8, 2026Reading time: 4 min read
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Icebreakers for Group Therapy

Article Summary

Icebreakers for group therapy are one of the best tools you can have in your therapist’s toolbox as they are simple to implement, fun, and help participants engage with the group in ways that feel safe. This blog article will review icebreakers that can be used during group therapy and their benefits. Whether you’re new to group therapy or a seasoned pro, one of the biggest challenges...

Educational health guideWritten for patient understanding and clinical awareness.
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Emergency safety firstUrgent warning signs are highlighted below.

Seek urgent medical care if you notice

These warning signs are general safety guidance. Local emergency numbers and clinical judgment should always come first.

  • Severe symptoms, breathing difficulty, fainting, confusion, or rapidly worsening illness.
  • New weakness, severe pain, high fever, or symptoms after a serious injury.
  • Any symptom that feels urgent, unusual, or unsafe for the patient.
1

Emergency now

Use emergency care for severe, sudden, rapidly worsening, or life-threatening symptoms.

2

See a doctor

Book a professional medical evaluation if symptoms persist, worsen, recur often, affect daily activities, or occur in a high-risk patient.

3

Learn safely

Use this article to understand possible causes, tests, treatment options, prevention, and questions to ask your clinician.

Icebreakers for group therapy are one of the best tools you can have in your therapist’s toolbox as they are simple to implement, fun, and help participants engage with the group in ways that feel safe. This blog article will review icebreakers that can be used during group therapy and their benefits.

Whether you’re new to group therapy or a seasoned pro, one of the biggest challenges is getting the group started. You have your protocol in place but how do you get your participants to feel comfortable and prepare them to engage?

Icebreakers are the answer and they help your group in critical ways including

  • Helping members get to know each other.
  • Integrating new members into the group.
  • Increasing comfort with others in the group.
  • Encouraging listening and cooperation.
  • Enhancing social skills.
  • Building rapport and trust.
  • Setting a positive and supportive tone for the work they will be doing.
  • Sets a positive, supportive tone for the work they will be doing.

Icebreakers are meant to be short, fun tasks that ease everyone into the work that’s about to begin. If a group is on your agenda, check out our top icebreakers for group therapy sessions.

Two Truths and a Lie

In this popular game, each participant chooses three statements about themselves that they want to share with the group. Two of those statements are true while one is a lie. The other members of the group guess what is true and what is not for each person. If you’re using Two Truths and a Lie online, participants can write down their responses and show them on the screen, or you can use an interactive whiteboard.

Getting To Know You

Prepare a set of easy, open-ended questions or unfinished statements that participants can use to safely share a bit about themselves. Examples include:

  • What is something about you that makes you feel positive and proud?
  • What are you most looking forward to in this group?
  • My favorite way to spend free time is…
  • Something funny that happened to me recently is…
  • What is something that we (the group) might be surprised to know about you?

You can use these in several ways. Questions or statements can be put on index cards or slips of paper and each member of the group draws a card so that each member answers a different question. Or, you can choose one as the “opener” for the session and everyone responds to the same question in turn. If you’re doing this activity online via a video conferencing platform, you can post questions using an interactive whiteboard like the one or you can send the list to your group members using TheraPlatform’s document-sharing capabilities.

Who Am I?

This is a short, fun icebreaker that is especially good for new groups or open groups that have new members frequently. Have each member introduce themselves and say their first name. Ask them to include a word that starts with the same letter as their name and describes what they consider a positive trait they have. For example, dynamic Debbie or kind Kenny. Refer to them in this way for the remainder of the session.

Give Me A Minute

This is a fun, fast-paced icebreaker for both new and established groups. The goal is to talk for one minute about a given subject. Have a set of cards or slips of paper with random subjects on them. Examples might include: ice fishing, the best way to make filet gumbo, my favorite TV show ever, the coolest thing I’ve ever seen, 5 best Disney rides, interesting facts about polar bears … you get the idea. Set a timer and each person has to talk about that subject for one minute. Your members will have lots of interesting things to say and probably a few laughs will be had.

