Group Therapy Upload Instructions

Group therapy and intervention

Define Group Therapy

Group therapy can take many different forms. Simply stated, group therapy is therapy given to more than one individual, usually more than two. It can be family-directed, as in the case of family therapy, or it can consist of a group of strangers. In the case of some groups, such as self-help groups like Alcoholics Anonymous, there may be no therapist-facilitator. In other instances, there may be a counselor to provide guidance and structure to the therapeutic experience. In supportive group therapy, the process often unites individuals with a common, shared experience, such as the experience of bereavement. In the case of family therapy, it may center upon family conflicts and how families relate to one another.

Define and explain the purpose of different types of groups, (ex. Self-help groups…etc.).

In the case of family therapy, the family is treated 'whole' system, rather than just as a group of related individuals in the same household (Family counseling, 2012, Good Therapy). "Rather than viewing problems as owned and caused by a particular family member (also called an 'identified patient'), Family Therapy helps to identify the ways that relationship and individual problems are caused and maintained by the family dynamics" (Family counseling, 2012, Good Therapy). Family therapists help to identify 'roles' that different family members play and the structures that define relationships in families. The goal of family therapy is to create more...

"A group therapist appropriately selects people (usually 5 to 10) who would be helped by the group experience and who can be learning partners for one another. In meetings, people are encouraged to talk with each other in a spontaneous and honest fashion" (Information about group psychotherapy, 2012, Group Works!). In contrast, self-help groups are not lead by a trained therapist, even though they may have a specific goal and treatment structure like Alcoholics Anonymous.
Facilitated group therapy is used with the goal of improving the ability of members to relate to other people, although some group therapies may have a specific goal, like a support group designed to help members cope with grief. Self-help groups likewise have a specific goal, usually the cessation of a specific behavior (like substance abuse) or thinking patterns.

Discuss group structures

Groups may be short-term in nature, with specific beginning and end dates, or they may be indefinite, continuing groups. Regardless, the obligations group members have to one another, in terms of how they listen and respond, must be made clear to participants. Some groups require participants…