How to be a ‘good enough’ group analyst

2018 ◽  
Vol 52 (2) ◽  
pp. 204-217 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mário David
Keyword(s):  
Group Therapy ◽  
Group Dynamics ◽  
Group Processes ◽  
Personal Attributes ◽  
Personal Style ◽  
Face To Face ◽  
The Matrix ◽  
Therapy Sessions ◽  
Training Practice ◽  
Analytic Attitude

A group analyst has an enormous influence over the group dynamics (the ‘matrix’) and this derives from his or her ‘identity or group analytic attitude’ which has been developed through training, practice and group analytic supervision. Each group analyst must develop personal attributes and also affective/cognitive capabilities required to become a ‘good enough group analyst’. Throughout group therapy sessions, specific dimensions appear related to each group analyst. These are of particular importance for a good evolution of group processes, pertaining to his ‘presence’ face-to-face with the group and to his personal ‘style’.

Bekendelsesformer i gruppeterapi for alkoholmisbrugere. En interaktionistisk analyse af en magtteknik

2016 ◽  
Vol 27 (1) ◽  
pp. 37-54 ◽  
Author(s):  
Kristian Fahnøe
Keyword(s):  
Group Therapy ◽  
Analytical Approach ◽  
Alcohol Abusers ◽  
Face To Face ◽  
Power And Resistance ◽  
The Social ◽  
The Face ◽  
Nuanced Understanding ◽  
Abuse Treatment ◽  
Therapy Sessions

Denne artikel undersøger interaktionen mellem deltagerne i gruppeterapi på en døgninstitution for alkoholmisbrugere. Dette sker med udgangspunkt i et analytisk begrebsapparat baseret på en sammentænkning af Foucaults magtanalytik (1982, 2008) og Goffmans rolleanalyse (1967, 1992). Begrebsapparatet muliggør analyser af magtudøvelser forstået som magtteknikker, der formes i ansigt-til-ansigt-interaktion. Tilgangen sætter fokus på mangfoldigheden i måderne, hvorpå magtteknikker og modstand udfoldes, ligesom der åbnes for analyser af magtens forskellige effekter. Tilgangen søger derved en nuanceret forståelse af, hvordan mennesker formes igennem specifikke magtudøvelser. Artiklens analyse undersøger gruppeterapien som en magtteknik, der er baseret på beboernes bekendelser. Analysen fremanalyserer tre bekendelsesformer, hvor magtteknikken udfoldes, og forskellige modstandsformer indgår. Bekendelsesformerne indebærer forskellige forsøg på at forandre klienterne. Afhængigt af klienternes modstandsformer varierer socialarbejdernes tilgang til bekendelsen mellem en positivt støttende og en konfrontativ tilgang. I forlængelse heraf demonstrerer artiklen, at modstandsformerne, der er rettet mod forskellige aspekter af bekendelserne, til tider begrænser bekendelsen som magtteknik til at forandre individet. Endeligt viser artiklen, hvordan klienterne, i kraft af deres måde at indgå i bekendelserne, skabes som subjekter på forskellig vis. ENGELSK ABSTRACT: Kristian Fahnøe: Confessions in Group Therapy for Alcohol Abusers. An Interaction Based Analysis of a Power Technique This article explores group therapy at an inpatient treatment facility for alcoholics. Based on an analytical approach which combines Foucault’s work on power (1982, 2008) with Goffman’s interactionism (1967, 1992), it analyses group therapy sessions as a power technique that is shaped through the face-to-face interaction between the participants. The analytical approach entails an exploration of the various ways power techniques are exercised in practice and their resulting effects. As such, the approach provides a nuanced understanding of how individuals are molded through specific acts of power. The approach is also able to highlight the entwinement of power and knowledge. The analysis explores group therapy as a power technique based on confessions given by the clients. Focusing on three forms of confession, the analysis demonstrates how the forms of confession involve both acts of power and resistance. These forms of confession entail different efforts to change the clients in which the social workers’ involvements span from appreciative to confrontational. The acts of resistance target various elements of the confession and shape the exercise of the power technique. This means that clients are shaped as various subjects depending on how they engage in the confessions. Keywords: power, social work, substance abuse treatment, Foucault, Goffman.