Desert Island 

This is a fun icebreaker that you can use with adolescents or adults and will no doubt prompt lots of engagement. For this activity, tell members to imagine they are being sent to a desert island. They will be able to take essential items like clothing and medicine, but will also be allowed three additional items: a survival item, an entertainment item, and a luxury item. The only caveat is that they have to be items they can carry onto the island by themselves. What will they choose for their three items and why?

Give them a few minutes to come up with their items. Ask each person to share their choices with the rest of the group. Finding similarities with other members is a great way to begin building rapport.

Emoji Game

Finally, if you’re looking for an icebreaker specific to teletherapy, why not try the Emoji Icebreaker game? Using teletherapy software, ask people to express how they’re feeling with an emoji or ask each member to draw a face with an expression. Most people are familiar with and comfortable using this type of communication and technology. Another option is using the List of Emotions worksheet which can help your clients better express their emotions and aids in building emotional literacy.

If you work with children, refer to this blog article discussing icebreaker activities for children.

Patient safety assistant

Check your symptom safely

Hi, I am RX Symptom Navigator. I can help you understand what to read next and what warning signs need care.
Warning: Do not use this in emergencies, pregnancy, severe illness, or as a substitute for a doctor. For children or teens, use with a parent/guardian and clinician.
A rural-friendly guide: warning signs, when to see a doctor, related articles, tests to discuss, and OTC safety education.
1 Symptom 2 Severity 3 Safe guidance
First safety question

Is there chest pain, breathing trouble, fainting, confusion, severe bleeding, stroke-like weakness, severe injury, or pregnancy danger sign?

Choose quickly

Browse by body area
Start here: Write or select a symptom. The guide will show warning signs, doctor guidance, diagnostic tests to discuss, OTC safety education, and related RX articles.

Important: This tool is educational only. It cannot diagnose, treat, or replace a doctor. OTC information is not a prescription. In an emergency, contact local emergency services or go to the nearest hospital.

Doctor visit helper

Prepare before seeing a doctor

A simple rural-patient checklist to help you explain symptoms clearly, ask better questions, and avoid unsafe self-treatment.

Safety note: This is not a prescription or diagnosis. For severe symptoms, pregnancy danger signs, children with serious illness, chest pain, breathing difficulty, stroke-like weakness, or major injury, seek urgent care.

Which doctor may help?

Start with a registered doctor or the nearest qualified health center.

What to tell the doctor

  • Write when the problem started and how it changed.
  • Bring old prescriptions, investigation reports, and current medicines.
  • Write allergies, pregnancy status, diabetes, kidney/liver disease, and major past illnesses.
  • Bring one family member if the patient is weak, elderly, confused, or a child.

Questions to ask

  • What is the most likely cause of my symptoms?
  • Which danger signs mean I should go to hospital quickly?
  • Which tests are necessary now, and which can wait?
  • How should I take medicines safely and what side effects should I watch for?
  • When should I come for follow-up?

Tests to discuss

  • Vital signs: temperature, pulse, blood pressure, oxygen saturation
  • Basic physical examination by a clinician
  • CBC, urine test, blood sugar, or imaging only when clinically needed

Avoid these mistakes

  • Do not use antibiotics, steroid tablets/injections, or strong painkillers without proper medical advice.
  • Do not hide pregnancy, kidney disease, ulcer, allergy, or blood thinner use.
  • Do not delay emergency care when danger signs are present.

Medicine safety and first-aid guide

This section is for patient education only. It does not replace a doctor, pharmacist, or emergency care.

Safe first steps

  • Avoid heavy lifting, sudden bending, and prolonged bed rest.
  • Use comfortable posture and gentle movement as tolerated.
  • Discuss physiotherapy, X-ray, or MRI only when clinically needed.

