Page 504 - Understanding Psychology

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What are the advantages of group therapy?
chance to see how other people are struggling with problems similar to her own, and she discovers what other people think of her. She, in turn, can express what she thinks of them, and in this exchange she discovers where she is mistaken in her views of herself and of other people and where she is correct (Drum, 1990). In group therapy she can also see other people with similar problems recovering, giving her the hope of recovery.
Another advantage to group therapy is that one therapist can help a large number of people at a reduced cost. Most group-therapy sessions are led by a trained therapist who makes suggestions, clarifies points, and keeps activities from getting out of hand. In this way, her training and experience are used to help as many as 20 people at once, although 8–10 is a more comfortable number. It is possible to use psychoanalytical, cog- nitive, and behavioral techniques in a group setting.
Family Therapy
Therapists often suggest, after talking to a patient, that the entire family unit should work at group therapy. In family therapy, the focus is on the interactions among the family members. This method is particularly useful because it untangles the twisted web of relationships that has led one or more members of the family to experience emotional suffering.
Often family members are unhappy because they are mistreating or are being mistreated by other family members in ways no one under- stands or wants to talk about. The family therapist can point out what is
happening from an objec- tive viewpoint and can sug- gest ways of improving communication and fair- ness in the family. Not all group therapies are run by professionals, however. Some of the most suc- cessful examples are pro- vided in nonprofessional organizations, such as self- help groups.
Self-Help Groups
An increasing number of self-help groups have emerged in recent years. These voluntary groups, composed of people who share a particular problem, are often conducted with- out the active involvement of a professional therapist.
Figure 17.4 Family Therapy
In a family-therapy session, the therapist observes the interactions in order to discern, describe, and treat the patterns that may contribute to the disturbance of one or more of its members. What does a skilled therapist provide in a family-therapy session?
490 Chapter 17 / Therapy and Change