A Trial of Family Therapy v. a Relatives Group for Schizophrenia

1989 ◽  
Vol 154 (1) ◽  
pp. 58-66 ◽  
Author(s):  
Julian Leff ◽  
Ruth Berkowitz ◽  
Naomi Shavit ◽  
Angus Strachan ◽  
Ilana Glass ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Family Therapy ◽  
Relapse Rate ◽  
Expressed Emotion ◽  
Cost Effective ◽  
Or Education ◽  
Face To Face ◽  
Social Interventions ◽  
The Family ◽  
Schizophrenic Patients ◽  
Therapy Sessions

Schizophrenic patients living in high contact with relatives having high expressed emotion (EE) were recruited for a trial of social interventions. The patients were maintained on neuroleptic medication, while their families were randomly assigned to education plus family therapy or education plus a relatives group. Eleven out of 12 families accepted family therapy in the home, whereas only six out of 11 families were compliant with the relatives group. Non-compliance was associated with a poorer outcome for the patients in terms of the relapse rate. The relapse rate over nine months in the family therapy stream was 8%, while that in compliant families in the relatives group stream was 17%. Patients' social functioning showed small, non-significant, gains. The data from the current trial were compared with data from a previous trial. The lowering of the relapse rate in schizophrenia appears to be mediated by reductions in relatives' EE and/or face-to-face contact, and is not explained by better compliance with medication. Reduction in EE and/or contact was associated with a minuscule relapse rate (5%). Very little change occurred in families who were non-compliant with the relatives group. On the basis of these findings, we recommend that the most cost-effective procedure is to establish relatives groups in conjunction with family education and one or more initial family therapy sessions in the home. It is particularly important to offer home visits to families who are unable to or refuse to attend the relatives groups.

scholarly journals Case formulations in mentalization-based group therapy

2018 ◽  
Vol 21 (3) ◽  
Author(s):  
Sigmund Karterud
Keyword(s):  
Group Therapy ◽  
Group Psychotherapy ◽  
Treatment Process ◽  
Group Processes ◽  
Clinical Vignette ◽  
Individual Psychotherapy ◽  
Case Formulation ◽  
Relational Patterns ◽  
Treatment Alliance ◽  
Borderline Patients

Ideally, the assessment phase of patients who are referred to mentalization-based treatment (MBT) should conclude with a mentalization- based case formulation. The structure and content of such case formulations are described. Their aim are: i) to enhance treatment alliance and ii) to provide some structure to the treatment process through suggesting privileged themes related to emotions, relational patterns and mentalizing. MBT is a conjoint kind of psychotherapy, integrating individual and group therapies. Case formulations has belonged to the tradition of individual psychotherapy, while being mostly ignored by group therapists. The question is: are case formulations also relevant for group psychotherapy? How can they be properly introduced while not disturbing the group processes? The theme is discussed through a clinical vignette that illuminates typical therapeutic challenges in dynamic group psychotherapy with borderline patients. The author concludes with some suggestions for clinical structure, process and research.

Depression, Mastery and Number of Group Sessions Attended Predict Outcome of Patients with Panic and Agoraphobia in a Behavioural/Medication Program

1994 ◽  
Vol 39 (5) ◽  
pp. 283-288 ◽  
Author(s):  
Rudy Bowen ◽  
Maxine South ◽  
Don Fischer ◽  
Terah Looman
Keyword(s):  
Group Therapy ◽  
Cognitive Behaviour Therapy ◽  
Demographic Variables ◽  
Personal Knowledge ◽  
Predictors Of Outcome ◽  
Behaviour Therapy ◽  
Cognitive Behaviour ◽  
Poor Outcomes ◽  
Therapy Sessions

From a list of 214 patients suffering from panic and agoraphobia and who had been treated with cognitive behaviour therapy, 30 patients who had very good outcomes and 32 who had poor outcomes were selected. The groups were selected by the nurse therapist and psychiatrist on the basis of personal knowledge of the patients. The distinction into good and poor outcome groups was confirmed by the results of a follow-up questionnaire completed by the patient. Of several clinical and demographic variables which had been hypothesized, to be predictors of outcome, only depression, as measured by the Beck Depression Inventory, mastery, as measured by the Pearlin Mastery Scale and the number of group therapy sessions attended predicted outcome. Levels of depression and mastery might be clinically modifiable variables which affect the outcome of treatment for patients with panic and agoraphobia.

