Group Therapy Interventions: Trust, Culture, and Stage-Based Leadership

Introduction: Brenda's Trust Issues and the Individual Session

During group meetings, Brenda, a Pakistani woman, calls and requests a private session. When asked why she wants an individual session, she explains that she is having trouble trusting most of the members of the group, and that this is keeping her from participating. When suggested that she bring up this matter in the group first, she states that she is simply not willing to take that risk.

Yes, it would be appropriate to see Brenda for one session, as this would provide an opportunity to understand the roots of her trust issues and further gauge her suitability for the group (Spitz, 2013). The session would not be geared toward counseling, but toward obtaining first-hand information from her about what she expected of the group and its participants, why she feels those expectations are not being met, and what she thinks could be done to improve the situation. Based on the information obtained from this individual session, appropriate measures could then be devised to address her concerns.

There are multiple factors that could be responsible for Brenda's lack of trust. To begin with, given her inclination toward Islamic culture, there is the possibility that Brenda may not be comfortable with the American style of group leadership, in which the group leader and participants interact freely as relative equals and members feel free to challenge the leader's direction. Islamic cultural norms tend to emphasize a clear separation between leadership and followership, where followers are expected to treat leaders with considerable respect and not openly challenge their views. Brenda could therefore be struggling to identify with the rest of the group because she perceives their behavior toward the leader as disrespectful.

Moreover, it is possible that Brenda does not trust the group members because they do not recognize or appreciate her cultural background. For instance, she may feel out of place because her culture or religion is never acknowledged during group activity, making it difficult for her to establish a sense of identity within the group. A third possible reason for Brenda's lack of trust is the fear of being judged. Islamic culture often encourages women to be submissive and may discourage them from pursuing education, careers, or leadership roles. Brenda's participation could therefore be inhibited by the fear that other group members would unfairly judge her as uneducated or incapable of independent thought. Meeting Brenda for one informal session would help identify her specific areas of dissatisfaction, providing the information needed to determine what corrective action to take.

Advantages and Disadvantages of Meeting Brenda Individually

There are several advantages to organizing a meeting with Brenda. The first and most obvious is that it provides an opportunity to obtain first-hand information from her about her expectations of the group, why she feels those expectations are not being satisfied, and what she believes ought to be done to address the situation. This would allow the group leader to know exactly what changes are needed within the group to address Brenda's specific needs. Additionally, the group leader has the opportunity to learn about Islamic culture — its values and expectations — directly from Brenda. This enriches the leader's multicultural sensitivity, enabling them to better serve the psychological needs of other Muslim participants in current or future groups. In other words, such a meeting contributes meaningfully to a process of continuous learning.

However, the decision to meet Brenda individually is not without its disadvantages. The primary limitation is that other members may come to view individual private sessions as their default mode of conflict resolution. This could result in unnecessary disruptions and delays that might otherwise have been avoided if members chose to resolve concerns through alternative means, such as consulting with each other directly. All the same, the benefits — in terms of the valuable knowledge gained — far outweigh the limitations.

Interventions When Brenda Raises Trust Issues in the Group

If Brenda agrees to raise her lack of trust in the next group session, the leader must be prepared for a range of reactions. One can reasonably expect some group members to become defensive once Brenda discloses her trust issues. Some may become angry, particularly if they feel that Brenda is seeking sympathy or special attention on account of belonging to a marginalized minority. The group leader should therefore anticipate scapegoating tendencies, in which the rest of the group aligns against Brenda, casting themselves as the victims and her as the problem (Moreno, 2007). Scapegoating can be seriously detrimental to Brenda's self-esteem and could further inhibit her ability to participate (Moreno, 2007).

