FOUNDATIONS OF GROUP WORK AND TYPES OF THERAPY
Group therapy can be very beneficial for clients. In fact, research has shown that for many clients, group therapy is as effective as individual therapy. Members of groups are not only able to influence change within one another, but they are often able to more easily relate to the guidance of peers than that of a therapist. With the increasing popularity of this therapeutic approach, it is essential for you to have a strong foundation in psychotherapeutic techniques for groups.
This week, you explore group therapy and consider how you might apply current literature to your own clinical practice.
Group therapy can alleviate feelings of isolation and foster a supportive and collaborative environment for sharing difficult feelings in order to facilitate healing. For many people, being part of a group that has a shared understanding of a struggle provides a unique opportunity to gain understanding of their own experiences.
As you examine one of the group therapy demonstrations from this week’s Learning Resources, consider the role and efficacy of the leader and the reasons that specific therapeutic techniques were selected.
To prepare:
- Use the group therapy video demonstrations belowfor the paper
- https://youtu.be/PwnfWMNbg48
THE ASSIGNMENT
In a 3- to 4-page paper, identify the video you selected and address the following:
- What group therapy techniques were demonstrated? How well do you believe these techniques were demonstrated?
- What evidence from the literature supports the techniques demonstrated?
- What did you notice that the therapist did well?
- Explain something that you would have handled differently.
- What is an insight that you gained from watching the therapist handle the group therapy?
- Now imagine you are leading your own group session. How would you go about handling a difficult situation with a disruptive group member? How would you elicit participation in your group? What would you anticipate finding in the different phases of group therapy? What do you see as the benefits and challenges of group therapy?
- Support your reasoning with at least three peer-reviewed, evidence-based sources, and explain why each of your supporting sources is considered scholarly. Attach the PDFs of your sources.
The School of Nursing requires that all papers submitted include a title page, purpose statement, introduction, summary, and references.
Resources to use
Yalom, I. D., &Leszcz, M. (2005). The therapeutic factors. In The theory and practice of group psychotherapy Download The theory and practice of group psychotherapy(5th ed.) (pp. 1–18). Basic Books.
Credit: The Theory and Practice of Group Psychotherapy, 5th Edition by Yalom, I. D., &Leszcz, M. Copyright 2005 by Basic Books. Reprinted by permission of Basic Books via the Copyright Clearance Center.
PsychotherapyNet. (2009, May 7). Irvin Yalom outpatient group psychotherapy video Links to an external site. [Video]. YouTube. https://youtu.be/PwnfWMNbg48
One more resource attached as PDF
