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INTRODUCTION
Group Therapy is a type of therapy where a small group of individuals (6-12 members) meet with a trained group therapist for the purpose of personal growth and healing. Members agree to maintain confidentiality to not discuss any group content outside the group. During sessions, members decide what they want to talk about, and while openness is encouraged, no one is forced to reveal information that they choose to keep private. Through interacting with others in the group, members learn and understand more about themselves and their effect on others through the feedback they receive, and thereby can improve their interpersonal relationships.
Group therapy encompasses many different kinds of groups with varying theoretical orientations that exist for varying purposes. All therapy groups exist to help individuals grow emotionally and solve personal problems. All utilize the power of the group, as well as the therapist who leads it, in this process.
Group therapy approaches include behavior therapy, psychoanalytic therapy, sensitivity training, or Gestalt psychology (see psychotherapy). The composition of groups varies as well, with family therapy and marriage counseling common forms in recent years. Peer group therapy usually consists of a group of individuals who have similar problems, and can be mediated by a psychoanalyst or by the members themselves.
PSYCHODYNAMIC THERAPIES.
Psychodynamic theory was conceived by Sigmund Freud, the father of psychoanalysis . Freud believed that unconscious psychological forces determine thoughts, feelings, and behaviors. By analyzing the interactions among group members, psychodynamic therapies focus on helping individuals become aware of their unconscious needs and motivations as well as the concerns common to all group members. Issues of authority (the relationship to the therapist) and affection (the relationships among group members) provide rich sources of material that the therapist can use to help group members understand their relationships and themselves.
PHENOMENOLOGICAL THERAPIES.
Until the 1940s virtually all psychotherapy was based on psychoanalytic principles. Several group therapy approaches were developed by psychoanalytically trained therapists looking to expand their focus beyond the unconscious to the interpretations individuals place on their experiences. Underlying this focus is the belief that human beings are capable of consciously controlling their behavior and taking responsibility for their decisions. Some phenomenological therapies include:
PSYCHODRAMA
Developed by Jacob Moreno, an Austrian psychiatrist, this technique encourages members to play the parts of significant individuals in their lives to help them solve interpersonal conflicts. Psychodrama brings the conflict into the present, emphasizing dramatic action as a way of helping group members solve their problems. Catharsis, the therapeutic release of emotions followed by relief, plays a prominent role. This approach is particularly useful for people who find it difficult to express their feelings in words.
PERSON-CENTERED THERAPY
a therapeutic approach developed by the psychologist Carl Rogers. Rather than viewing the therapist as expert, Rogers believed that the client's own drive toward growth and development is the most important healing factor. The therapist empathizes with the client's feelings and perceptions, helping him or her gain insight and plan constructive action. Rogers's person-centered therapy became the basis for the intensive group experience known as the encounter group, in which the leader helps members discuss their feelings about one another and, through the group process, grow as individuals. Rogers emphasized honest feedback and the awareness, expression, and acceptance of feelings. He believed that a trusting and cohesive atmosphere is fundamental to the therapeutic effect of the group.
GESTALT THERAPY
In the 1940s Fritz Perls challenged psychoanalytic theory and practice with this approach. Members take turns being in the "hot seat," an empty chair used to represent people with whom the person is experiencing conflicts. The therapist encourages the client to become aware of feelings and impulses previously denied.
BEHAVIOR THERAPIES.
Behavior therapies comprise a number of techniques based upon a common theoretical belief: maladaptive behaviors develop according to the same principles that govern all learning. As a result, they can be unlearned, and new, more adaptive behaviors learned in their place. The emergence of behavior therapies in the 1950s represented a radical departure from psychoanalysis.
SCHEMA THERAPY
is similar to cognitive therapy in that the focus is on correcting problems in a persons habitual patterns of thinking and feeling, and corresponding difficulties in his or her behavioral coping style. The focus is on identifying and understanding, and then challenging and overcoming the long-standing maladaptive patterns in thinking, feeling and behavior that create obstacles for a person in getting needs met and attaining life goals. As with standard CBT, the goal is for the person to feel better and enjoy greater life satisfaction