SGT UNIVERSITY
BUDHERA,GURGAON
ASSIGNMENT ON:-
GROUP PSYCHOTHERAPY
SUBMITT
ED TO:- SUBMITTED BY:-
Ms. Inu Arya Aparna Sharma
PG Tutor Msc. 1st year
Faculty of Nursing 230424006
GROUP PSYCHOTHERAPY
Introduction
Group psychotherapy is a special form of therapy in which a small number of people meet
together under the guidance of a professionally trained therapist to help themselves and one
another. The therapy has been widely used and has been a standard treatment option for over
50 years.
Definition of group therapy:-
Group therapy involves one or more psychologists who lead a group of roughly five to 15
patients .Typically, groups meet for an hour or two each week. Some people attend individual
therapy in addition to groups, while others participate in groups only.
Group therapy is a form of psychotherapy in which a small, carefully selected group of
individuals meets regularly with a therapist.
Psychotherapy
Group psychotherapy, like individual psychotherapy, is intended to help people who would
like to improve their ability to cope with difficulties and problems in their lives. But, while in
individual therapy the patient meets with only one person (the therapist), in group therapy the
meeting is with a whole group and one or two therapists. Group therapy focuses on
interpersonal interactions, so relationship problems are addressed in groups. The aim of group
psychotherapy is to help with solving the emotional difficulties and to encourage the personal
development of the participants in the group. The therapist (called conductor, leader, or
facilitator) chooses as candidates for the group people who can benefit from this kind of
therapy and those who may have a useful influence on other members in the group.
History of Group Psychotherapy
1) The founders of group psychotherapy in the USA were Joseph H. Pratt, Trigant Burrow
and Paul Schilder. After World War II group psychotherapy was further developed by Jacob
L. Moreno, Samuel Slavson, Hyman Spotnitz, Irvin Yalom, and Lou Ormont. Yalom’s
approach to group therapy has been very influential not only in the USA but across the world,
through his classic text “The Theory and Practice of Group Psychotherapy”.
2) Moreno developed a specific and highly structured form of group therapy known as
Psychodrama. In the United Kingdom group psychotherapy initially developed
independently, with pioneers S. H. Foulkes and Wilfred Bion using group therapy as an
approach to treating combat fatigue in the Second World War.
3) Foulkes and Bion were psychoanalysts and incorporated psychoanalysis into group therapy
by recognising that transference can arise not only between group members and the therapist
but also among group members. Further more the psychoanalytic concept of the unconscious
was extended with recognition of a group unconscious, in which the unconscious processes of
group members could be acted out in the form of irrational processes in group sessions.
Purposes
a) The purpose of group therapy is to assist each individual in emotional growth and personal
problem solving.
b) Group therapy helps individuals develop communication skills and socialization skills, and
allows clients to learn how to express their issues and accept criticism from others.
c) Group therapy allows individuals to develop self-awareness by listening to others with
similar issues.
Therapeutic principals
Irvin Yalom proposed a number of therapeutic factors (originally termed curative factors but
renamed therapeutic factors in the 5th edition of The Theory and Practice of Group
Psychotherapy).
• Universality
The recognition of shared experiences and feelings among group members and that these may
be widespread or universal human concerns, serves to remove a group member's sense of
isolation, validate their experiences, and raise self-esteem
• Altruism
The group is a place where members can help each other, and the experience of being able to
give something to another person can lift the member's self esteem and help develop more
adaptive coping styles and interpersonal skills.
• Instillation of hope
In a mixed group that has members at various stages of development or recovery, a member
can be inspired and encouraged by another member who has overcome the problems with
which they are still struggling.
• Imparting information
While this is not strictly speaking a psychotherapeutic process, members often report that it
has been very helpful to learn factual information from other members in the group. For
example, about their treatment or about access to services.
What is a Group —
A group is a collection of individuals whose association is founded on commonalities of
interest, norms, and values. Membership in the groups may be by chance, by choice, or by
circumstances.
