I’m a big believer in therapy. All kinds of therapy. There’s physical therapy for that Achilles’ tendon you ripped last New Year’s Eve twirling on the dance floor in Key West. The one-on-one therapy to work through those pesky situations with your meddling sister-in-law. And, of course, there’s my favorite, retail therapy, when only a fabulous pair of Gucci loafers from Town Center Mall will brighten the day. But hold on folks. There’s a brand-new kind of therapy in town. Every Friday night, starting at 6:30, the parking lot in front of Hunters is packed toe-to-toe with a friendly and welcoming crowd decked out in bright red, green and blue T-shirts and tanks, everyone mingling, bonding, making plans and laughing. It’s…Group Therapy! And it’s taken off faster than the Artemis II.
The organizer, brainchild, and man-behind-the-curtain of this weekly event is Wilton Manors’ resident David Weber, one of the nicest people you can ever hope to meet. Back in January 2023, David never imagined that calling his idea “group therapy” would blossom into a major Wilton Manors social event. How did it start? It all began very simply. With photos.
“I’m always taking pictures. People call me the historian. When we’d go out, I’d take pictures of all my friends and post them on Facebook. The next day, I’d look at them and it made me so happy. I started to call it my ‘group therapy.’ Then it started to grow. Every week more and more people showed up. Early in 2025, a lesbian couple saw the photos on Facebook and made these wristbands that said, ‘Group Therapy.’ Then I met Chris Lopez, who is in the fashion industry and now one of my closest friends, who was blown away by the Friday night events. He designed our stylish red, green and blue T-shirts. Every week, “Group Therapy” gets bigger. There’s no membership fee or requirement to join. Well, the only thing we ask from anyone who attends is that they keep it positive. No talk of politics allowed! I guess you could say that our one requirement is ‘to just be a good person.’”
On a recent Friday night, I hung out with the crowd and met many friends, some old and some new. I asked several members of the group why they enjoy coming to these Friday night socials. As I observed the good time everyone was having, the testimonials did not surprise me.
“Because we see almost every great friend we have in town! It’s like Facebook but live!” – Dennis
“I love Group Therapy! I started coming here when I was going through chemotherapy for breast cancer and everyone welcomed me and took care of me when I could barely stand up.” – Les
“It gives me a sense of community and belonging! I see friendly faces and I feel welcome.” – Andy
Group Therapy is not just confined to the parking lot in front of Hunters. So far, David has organized two movie nights; a special pre-screening of The Devil Wears Prada 2 back in May, and, more recently, a night out to see Stop! That! Train! They’ve even gone bowling at Manor Lanes. And, thanks to a bit of networking on David’s part, a branch of Group Therapy is starting up in Rehoboth Beach, Delaware with brand new T-shirts designed by Chris Lopez that are bold, bright and beautiful. The new designs are available for the Wilton Manors group as well. Visit the Chris Lopez Store on Facebook for styles and colors.
While more events are being planned and new ideas are taking root, David is enjoying every minute of Group Therapy’s success. Currently, there’s a Facebook Group that you can request to join, and soon a website will be up and running.
In the meantime, David is overjoyed that people of all types, from different backgrounds, have a place to go on Friday nights and unwind, share a drink, and laugh.
“Life is short. Special times with friends are so important. Everyone, and I mean everyone, is welcome at Group Therapy. It’s non-judgmental and supportive. All we ask is that you keep it positive and be a good person!”
I don’t know about you, but I’ll be going back. Good energy is just what we need these days.
