NAME: OKWOR CECILIA AMARACHI
STUDENT REG. NO. 21J01DCPS008
DEPTMENT: COUNSELLING PSYCHOLOGY
COURSE TITTLE: GROUP THERAPY
COURSE CODE: PSY 302
LECTURER: DR. JANE NGURE
WEEK 2 ASSIGNMENT
Introduction
Group therapy in the United States can be traced back to the late nineteenth and early
twentieth centuries, when millions of immigrants moved to America shores. Most of these
immigrants settled in large cities, and organizations such as Hull House in Chicago were
founded to assist them adjust to life in the United States. Known as settlement houses, these
agencies helped immigrant groups lobby for better housing, working conditions, and
recreational facilities. These early social work groups valued group participation, the
democratic process, and personal growth. Some of the main contributors of group therapy
were: Joseph H. Pratt, Trigant Burrow and Paul Schilder.
In 1905 a Boston physician named Joseph Pratt formed groups of impoverished patients
suffering from a common illness – tuberculosis. Pratt believed that these patients could
provide mutual support and assistance. Like settlement houses, his early groups were another
forerunner of group therapy.
Group therapy encompasses many different kinds of groups with varying theoretical
orientations that exist for varying purposes. All therapy groups exist to help individuals grow
emotionally and solve personal problems. All use the power of the group, as well as the
therapist who leads it, in this process.
Unlike the simple two-person relationship between patient and therapist in individual therapy,
group therapy offers multiple relationships to assist the individual in growth and problem
solving. The noted psychiatrist DR. IrvinD. Yalom in his book: The Theory and Practice of
Group Therapy identifies 11 “curative factors” that are the “primary agents of change” in
group therapy.
The group therapists help to do the following:
Instillation of hope: all patients come into therapy hoping to decrease their suffering and
improve their lives. Because each member in a therapy group is inevitably at a different point
on the coping continuum and grows at a different rate, watching others cope with and
overcome similar problems successfully instils hope and inspiration. New members or those
in despair may be particularly encouraged by others’ positive outcomes.
Universality: a common feeling among group therapy members, especially when a group is
just starting, is that of being isolated, unique, and apart from others. many who enter group
therapy have great difficulty sustaining interpersonal relationships and feel unlikeable and
unlovable. Group therapy provides a powerful antidote to these feelings. For many, it may be
the first time they feel understood and similar to others. enormous relief often accompanies
the recognition that they are not alone, a special benefit of group therapy.
Information giving: an essential component of many therapy groups is increasing members’
knowledge and understanding of a common problem. Explicit instruction about the nature of
their shared illness, such as bipolar disorders, depression, panic disorders, or bulimia, is often
a key part of the therapy. Most patients leave the group far more knowledgeable about their
specific condition than when they entered, making them increasingly able to help others with
the same or similar problems.
Improved social skills: according to Yalom, social learning, or the development of basic
social skills, is a therapeutic factor that occurs in all therapy groups. Some groups place
considerable emphasis on improving social skills, for example, with adolescents preparing to
leave a psychiatric hospital, or among bereaved or divorce members offer feedback to one
another about the appropriateness of the others’ behaviour. Although this may be painful, the
directness and honesty with which it is offered can provide much-needed behavioural
correction and thus improve relationships both within and outside the group.
Imitative behaviour: research shows that the therapists exert a powerful influence on the
communication patterns of group members by modelling certain behaviours. For example,
therapist model active listening, giving non-judgemental feedback, and offering support.
Over time, members pick up these behaviours and incorporate them. this earns them
increasingly positive feedback from others, enhancing their self-esteem and emotional
growth.
Interpersonal learning: humans are social animals, born ready to connect. Our lives are
characterized by intense and persistent relationships, and much of our self-esteem is
developed via feedback and reflection from important others. yet we all develop distortions in
the way we see others, and these distortions can damage even our most important
relationships. Therapy groups provide an opportunity for members to improve their ability to
relate to others and live far more satisfying lives because of it.
REFFERENCES
Hales, D, & Robert E. Hales, (1995). Caring for the Mind: A Comprehensive Guide to
Mental Health. New York: Bantam Books.
Kaplan H, & Benjamin J. Sadock. (1998). Synopsis of Psychiatry. (8th ed.) Baltrimore:
Lippincott Williams and Wilkins.
Panman, R, & Sandra P. (2001). “Group Counselling and Therapy.” The Counselling
Sourcebook: A Practical Reference on Contemporary Issues, eds. Judah L. Ronch, William
Van Ornum, & Nicholas C Stilwell. New York: Crossroad
Yalom ID (1983). Inpatient Group Psychotherapy. New York: Basic Books. p. 272.
