Group Therapy Reflection Paper

The text book, The Theory and Practice of Group Psychotherapy by Irvin D. Yalom with Molyn Leszcz begins with the preface of the fifth edition. In the preface, Irvin D. Yalom introduced Molyn Leszcz as his collaborator and how they met at Stanford University in 1980. He then discussed how they both worked hard collaboratively to combine old and new material to make this edition. Their goals for this edition were to prepare student therapists for the present-day workplace and to keep the current methods from decaying, so that students can gather wisdom and techniques of the field when they get the opportunity to utilize those methods as therapists. Yalom briefly talked about what each chapter in the text would discuss. He closed out by mentioning while making changes to this text, he was also writing the class novel, The Schopenhauer Cure, which complements this text very well.

Published in 1962, Ken Kesey’s One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest tells the story of Patrick McMurphy, a newly-admitted patient at a psychiatric hospital where individuals with various mental conditions are treated. Run primarily by Nurse Ratched, a demeaning autocrat who exhibits complete control over others, the patients are subjected to various forms of treatments and therapy with the intent of rehabilitation (Kesey 5). Most forms of treatment depicted in Kesey’s novel, such as group therapy, are an accurate representation of what typical psychiatric patients may encounter while under care at a mental facility. Yet others, particularly electroshock therapy and lobotomies, were quite controversial at the time of the novel’s publication. Such treatments were questioned for their effectiveness at improving patients’ condition – and while these procedures were still occasionally performed at the time, they often did not benefit the treated individual. Often painful and traumatic, these treatments physically degraded the patient’s mental status; and in extreme

Many theories of group counselling have borrowed ideas and approaches from psychoanalysis. The primary aim of the analytic process is reorganize the client’s personality and character structure. This aim is attained by making unconscious conflicts conscious and analysing them. Wolf (1963, 1975) developed group applications of fundamental psychoanalytic approaches such as working with transference, free association, dreams, and the historical factors of existing behaviour. The group leader relates understanding to the family-like relations that emerge among the members and between the members and the therapist. Because of the family-like atmosphere, the group provides opportunities to evoke associations to both family-of-origin and present life

The purpose of group learning and development is to ensure that all learning styles are catered for and the ultimate goal of sharing knowledge is achieved. When using a group to deliver something new each individual can call on a fellow participant to confirm understanding. 1.2 Explain why delivery of learning and development must reflect group dynamics When delivering to a group it is important to consider, what is the normal behaviour within the group? Who plays what role?

In order to accomplish group competency, I will need to continue psychoeducation in counseling, attend conferences, and experience group counseling first hand. Keeping my education current and relevant will guide me to new understandings and the competency needed to be a therapeutic counselor. Attending conferences will lead me to further education and new findings. The art of practicing group counseling will allow me to learn from my experiences. All of these ways to accomplish competency will strengthen my appreciation for group counseling (Killacky & Hulse-Killacky, 2004).

Group Reflection Elements of Yalom’s therapeutic factors were apparent over the course of the semester while experiencing and conducting our breakout groups. Yalom refers to 11 therapeutic factors in the practice of successful group therapy with them being: installation of hope, universality, imparting information, altruism, corrective recapitulation of primary family, development of socializing techniques, imitative behavior, interpersonal learning, group cohesiveness, catharsis, existential factors. Below, will be a reflection of my experience in the group over the course of the semester. Group Cohesiveness Of the 11 factors, group cohesiveness or the warmth of the group in which everyone felt that they belonged was readily apparent at the

Starting college can be one of the best times in young person’s life. However, it may be one filled with apprehension, angst, and confusion. Adjustment to college life is vital for all students, though the manner and amount of adjustment faced by each undergraduate will fluctuate contingent on a student’s upbringing, life-experience, and former education. Consequently, the lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, questioning (LGBTQ) community knows this all too well. Therefore, the college counseling center will be offering a series of therapy groups for the incoming freshman that identify as part of the LGBTQ community in order to help them adjust to college life, the separation from home, and the stress of classes.

Psychoanalytic group therapy is the model involving groups that meets face to face with therapist and it comes approximately in a group of seven to eight members. Each and everyone in the group have to contribute with their thought. Firstly some might feel a sense of rejection being in a group but those fears will fade away after they observe the rest of the group members. Apart from that, during the session, members will be able to receive valuable feedback from one another rather than depending on the therapist itself (Kleinberg, 2011). Basically, clients in groups will be able to gain insight into their resistances and defenses more dramatically in a group setting than in individual therapy.

Many individuals find group therapies effective as well because it allows them to reconnect with others about the similar experiences they face. Antidepressants,

As well as this, providing intervention in groups creates the opportunity to work on a variety of individual goals. One may work towards increasing structure and routine while engaging in meaningful activities. This in turn allows them to develop their strengths, confidence and social skills (Rouse & Hitch, 2014). Providing intervention in groups provides an interaction with others who have similar experiences and difficulties – something that individual intervention cannot.

It is not a professional treatment group and specialized self-help group. However, it is a holistic and spiritual model that concern with an individual’s high power in relation to one’s psychological

Much discussion is devoted to the literature regarding group work as it remains an integral part of the social work field. Group work is important as “the need to belong is one of the most basic and powerful human needs as well as the most social” (Ashford, & Lecroy, 2008, pg. 140). Group work is found to be an effective intervention and has become a major treatment modality in the mental health services (Knight, 2017; Clements, 2008). This intervention has been found just as effective as an individual intervention (Knight, 2017). Groups have played an instrumental part in transforming how the social work field thinks about the helping process for clients.

Survivors Support Group I am currently on the mental health track, so looking at a potential group that I might encounter would encompass female victims of domestic violence and abuse (DVA) which is also referred to as intimate partner violence (IPV) and rape or sexual assault victims (as statues vary depending on the states definition). Both forms of abuse stem from a power and control dynamic. The use of force during sex is not about sexual pleasure for the perpetrator, instead the pleasure comes from being in a position of power and having control over another human being. The act of hurting and demeaning the woman is the real pleasure. DVA/IPV consists of physical, sexual, emotional, and economic abuse.

The concept of disasters in providing mental health assistance when there has been a traumatic and devastating event. One of the concepts according to (Everly & Mitchell, 2008) would be psychological reactions to disaster may cause serious psychological impairment. In an over all study according to Norris et al . (2002) There was a study of severity of impairment of 60,000 disaster victims between 1981 and 2001. The sample studies showed 11% had minimal impairment, indicative of transient stress; 51% had moderate impairment, indicative of prolonged stress; 21% had severe impairment. There was significant psychopathology or distress; and 18% had severe impairment. PTSD, MDD, GAD and PD were found and considered specific psychological problems

S-Client reports, "Family friends constantly encourage me, God has brought me this far, and he will see me through” and “Not passing the NBCOT on the first try, not doing well on fieldwork"