Group types —
I. Group: two or more patients may participate in therapy at the same time. Patients are able
to share experiences and learn that others feel the same way and have had the same
experiences.
II. Marital/couples: this type of therapy helps spouses and partners understand why their
loved one has a mental disorder, what changes in communication and behaviors can help, and
what they can do to cope.
III. Family: because family is a key part of the team that helps people with mental illness get
better, it is sometimes helpful for family members to understand what their loved one is going
through, how they themselves can cope, and what they can do to help.
❖ Group Therapy Vs. Individual Therapy
a. Group therapy is different from individual therapy in a number of ways, with the most
obvious difference being the number of people in the room with the psychologist.
b. Originally, group therapy was used as a cost-saving measure, in institutional settings where
many people needed psychological treatment and there were too few psychologists to provide
the treatment.
c. However, in conducting research on the effectiveness of these therapy groups,
psychologists discovered that the group experience benefited people in many ways that were
not always addressed in individual psychotherapy.
d. Likewise, it was also discovered that some people did not benefit from group therapy. The
aim of group psychotherapy is to help with solving the emotional difficulties and to
encourage the personal development of the participants in the group.
e. The therapist (called conductor, leader or facilitator) chooses as candidates for the group
people who can benefit from this kind of therapy and those who may have a useful influence
on other members in the group.
Settings
• Group therapy can form part of the therapeutic milieu of a psychiatric in-patient unit. In
addition to classical “talking” therapy, group therapy in an institutional setting can also
include group-based expressive therapies such as drama therapy, psychodrama, art therapy,
and non-verbal types of therapy such as music therapy.
• Group psychotherapy is a key component of Milieu Therapy in a Therapeutic Community.
The total environment or milieu is regarded as the medium of therapy, all interactions and
activities regarded as potentially therapeutic and are subject to exploration and interpretation,
and are explored in daily or weekly community meetings.
• In group therapy approximately 6-10 individuals meet face-to-face with a trained group
therapist. During the group meeting time, members decide what they want to talk about.
Members are encouraged to give feedback to others. Feedback includes expressing your own
feelings about what someone says or does.
• Interaction between group members are highly encouraged and provides each person with
an opportunity to try out new ways of behaving; it also provides members with an
opportunity for learning more about the way they interact with others.
• It is a safe environment in which members work to establish a level of trust that allows them
to talk personally and honestly.
• Group members make a commitment to the group and are instructed that the content of the
group sessions are confidential. It is not appropriate for group members to disclose events of
the group to an outside person.
❖ Functioning of Therapy Groups
a. The number of sessions in group therapy depends upon the group’s makeup, goals, and
setting. Some are time limited, with a predetermined number of sessions known to all
members at the beginning. Others are indeterminate, and the group and/or therapist determine
when the group is ready to disband. Membership may be closed or open to new members.
The therapeutic approach used depends on both the focus of the group and the therapist’s
orientation.
b. In group therapy sessions, members are encouraged to discuss the issues that brought them
into therapy openly and honestly. The therapist works to create an atmosphere of trust and
acceptance that encourages members to support one another.
c. Ground rules may be set at the beginning, such as maintaining confidentiality of group
discussions, and restricting social contact among members outside the group.
d. The therapist facilitates the group process, that is, the effective functioning of the group,
and guides individuals in self-discovery. Depending upon the group’s goals and the
therapist’s orientation, sessions may be either highly structured or fluid and relatively
undirected.
e. Typically, the leader steers a middle course, providing direction when the group gets off
track, yet letting members set their own agenda. The therapist may guide the group by
reinforcing the positive behaviours they engage in. For example, if one member shows
empathy and supportive listening to another, the therapist might compliment that member and
explain the value of that behaviour to the group.
f. In almost all group therapy situations, the therapist will emphasize the commonalities
among members to instill a sense of group identity.
