Thursday 20 October 2016

By Diane Nelson


Group therapy is also referred to as group psychotherapy. It is a form of psychotherapy that involves one or multiple therapists treating a small group of individuals together. The term can be legitimately used to refer to all kinds of psychotherapy when they are delivered in group format. Some forms of psychotherapy on which the term may be applied include interpersonal and cognitive therapies. When in need of sessions in group therapy Port Charlotte FL is the best place to check out.

The purpose of group psychotherapy is usually to make use of the context and process of group as the main mechanism of change. The sessions are used as mechanisms of change to develop, explore, and examine interpersonal relationships within groups. The term has both narrower and broader definitions. In one of the broadest senses, the term may be applied on any kind of help that is provided in group context.

Among examples of assistance provided in these groups are psychoeducation groups, support groups, and skills training groups. Social skills, anger management, mindfulness training, and relaxation training are encompassed in skills training groups. Support groups, psychodynamic groups, problem-solving groups, psychoeducation groups, and activity groups are different on a number of levels. Art, music, and dance are also other specialized forms of psychotherapy.

Group psychotherapy is usually governed by several therapeutic factors. These factors define and govern the sessions or activities within the group. Some of these therapeutic factors include universality, altruism, instillation of hope, imparting information, imitative behavior, development of socializing techniques, cohesiveness, existential factors, catharsis, self-understanding, and interpersonal learning. The therapist is required to understand these factors well and ensure that every members of the group is benefitting adequately from the sessions.

The principle of universality helps members understand that the feelings and experiences they have are shared by all others in the groups. The feelings and experiences that people have are to be understood as universal and normal human concerns that may happen to anybody regardless of anything. With this understanding, self-esteem is raised, personal experiences are validated, and the sense of isolation is eliminated.

Altruism is the second factor. In this principle, every member is made to feel that they can be useful too. When a member gets a chance to help another member, they come to know that they are still people of value that can help others. This improves their self-esteem, and helps them to develop more adaptive coping styles and personal skills.

Instillation of hope is also an important factor in this psychotherapy. Members of these groups are usually at different levels of development or recovery. When a members sees that there are other members who have been able to overcome the problems they came in with, they are inspired. They understand that even though they are still struggling, they too can make it through.

Therapies can be held in a large number of settings. Some common settings include psychiatric in-patient unit, therapeutic community, and ambulatory psychiatric. This form of psychotherapy has been found to be very useful in a number of situations, and is still being explored further to determine its full potential.




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