Psychology Degree Guide: Group Psychotherapy

For most mental conditions, therapy can be extremely helpful in sorting out your feelings and figuring out what your next move in life should be. That’s what therapists are for—listening to you and helping you get everything sorted out. But sometimes just the therapist alone isn’t enough, which is where group psychotherapy comes into the picture.

What is it?

Group psychotherapy is a support group of people who have the same condition as you, or who went through the same trauma you did. They are usually run by a licensed psychotherapist and a few assistants, and range in size from five to ten people, or sometimes even more. Groups meet once or twice a week, at a regular time and place, which makes it easier to track progress.

Essentially, the theory behind group therapy is to help victims of tragedies or circumstance realize that they are not alone, and that there are people out there who not only understand what they’re going through, but have also been through it themselves. By building connections with people like you, it’s easier to admit your own faults and get past it. Additionally, because most groups are made up of other patients of your psychotherapist and people you’ve never met before, it makes it easier to look at your own life from an outside perspective. If you’re explaining a situation to somebody who’s never heard about it before, you might realize how silly that thing you were stressing out about really is. Plus, people who aren’t part of your life won’t be offended if you talk about the people in it, because they aren’t connected.

Who uses it?

Group psychotherapy is used for a number of conditions. The most famous example, of course, is Alcoholics Anonymous, which is a substance abuse group psychotherapy organization. But group psychotherapy has also proven useful for victims of sexual and domestic abuse, PTSD sufferers, cancer patients, people suffering disorders like depression, bi-polar disorder, anxiety, ADHD or OCD, eating disorder victims, or even just stressed-out graduate students. If it’s a condition, there is probably a support group for it in your area.

Therapist Guidelines

There are a number of rules that group psychotherapy leaders have to observe, to protect both themselves and their patients. Therapy can be a tricky thing to negotiate, and ultimately the goal is to help patients, not accidentally hurt them. Some useful guidelines are:

1. Allow the patient to make his own decisions about whether to participate in group therapy. He must be fully informed of all the risks and benefits involved, so that he understands what he is getting into. Don’t discriminate, and be respectful of the choice he makes.
2. Use discretion in disclosing any patient information. Therapy patients are protected under the same laws as all other medical patients, and it is illegal to share their private information without their consent. Additionally, patients must keep each others’ identities a secret, so that all in-group activity remains confidential.
3. Always keep the welfare of the patients at the forefront of your mind. If the patient requires treatment that is beyond your expertise, refer him to somebody who can help him. Never do anything that could potentially harm a patient, either physically or emotionally.

Criticism

While it is incredibly effective in some situations, group psychotherapy is not for everyone, and it is not the right course of action for all conditions, either. Patients who suffer from trust issues, feel intense shame about their condition or are afraid of other people are not well suited to group therapy. Additionally, if a patient tends to become violent, his presence may endanger other members of the group, so it is inadvisable to include him in group therapy.

Additional Resources

* General Information

Why Group?
A short pamphlet on the benefits of group therapy, aimed at students attending the University of Virginia.

Group Psychotherapy
A basic overview of group therapy and its benefits from BBC Health.

Group Therapy FAQ
A number of helpful questions & their answers regarding group therapy, from Georgetown University’s Counseling & Psychiatric Service.

Group Therapy: What’s it All About?
An introduction to group therapy and its usefulness to students, from the University of Missouri-Kansas City.

* Organizations

American Group Psychotherapy Association
An organization dedicated to helping group therapy patients and professionals connect and network. Includes information about group therapy, including its effectiveness.

International Association for Group Psychotherapy and Group Processes
An international organization designed to connect group therapy professionals and patients all around the world.

APA’s Society of Group Psychology and Group Psychotherapy
The American Psychological Association’s organization for group therapy, which publishes a peer-reviewed journal on the subject and conducts annual conventions.

* Critical Essays

Group psychotherapy for adolescent survivors of homicide victims: a pilot study. By A. Salloum, L. Avery and RP McClain.
A study on the effectiveness of group therapy against PTSD, from the National Library of Medicine.

Participant Autonomy in Cognitive Behavioral Group Therapy: An Integration of Self-Determination and Cognitive Behavioral Theories by Lynndall A. Dwyer, Matthew J. Hornsey, Laura G.E. Smith, Tian P.S. Oei and Genevieve A. Dingle
A study on the relationship between patient independence and their participation in group therapy, from the University of Queensland.

Current practices in general hospital group psychotherapy by Patrick N. Farley
A study on the use and effectiveness of group therapy in a hospital setting.

A Meta-Analytic Review of the Effectiveness of Inpatient Group Psychotherapy by Markus Kosters, Gary M. Burlingame, Christof Nachtigall and Bernhard Strauss
A study on the effectiveness of group therapy for a variety of issues, from Texas A&M University.

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