Group therapy

Group therapy is a term applied to any form of psychotherapy in which several persons (usually from 6 to 12, equally balanced by sex) are treated simultaneously in the presence of one or more therapist. Dynamic interaction among the members causes a holistic and synergistic concept to arise, and the resulting group morale is beneficial to all the individuals taking part. Practitioners of most individual therapy systems have experimented with group work, often combining several techniques in working with the same group. Group psychotherapy is designed to help those who suffer from minor reactions to situational stress and those who have severe neurotic disturbances and psychoses.

It is useful to distinguish between four major types of therapy group; the therapeutic social group through which members increase skill in social participation; groups oriented towards providing emotional support to members as a means of combating the vicious circle of loss of self-esteem, withdrawal, and further damage to self-esteem, associated with such habits as alcoholism, drug-taking, over-eating, etc; psychodrama by which members attempt to free blocked spontaneity; and analytically oriented group therapy representative of the mainstream of group therapy.

In the case of psychodrama, the aim is the integration of the participant's self against the uncontrolled forces around him through free and spontaneous interaction. In psychoanalytic group therapies the ultimate aim is the facilitation of the fullest possible communication of unconscious material.

In family group therapy the mental health of each member is improved by bringing about a more realistic, less repressed equilibrium in family interactions, which is only possible by treating the family as a whole rather than each individual member. In group-centered therapy feelings of acceptance are stressed in a setting which offers the participant an immediate opportunity to test the effectiveness of his ability to relate to people and to improve his skills in interpersonal relations.

In pedagogical or didactic group therapy the stress is placed on the communication of mentally healthful concepts to members of the group through lectures, symposia, readings and other educational means.

Situational therapy uses the therapeutic effect of the physical environment and the social relationships, which is also true of activity group therapy.

Therapists differ widely in their goals and procedures, some being interested in cohesiveness, smooth functioning and nondirective procedures, whilst others aim for as much emotional stress among participants as the group can handle without serious disruption. In all cases, however, therapists aim to free the participants' spontaneity and capacity for emotional growth so that they may become more comfortable, effective and emotionally mature.

In general the therapeutic value of participation in a group is the opportunity it offers the individual to; examine his own fears and distrust; confront himself as he is within a supportive atmosphere; confront his own needs to control and influence; confront dissonance in his own internal world as he moves towards new levels of creative integration; and obtain glimpses of what a person can become.