❖ Referral of Patients to Group Therapy
a) Individuals are typically referred for group therapy by a psychologist or psychiatrist. Some
may participate in both individual and group therapy. Before a person begins in a therapy
group, the leader interviews the individual to ensure a good fit between their needs and the
group’s.
b) The individual may be given some preliminary information before sessions begin, such as
guidelines and ground rules, and information about the problem on which the group is
focused.
Benefits
The principal advantages of group therapy include:
• Group therapy allows people to receive the support and encouragement of the other
members of the group. People participating in the group can see that others are going through
the same thing, which can help them feel less alone.
• Group members can serve as role models for other members of the group. By observing
someone successfully coping with a problem, other members of the group can see that there
is hope for recovery. As each person progresses, they can, in turn, serve as a role model and
support figure for others. This can help foster feelings of success and accomplishment.
• Group therapy is often very affordable. Instead of focusing on just one client at a time, the
therapist can devote his or her time to a much larger group of people.
• Group therapy offers a safe haven. The setting allows people to practice behaviors and
actions within the safety and security of the group.
• By working in a group, the therapist can see first-hand how each person responds to other
people and behaves in social situations. Using this information, the therapist can provide
valuable feedback to each client.
ADVANTAGES OF GROUP THERAPY
1) When people come into a group and interact freely with other group members, they usually
recreate those difficulties that brought them to group therapy in the first place. Under the
direction of the group therapist, the group is able to give support, offer alternatives, and
comfort members in such a way that these difficulties become resolved and alternative
behaviours are learned.
2) The group also allows a person to develop new ways of relating to people.
3) During group therapy, people begin to see that they are not alone and that there is hope and
help. It is comforting to hear that other people have a similar difficulty, or have already
worked through a problem that deeply disturbs another group member.
4) Another reason for the success of group therapy is that people feel free to care about each
other because of the climate of trust in a group.
ROLE OF NURSE IN GROUP PSYCHOTHERAPY —
a) In psychiatry nurses may lead various types of therapeutic groups such as client education,
assertiveness training, support, parent, and transition to discharge groups among others.
b) To function effectively in the leadership capacity for these groups, nurses need to be able
to recognize various processes that occur in the groups such as phases of group development.
c) They also should be able to select appropriate leadership styles for the type of groups being
lead. Nurses may develop these skills as a part of their training or they may pursue additional
studies.
d) Leading therapeutic group is within the realm of nursing practice because group work is
such a therapeutic approach.
e) Nurses working in this field should continuously strive for expanding their knowledge and
use of nursing process for the effective therapeutic approach.
f) Group sessions are confidential. Members and leaders are bound ethically and legally not
to disclose the contents of the sessions in any way that could identify members of the group.
Remember, we are building trust and safety.
SUMMARIZATION
Group psychotherapy or group therapy is a form of psychotherapy in which one or more
therapists treat a small group of clients together as a group. The term can legitimately refer to
any form of psychotherapy.
When delivered in a group format, including Art therapy, cognitive behavioral therapy or
interpersonal therapy, but it is usually applied to psychodynamic group therapy where the
group context and group process is explicitly utilized as a mechanism of change by
developing, exploring and examining interpersonal relationships within the group.
The broader concept of group therapy can be taken to include any helping process that takes
place in a group, including support groups, skills training groups (such as anger management,
mindfulness, relaxation,training or social,skills training),and psychoeducation groups.
Therefore; Group therapy is a form of psychotherapy that involves one or more therapists
working with several people at the same time.
CONCLUSION
Through this I understand about group and group psychotherapy and its uses and principals,
benefits and advantages and nursing responsibility.
REFERENCES
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b) https://www.sphealth.org/sites/default/files/Group_Therapy.pdf
c) https://www.citethisforme.com/topic-ideas/psychology/Group%20Therapy-55974295
d) Bott, P. (1979) 'Systems model for group psychotherapy supervision', Group Analysis,
12(2): 134
e) Brown , D. and Pedder, J. (1991) Introduction to Psychotherapy, London: Routledge.
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