The Dynamics of Group Psychotherapy
University of Phoenix
The Dynamics of Group Psychotherapy
Group psychotherapy has been practiced for nearly one hundred years according to Moreno (1953) it was started by a man named Adler in 1910. Group therapy is different from individual therapy given that the groups are not focusing on themselves as individuals, but rather taking on each problem as a group. Each member learns to be open minded and accepting of others differences as well as views.
Practicing social skills is another advantage of group psychotherapy. Members of the group have equality so no member feels inferior to any other group member. An example …show more content…
Each member brings something different to the group that allows the group to analyze the issues from many different perspectives, not just one person’s point of view.
Group psychotherapy works well since humans are social beings and are constantly looking for approval from one’s peers, in group psychotherapy everyone gets the social acceptance that our nation is all looking for. What’s interesting is that members in group therapy will often take on the same role as they do in their personal lives, which allows for the therapist to get an insight into their client’s life styles and personal relationships with others.
Once the groups are formed, they begin with a simple yet imperative step which is to introduce themselves and establish some ground rules. Ground rules are important because than the group has a comprehensible and succinct idea of what is expected from each member. Doing this allows the group to have a sense of control on how these sessions are going to be facilitated. Once the introductions and rules are established an open discussion begins. To help determine whether the problems are physical or psychological Dreikurs (1997) adapted what became known in Adlerian circles as “The Question” in the following manner, “What would you be doing if you didn’t have these symptoms or …show more content…
(Mc Goldrick, Watson, & Benson, 1999) stated that within this assessment, the client’s phenomenological interpretation of birth order is essential across cultures, siblings tend to have a greater influence on personality development than parental involvement. In other words, the assessment gives the therapist a opportunity to evaluate each person and see how the members perceive his or her place in this world. After some time and advancement has been made, a group in therapy begins to realize that their actions, attitudes and ways of thinking have repercussions. The next step is developing an encouraging action plan that will work toward changing their interpersonal behaviors.
A challenging aspect of group psychotherapy involves the actual forming of the groups. Making sure the right components are in place is crucial. People are so diverse that without the right balance in the group, desired results might not be achieved. The therapist observes each member’s behavior carefully to assess and