Group psychotherapy
Yalom and the therapeutic principles
Group psychotherapy involves a group and a trained therapist.
Yalom set out the therapeutic principles of group psychotherapy as follows.
A specific form of group therapy called psychodrama was developed by Jacob Moreno. This involves examining relationships and problems via the mode of drama.
Bion and basic assumption groups
Bion was a psychoanalyst interested in group dynamics. He believed that groups had a collective unconscious that operated in a similar way to that of an individual. He therefore claimed that the function of this unconsciousness was to protect the group from the pain of reality.
He made the distinction between two types of group. The first was the working group, which was one that was working well and getting the job done. The second was the basic assumption group which was acting out primitive fantasies and preventing things from getting done.
He then went on to describe the different types of basic assumption groups.
Group psychotherapy involves a group and a trained therapist.
Yalom set out the therapeutic principles of group psychotherapy as follows.
- Universality (removes group members sense of isolation)
- Altruism (the experience of helping anther group member)
- Instillation of hope (seeing other members who have progressed in therapy)
- Imparting information (learning from others)
- Corrective recapitulation of the primary family experience (therapists analysis of transference)
- Development of socialising techniques (practicing social skills)
- Imitative behaviour (using other members as models)
- Cohesiveness (feeling part of the group)
- Existential factors (facing the basic issues of life)
- Catharsis (relief from expressing emotion)
- Interpersonal learning (using feedback from other members)
- Self understanding (insight)
A specific form of group therapy called psychodrama was developed by Jacob Moreno. This involves examining relationships and problems via the mode of drama.
Bion and basic assumption groups
Bion was a psychoanalyst interested in group dynamics. He believed that groups had a collective unconscious that operated in a similar way to that of an individual. He therefore claimed that the function of this unconsciousness was to protect the group from the pain of reality.
He made the distinction between two types of group. The first was the working group, which was one that was working well and getting the job done. The second was the basic assumption group which was acting out primitive fantasies and preventing things from getting done.
He then went on to describe the different types of basic assumption groups.
- Dependency. Here the group turns towards a leader to protect them from anxiety. An example of this is when a group of strangers get together for the first time, there can be an awkward silence before someone finally takes initiative and plays the role of leader.
- Fight-flight. Here the group acts as if there is an enemy who must be attacked or avoided. The enemy can be either within the group or external. The group may at times pursue and defeat the perceived enemy but will soon create another one. An example of this would be the way doctors in different specialities become so damming of one another.
- Pairing. Here then group acts as if the answer lies in the pairing of two of the members. This may be in the form of a friendly pairing or an extremely hostile one.