OTC medicine safety

  • For mild back pain, pain-relief medicine may be discussed with a doctor or pharmacist.
  • Avoid repeated painkiller use if you have kidney disease, stomach ulcer, uncontrolled blood pressure, or are taking blood thinners.

Avoid these mistakes

  • Do not start antibiotics without a proper medical decision.
  • Do not use steroid tablets or injections casually for quick relief.
  • Do not delay emergency care because of home remedies.

Get urgent help if

  • Back pain with leg weakness, numbness around private area, loss of urine/stool control, fever, cancer history, or major injury needs urgent care.
Medicine names, dose, and timing must be decided by a qualified clinician or pharmacist after checking age, pregnancy, allergy, other diseases, and current medicines.

For rural patients and family caregivers

Patient health record and symptom diary

Write your symptoms, medicines already taken, test results, and questions before visiting a doctor. This note stays on your device unless you print or copy it.

Doctor to discuss: Doctor / qualified healthcare provider
Tests to discuss with doctor
  • Basic vital signs: temperature, pulse, blood pressure, oxygen level if needed
  • Relevant blood, urine, imaging, or specialist tests only after clinical assessment
Questions to ask
  • What is the most likely cause of my symptoms?
  • Which warning signs mean I should go to emergency care?
  • Which tests are really needed now?
  • Which medicines are safe for my age, pregnancy status, allergy, kidney/liver/stomach condition, and current medicines?

Emergency warning signs such as chest pain, severe breathing difficulty, sudden weakness, confusion, severe dehydration, major injury, or loss of bladder/bowel control need urgent medical care. Do not wait for online information.

Safe pathway to proper treatment

Back pain care roadmap

Use this simple roadmap to understand the next safe steps. It is educational and does not replace examination by a doctor.

Go to emergency care if you notice:
  • New leg weakness, numbness around private area, or loss of bladder/bowel control
  • Back pain after major injury, fever, unexplained weight loss, cancer history, or severe night pain
Doctor / service to discuss: Orthopedic/spine specialist, physical medicine doctor, physiotherapist under guidance, or qualified clinician.
  1. Step 1

    Check danger signs first

    If danger signs are present, seek emergency care and do not wait for online information.

  2. Step 2

    Record the symptom story

    Write when symptoms started, severity, medicines already taken, allergies, pregnancy status, and test results.

  3. Step 3

    Visit a qualified clinician

    A doctor, nurse, or qualified healthcare provider can examine you and decide which tests or treatment are needed.

  4. Step 4

    Do only useful tests

    Discuss neurological examination first. X-ray or MRI may be needed only when red flags, injury, nerve weakness, or persistent severe symptoms are present.

  5. Step 5

    Follow up and return early if worse

    If symptoms worsen, new warning signs appear, or treatment is not helping, return for review quickly.

Rural patient practical tips
  • Take a written symptom diary and all previous prescriptions/test reports.
  • Do not hide medicines already taken, even herbal or over-the-counter medicines.
  • Ask which warning signs mean urgent referral to hospital.
  • Avoid forceful massage or bone-setting when there is weakness, injury, fever, or nerve symptoms.

This roadmap is for education. A real diagnosis and treatment plan requires history, examination, and clinical judgment.

RX Patient Help

Ask a health question safely

Write your symptom story. A health professional or site editor can review it before any answer is prepared. This box is not for emergency care.

Emergency first: Severe chest pain, breathing trouble, unconsciousness, stroke signs, severe injury, heavy bleeding, or rapidly worsening symptoms need urgent local medical care now.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is this article a replacement for a doctor?

No. It is educational content only. Patients should consult a qualified clinician for diagnosis and treatment.

When should I seek urgent care?

Seek urgent care for severe symptoms, rapidly worsening condition, breathing difficulty, severe pain, neurological changes, or any emergency warning sign.

References

Add references, clinical guidelines, textbooks, journal articles, or trusted medical sources here. You can edit this area from the RX Article Professional Blocks panel.

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