To prevent this, the group leader can employ several interventions. At the beginning of the session, for instance, the leader should notify group members that a sensitive issue will be discussed and clearly lay out the ground rules that will govern the discussion (Moreno, 2007). The leader could specify explicitly that no insulting language or hostile behavior toward Brenda will be permitted during the session (Moreno, 2007). The leader should then actively block any individual or collective attempt to belittle or attack Brenda. Additionally, the leader could assume a gatekeeping role — managing the flow of conversation to ensure that Brenda and the rest of the members have a balanced exchange of ideas, and that neither side is overshadowed or diminished.

Intervening with Rodney's Disruptive Questioning

Rodney, an African-American man, has a pattern of asking others in the group very probing and personal questions. Despite attempts to establish a norm in which members make statements rather than ask questions, Rodney persists in his interrogations and repeatedly interrupts other members' work. He maintains that he does not understand what the problem is, stating that he asks questions simply out of curiosity and that it is his way of getting to know people.

The group leader has a duty to establish and maintain a positive environment where members feel safe sharing their views without fear of judgment or intimidation. Rodney's persistent and intrusive questioning creates an unsafe environment for other participants and intimidates them, even if he does not recognize this. In this situation, the leader could intervene by appealing to Rodney's empathy — inviting him to consider the perspective of the member being questioned. For instance, the leader might say: "Rodney, how do you suppose this person might be feeling about the question you just asked? If the same question were directed at you, how do you think you would feel?" This would encourage Rodney to develop a habit of considering others' feelings before posing questions to his colleagues.

Additionally, the leader could intervene by reframing Rodney's question in a less intrusive form that is less likely to alienate the member being addressed. Even while doing so, care must be taken to ensure that Rodney does not feel sidelined or set up as a target for scapegoating by the rest of the group. For instance, after rephrasing the question, the leader might ask, "Did I get it right?" — allowing Rodney to feel that he still has ownership of the inquiry.

Alternatively, the leader could intervene by inviting Rodney to pause and observe the effect of his question on the group. Statements such as "Rodney, could you stop for a moment and observe how the question you just asked is affecting your colleagues?" or "Rodney, have you noticed what that question is doing to the group?" can cultivate in him a greater awareness of how his behavior affects others, encouraging him to reflect before asking potentially intrusive questions in the future.

If the group confronts Rodney directly about his questioning and tempers begin to rise, the leader's best intervention would be to de-escalate the exchange. The leader could express concern about the intensity of the confrontation and invite the group to pause — allowing members to step back emotionally and collect themselves. Statements such as "Let us pause for a moment. What are you feeling right now? Please let me know when you feel ready to continue the session" can help members regulate their emotional responses. Throughout this process, the leader must be careful not to appear to be taking Rodney's side. Members should be reassured that the pause is not a refusal to hear their concerns, but rather an effort to prevent things from being said that could ultimately harm the group's overall purpose.

Regarding alternatives to direct questioning, Rodney's intrusive approach could erode the group's unity over time. The leader could therefore encourage him to use less intrusive strategies when seeking to learn about his colleagues. For instance, Rodney could be encouraged to make careful observations of how members behave, speak, and carry themselves during sessions in order to draw insight about their personality, feelings, and thoughts. He could also be encouraged to use storytelling — sharing a relevant personal story and paying close attention to how members react — as a means of learning about their perspectives and worldviews. Both of these techniques are considerably less intrusive than direct questioning and would support the overall cohesiveness of the group.

Conclusion

Evidently, the type of intervention best suited to any given group therapy situation depends on the specific stage at which the group is operating. The intervention chosen will often reflect the level of collaboration among group members and the degree of trust they have established with one another. It is therefore important that group leaders maintain a clear understanding of their group's current stage of development so they can select the most appropriate and effective intervention for each situation they encounter.

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Clark, A. J. (2011). Scapegoating: Dynamics and interventions in group psychotherapy. Journal of Counseling and Development, 80(3), 271–276.

Moreno, J. K. (2007). Scapegoating in group psychotherapy. International Journal of Group Psychotherapy, 57(1), 93–104.

Spitz, H. I. (2013). Group psychotherapy and managed mental healthcare: A clinical guide for providers. New York, NY: Routledge.