HUS 20

MODE OF THERAPY – GROUP THERAPY &

EFFECTIVE FACILITATION OF GROUPS

BY: MARISHA WRIGHT

GROUP THERAPY GUIDE

What is Group Therapy

⚫ A form of psychotherapy in which a group of individuals meet to discuss a common problem.

⚫ Group therapy is not a free-for-all conversation; rather, the facilitator give the group a set of rules designed to help facilitate conversation, connection, and growth.

Benefits of Group Therapy

⚫ Provides benefits that individual therapy may not

⚫ Provides a support network

⚫ Affordable

⚫ Gives you a different perspective

⚫ Provides a safe haven

Joining a Group

⚫ Things to consider when looking for a suitable group.

⚪ Open or Close Group ⚪ How many people are in the group ⚪ How alike are group members ⚪ Is it enough ⚪ How much do I share ⚪ What does it look like

3 Primary Goals

⚫ Process Goals – relate to the process of understanding personal concerns and relating to other individuals during a group session and initiate a sense of belonging or relatability through understanding.

⚫ Outcome Goals – relate to behavioral changes that individuals seek to achieve by participating in group.

⚫ Psychoeducational - provide members with information about specific issues. They may also teach healthy coping skills.

Primary Types of Groups

⚫ Psychoeducational Groups - educating members about their conditions and providing them with new coping strategies.

⚫ Cognitive Behavioral Groups - attempts to restructure the beliefs a person has that lead to negative or harmful behaviors.

⚫ Skills Development Groups - introducing and improving the skills

⚫ Support Groups – help people cope with significant lige changes

⚫ Interpersonal Process Groups - uses psychodynamic approach to promote positive change.

How would these groups fit?

⚫ Anxiety ⚫ Grief/Loss ⚫ Quit Smoking ⚫ Depression ⚫ Anger Management ⚫ Low Self Esteem ⚫ Social Skills ⚫ Divorce

PRIMARY GROUPS

⚫ Psychoeducational ⚫ Cognitive Behavioral ⚫ Skills Development ⚫ Support Groups ⚫ Interpersonal Process

History of Group Therapy

⚫ The most prominent advocate of group therapy may be Irvin Yalom, author of The Theory and Practice of Group Psychotherapy. Yalom’s research emphasizes the impact group therapy has on people. It also identifies factors that contribute to healing in a group setting.

Yalom’s Primary Principles

⚫ Instillation of Hope ⚫ Universality ⚫ Imparting Information ⚫ Altruism ⚫ Corrective recapitulation of the primary family group ⚫ Imitative Behavior ⚫ Interpersonal Learning ⚫ Group Cohesiveness ⚫ Catharsis ⚫ Existential Factors

Group Info for Facilitator

⚫ When choosing a group, it can be helpful to consider: ⚫ Group size ⚫ What kinds of issues the group addresses ⚫ How much you wish to share with your group

members ⚫ If group therapy should be used along with another

type of treatment ⚫ If the group is open or closed ⚫ If the group is process-oriented or psychoeducational

Ethics for Group Therapy

⚫ Potential group members have the right to know about the group's rules, goals, and methods when they first meet with the therapist. Rules about confidentiality should be discussed at the beginning.

⚫ All group members must agree to protect the identities of fellow members. They must also keep the content of each session confidential. Unless permission is given, nobody should discuss another member’s personal history with anyone else.

⚫ It is important to remember that confidentiality agreements are not absolute. When are facilitators mandated to disclose?

5 Types of Group Therapy

1. Psychotherapy is based on the understanding that the relationships that are built between people are necessary to regulate all aspects of daily living. These groups focus on what members can do in the here and now and help members work together to form a cohesive group in which they can freely share their victories and setbacks in a safe and supportive environment.

Therapists that use psychotherapy in a group setting must practice empathy in order for individual group members to communicate freely with each other. These groups help those new in recovery build the interpersonal skills they need in order to effectively communicate with others in a healthy manner.

5 Types of Group Therapy

⚫ 2. Cognitive Behavioral group therapy is another popular type of group therapy in drug treatment is cognitive therapy groups. As its name suggests, these particular groups use cognitive behavioral therapy and other similar therapy styles that will help newly recovering addicts identify patterns of behavior that have kept them stuck in their substance abuse.

⚫ Therapists in cognitive therapy groups work with clients to control their thought processes and their addictive behaviors and help give them the tools to cope with the stressors and triggers they encounter in a more proactive fashion and without having to resort to the use of drugs and alcohol.

5 Types of Group Therapy

3. Interpersonal group therapy is yet another popular psychodynamic option that drug and alcohol rehab facilities use to help addicts address and overcome addictive behaviors. This form of addiction group therapy focuses on an addict’s deficits in both regulating their own behavior and any defects in character the addict may possess. Dynamic group therapy gives clients the supportive environment to examine the common issues that are shared within the group. This cohesiveness allows each member to overcome feelings of isolation and shame, as well as establish a safe environment with the goal of learning how to effectively control their emotions and feelings and achieve abstinence.

5 Types of Group Therapy

⚫ 4. Support Groups - Perhaps the most common, effective, and popular type of group therapy outside of an intensive treatment program are mutual self-help support groups such as Alcoholics Anonymous. Many drug and alcohol treatment facilities base their programs and services on 12-step philosophy, and active participation within these groups is paramount in helping the individual overcome their addiction.

⚫ These self-help groups are made up of people who share a common condition and a common goal. Outside of residential treatment, AA groups are self-run and offered in large groups, small groups, and other meeting types. These meetings are free of charge and focus on mutual support and the achievement of abstinence.

5 Types of Group Therapy

⚫ Network Therapy - A big indicator of success in sobriety is the presence of a substantial support network comprising of family and friends who are fully supportive of a person’s decision to lead a recovery-based lifestyle. Network therapy involves using the social network of the newly recovering addict in a group format to provide support for behavioral change and relapse prevention.

⚫ 5. Skills development groups focus on introducing and improving the skills that members need to cope with certain mental health conditions. These groups may incorporate aspects of psychoeducational groups.