Filling a significant gap in the clinical literature, this unusually practical manual addresses the nuts-and-bolts issues involved in conducting group therapy. Featuring contributions from leading experts in the field, the volume covers everything from determining which patients will benefit from a group experience to step-by-step instructions for running group sessions as effectively as possible. A hands-on manual, the volume is also an ideal companion to a basic text on group psychotherapy. Organized in a unique, logical sequence, the chapters begin with an explanation of how to select patients for a particular group intervention and how groups are composed. The different stages of group interaction over time are then covered in detail, as are the changing aspects of the therapist's role during the various stages. Setting forth basic principles of group technique--including the management of resistance, transference, primitive group dynamics, and countertransference--a clear distinction is drawn between the roles of therapists conducting group treatment and therapists working in other treatment modalities.

Integrating cutting-edge relational theory with technique, this volume reveals the deeply personal nature of the intersubjective process of group therapy as it affects the group therapist and other group members. By locating the group therapist's experience in the centre of the action, Richard M. Billow moves away from traditional approaches in group psychotherapy. Instead, he places emphasis on the effect of the therapist's own evolving psychology on what occurs and what does not occur in group psychotherapy. Building on Bion's early theory of group and his later formulations regarding the structure of thought and the role of affect, this work expands on the present understanding of relational theory and technique. Through the use of clinical anecdotes the author is able to ground theory in the realities of clinical experience making this essential reading for group psychoanalysts and psychotherapists, psychiatrists and other mental health professionals, academics and students of psychoanalytic theory.

This new book presents current thinking on the subject of group counseling and group psychotherapy. This well-known and respected author team have included both group counseling and group therapy theory and application in the same text to accommodate future practitioners who will work in educational and mental health institutions as well as those who will enter private practice, depending upon their training and future work setting. Unlike current competing texts that focus on group work in either counseling or psychotherapy, or that provide numerous chapter-length summaries of prevailing group models, this text isolates the three basic theoretical models extant and presents a comprehensive description of the theory followed by a separate chapter on application. The three basic theoretical models of Humanistic/Existential, Cognitive-Behavioral, and Psychodynamic are supplemented by an eclectic Developmental model of the senior author. Two additional chapters are devoted to the most rapidly growing group interventions skills training and self-help/mutual support groups. The second dominant feature of the text deals with foundations of group counseling and group therapy, including origins and historical development, definitions, group dynamics, diversity issues, research support, and ethical/professional and legal issues. Also included are appendices with training standards, ethical standards, and diversity guidelines.

Based on the Interactive-Behaviour Group model created by the author, this book enables group counsellors/facilities to enact a group method that allows participants to experiment with interactive skills in a safe environment. It bridges the gap between what is known from the research about how groups work and the more practical aspects of running effective groups.; Suggestions are provided throughout the text for avoiding pitfalls in group psychotherapy. Not only are several techniques provided, but also the rationale behind the use of these techniques. The focus here is on applied aspects of group work, though related techniques are offered. Thus, this resource is appropriate for practitioners of group therapy and as a text in master's and doctoral-level group counselling techniques classes.

Basics of Group Counseling and Psychotherapy: An Introductory Guide provides a unique combination of step-by-step basics of group counseling and psychotherapy and considerable depth of understanding of the intricacies of group process. Students learn how to identify what is going on in their groups, what interventions are most likely to be effective, and when to make those interventions. The text provides readers a competent and effective foundation for their study and practice in group work. The text is divided into three parts: The Core of Group process and Leadership, Pragmatic Considerations, and The Future. Part I offers a thorough introduction to brief, closed groups, guidance through four key phases of group counseling and psychotherapy - preparation, transition, treatment, and termination - and practical advice regarding leadership, therapeutic interventions, the essentials of training, ethical practices, and co-therapy. In Part II, the book dives into more advanced material, specifically addressing how to work with clients with difficult behaviors and offering the reader structured exercises and techniques they can apply in groups. Part III provides a perspective on the current state of group work and its future, touching on diversity, training, research, and more. Written by counselors and therapists who have conducted group counseling and psychotherapy sessions for decades, Basics of Group Counseling and Psychotherapy is an invaluable resource for individuals who are new to group treatment and for those experienced group therapists looking for a review.

Adventure Group Psychotherapy: An Experiential Approach to Treatment explores what is necessary for an experiential therapy group to function effectively, and the practical skills needed to inspire success. The authors describe how to use activities in a manner that produces the greatest opportunity for clients to reach their goals. Issues such as how to actively assess client functioning in the group, how to select the appropriate activity, how to shape an effective environment, and how to help clients process their experience are a few of the aspects examined to help clients move toward their goals. The practical skills the authors describe enable readers to immediately learn and apply their practice with groups. This book will be an important tool in any group therapy class, in practice settings to train practitioners, and for any clinician trying to expand their group work capabilities.

In a book for front-line clinicians, Irvin Yalom turns to the inpatient psychiatric setting and offers new ways of conceptualizing the techniques of group therapy for use on acute wards. While some group therapy occurs in all psychiatric hospitals, it is rarely handled systematically and is not properly supported by the psychiatric leadership. Arguing from his own research results and from his years of experience, Yalom makes a strong case for the importance and efficacy of group therapy on all acute wards. "An eminently practical guide to what works".--Marc Hertzman, Dir., George Washington Univ. Medical Center. Notes, Appendix and Index.