Group and Family Psychotherapy: An Introduction

Graduate LevelBy Kumari Karandawala

What is Group Psychotherapy?

- May be described as a therapeutic approach in which several people meet together under the guidance of a professionally trained therapist to help themselves and one another. - Group counseling will focus on a particular issue such as anger management, or addiction to alcohol.

What is Group Psychotherapy?

1. Consists of “Talk Therapy”

2. May include other therapeutic forms such as expressive therapy or psychodrama

3. The interactions between the members of the group and the therapist(s) become the material used for the group therapy along with past experiences and experiences outside the group

4. Not based on a single psychotherapeutic theory and takes from many different therapies

5. Studies show that group therapy is effective and often, depending on the nature of the problem, more effective than individual therapy.

Who are Group Psychotherapists?

Mental Health Professionals trained in psychiatry, psychology, social work, psychiatric nursing, marriage and family therapy, pastoral counseling, creative artstherapy or substance abuse counseling.

The group therapy session usually lasts about 75 – 120 minutes

Types of Group Therapy:

Three general categorizations for how group therapy is organized and functions:

- By time limits set on the duration of the group

- By the focus of the group

- By the way group members are selected i.e. Focus or topical therapy groups such as therapy groups for depression, adult children of alcoholics, or parents of ADHD children

In Group Therapy, the basic benefits for the clients are:

- They are not alone in experiencing adjustment problems

- Allows them to learn from the experiences of others with similar problems

- Allows clients to better understand how people very different from themselves view the world and interact with people

FAMILY THERAPY

What is Family Therapy?

• Often referred to as couple and family therapy, family system therapy and family counseling

• A branch of psychotherapy that works with families and couples in intimate relationships to nurture change and development

• Tends to view change in terms of the systems of interaction between family members

• Emphasizes family relationships as an important factor in psychological health

What does a Family Therapist do?

• Point out family interaction patterns and behaviors that the family members are engaging in

• Suggest different ways of responding to family members

• Frequently short-term and maybe in conjunction with other more in-depth therapies for other mental disorders

Family therapy can help with such issues as:

Family relationships and changes in family life Adult mental health Parenting issues Couple relationships Trauma Work stress Parenting skills Chronic health problems, such as asthma or cancer Supporting family members through separation, mediation and divorce Child and adolescent behaviorEmotional disorders including anxiety, depression, loss and grief Anorexia, bulimia and other eating disorders Supporting family members in step-family life Emotional abuse or violence Financial problems Self-harm Drug, alcohol, and other substance misuse

Approaches to Family Therapy:

• Supportive family therapy - allows family members to feel safe and supported in discussing sensitive issues which are difficult to discuss at home

• Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy (CBT) techniques – attempts to change the way people think or behave in order to reduce or get rid of a problem. E.g.. Home- work tasks, specific behavioral programs**

• Family Therapy (FT) using Psychodynamic ideas - which looks at the individual’s own unconscious minds. Attempts to reduce the problem by uncovering what is going on ‘under the surface’

• Systemic FT – attempts to identify the problems, ideas and attitudes of all the family to get an idea about what is going on for the whole family***

Family therapy can be a very powerful and testing process to go through.

It is not for everyone.

The End.

Thank you.

QUESTIONS?

References

2012, the Counselor.org. http://www.counselor.org/therapeutic-counseling.html

2005 Dr. Vince Berger’s Psychologist Anywhere, Anytime.http://www.psychologistanywhereanytime.comtreatment_and_therapy_psychologist/psychologist_group_therapy.htm