Group Therapy Theory

1101 Words5 Pages
GROUP THERAPY- Nature and Utility Group Therapy was started by J. H. Pratt, Trigant Burrow, Paul Schilder and Louis Wender from 1905-1930s. It was popularized during World War II. Group Therapy is said to be a form of psychotherapy which involves one or more psychologists or therapists who lead a group of five or more individuals (10-15 approximately) with similar or related problems. As defined by The Columbia Electronic Encyclopedia (2012), it is a way to change behaviors and emotional patterns, based on the fact that human behavior and feeling are better expressed in their adaptation and response to other people. It is practiced in various settings such as hospitals, mental health clinics, community centers and private centers. Groups are…show more content…
D. Y (2005), has outlined the important therapeutic principles that were derivative of self- reports of individuals in group therapy, such as, instillation of hope, universality, imparting information, altruism, corrective recapitulation of the primary family group, development of socialization techniques cohesiveness, imitative behavior, building interpersonal relationships, catharsis and existential factors. These factors help in focusing on association of oneself in view of other people’s experiences and strengths. The aims of group therapy in general terms include, helping the individuals understand their behaviors and the difference in relation to others, sharing also helps in getting extensive feedback, advice or tips from others or the therapist and also to support each other and reach out to…show more content…
R. R (1993) published an article in the American Psychological Association’s Monitor on Psychology, which suggests that group therapy also meet efficacy standards established by the society of Clinical Psychology (Division 12 of the APA) for panic disorder, bipolar disorder, obsessive-compulsive disorder, social phobia and substance abuse. Group therapy is applied in various approaches and variety of concerns. The few topics are: • Addiction: Some people may lack support from family and may benefit from support from others. Knowing other individuals coping skills, learning interpersonal skills and understanding the impact of their behaviors on others, may help them overcome addiction. • Anxiety: For individuals suffering from anxiety, it is helpful knowing they aren’t alone in the way they feel and understand how to manage the same. They are likely to develop better social skills. • Depression: Reaching out to others facing similar issues and discussing coping mechanism can help individuals dealing with depression. Imparting advice to people may also help in building self-esteem of an

More about Group Therapy Theory

Open Document