Development and feasibility testing of an online virtual reality platform for delivering therapeutic group singing interventions for people living with spinal cord injury

2019 ◽  
Vol 26 (6) ◽  
pp. 365-375 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jeanette Tamplin ◽  
Ben Loveridge ◽  
Ken Clarke ◽  
Yunhan Li ◽  
David J Berlowitz
Keyword(s):  
Spinal Cord ◽  
Spinal Cord Injury ◽  
Virtual Reality ◽  
Music Therapy ◽  
Phase 1 ◽  
User Evaluation ◽  
Face To Face ◽  
System Usability Scale ◽  
Cord Injury ◽  
Therapy Sessions

People with quadriplegia have a high risk for respiratory illness, social isolation and depression. Previous research has demonstrated that therapeutic singing interventions can not only improve breathing function and speech loudness, but also improve mood and social connectedness for people with quadriplegia. Face-to-face group attendance is difficult for this population due to difficulties with distance and travel. Online environments offer an accessible and cost-effective solution for people to connect with others without leaving their home. In a two-phase iterative design, we explored and tested different approaches for delivering online music therapy sessions with 12 patients from an inpatient spinal cord injury rehabilitation service. Six participants in Phase 1 trialled different virtual reality headsets and completed a short interview about their experience of the equipment and online singing trials. Outcomes from Phase 1 testing led to the development of a custom-built virtual reality application for online group music therapy sessions with low-latency audio. We tested the acceptability and feasibility of this platform in comparison to face-to-face and teleconference options for music therapy with six different patients. These participants completed three validated questionnaires: System Usability Scale, Quebec User Evaluation of Satisfaction with assistive Technology, and Psychosocial Impact of Assistive Devices Scale, and an interview about their experience. Questionnaire scores were good with mean ratings of 4.4 for Quebec User Evaluation of Satisfaction with assistive Technology, 53 for System Usability Scale and positive mean Psychosocial Impact of Assistive Devices Scale scores of 1.5 for competence, 2 for adaptability and 1.5 for self-esteem. Thematic analysis of post-session qualitative interviews revealed five themes: virtual reality was a positive experience, virtual reality was immersive and transportative, virtual reality reduced inhibitions about singing in front of others, virtual reality may reduce social cues, and the virtual reality equipment was comfortable, accessible and easy to use. Telehealth options, including a custom-designed virtual reality program, with low-latency audio are an acceptable and feasible mode of delivery for therapeutic singing interventions for people with spinal cord injury. Future non-inferiority research is needed to test online delivery modes for music therapy in comparison to face-to-face treatment.

scholarly journals Social Network Analysis to Examine Interaction Patterns in Knowledge Building Communities

2010 ◽  
Vol 36 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Donald N. Philip
Keyword(s):  
Social Network ◽  
Social Network Analysis ◽  
Network Analysis ◽  
Knowledge Building ◽  
Group Processes ◽  
Interaction Patterns ◽  
Face To Face ◽  
Grade 5 ◽  
Teachers And Students ◽  
Building Community

This paper describes use of social network analysis to examine student interaction patterns in a Grade 5/6 Knowledge Building class. The analysis included face-to-face interactions and interactions in the Knowledge Forum® Knowledge Building environment. It is argued that sociogram data are useful to reveal group processes; in sociological terms, the community lies in the connections among the group. A classroom of unconnected individuals is unlikely to form as a Knowledge Building community; data analyses reported in this study show promise in understanding the dynamics of Knowledge Building in a consistent and measurable way. The strength of the work is not in particular patterns demonstrated but in new forms of assessment and their potential to inform work as it proceeds. The research reported shows that teachers and students are finding social network analysis useful and that through their engagement research-practitioner-engineer teams are better positioned to develop tools to advance Knowledge Building pedagogy.

The Couple in Group Therapy as a Source of Hate

1999 ◽  
Vol 32 (4) ◽  
pp. 547-558 ◽  
Author(s):  
Leonardo Ancona ◽  
Angiola Mangiarotti
Keyword(s):  
Group Therapy ◽  
Group Dynamics ◽  
Negative Influence ◽  
Group Activity ◽  
Clinical Vignette ◽  
The Creation ◽  
The Individual

Since love and hate are behavioural variables common to many of the interactions which take place in groups, they have always been an important focus of study within the field of group dynamics. This article outlines ways in which these two forces can be manifest together in group activity, and illustrates with a clinical vignette how they can combine with the creation of a double, which can prove to be a negative influence on the individual in the group, and in the group as a whole.

Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document