Prepared by:

ALBERT RAY D. MAGGAY

College Instructor 
 WHAT IS GROUP THERAPY?

Group psychotherapy is a treatment of psychological problem

in which two or more patients/client interact with each other on
both an emotional & cognitive levels in the presences of one or
more psychotherapists who serve as catalysts (the person who can
be related to or who can understand the other’s point of view),
facilitators or interpreters.

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 HISTORY OF GROUP THERAPY
History of Groups

• Originally found successful in treating patients with TB in the early 1900’s

• Jacob L. Moreno introduced group therapy in counseling in 1920.

• Later used during WW II for treating those with emotional reactions

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 HISTORY OF GROUP THERAPY

•  In 1946 “T-groups” emerged, to enhances interpersonal relationship. It was the

beginning of modern group work.

• Encounter group- intended for “Normal Functioning” who wanted to grow.

• Marathon group- breakdown barriers that individuals use.

• The 1960 human potential movement “Founded on the belief that the most
people only use a small percentage of their capability but that within a group
experiences, they can recognize their full potential”.
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 GOALS OF GROUP THERAPY

• Help Individuals Identify Maladaptive Behavior

• Help with Emotional Difficulties through Feedback

• Offer a Supportive Environment

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 TYPES OF GROUP

1. Psychoeducational/ Guidance group

2. Counseling/Interpersonal Problem- Solving Groups

3. Psychotherapy Groups

4. Task/work Groups

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 PSYCHOEDUCATIONAL/ GUIDANCE
GROUP
• The purpose is to teach group participant how to deal with a potential threat (catching the
flu), developmental life events (growing older) or immediate life crisis (death of loved
one)

• Used in educational setting but frequently used in hospital, mental health center, or social
service agencies.

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 COUNSELING/INTERPERSONAL
PROBLEM
Solving Groups These groups help participants resolve problems of living
through interpersonal support and problem solving.

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 PSYCHOTHERAPY GROUPS

• These groups focus on personality reconstruction or

remediation of deep-seated psychological problems.

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 TASK/WORK GROUPS 

•  A group that comes together to perform a task that has a

concrete goal (e.g. community organizations, committees,
planning groups, task force).

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STAGES OF GROUP DEVELOPMENT

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 HOW WE CONDUCT GROUP THERAPY?

• Guidelines for group therapy

• Maintain Confidentiality

• Commitment to Attendance.

• Socializing with Group Members

• Putting Feelings into Words Not Actions.

• Role of Leader and Members

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 YALOM’S THERAPEUTIC FACTORS

Yalom (1995) defined therapeutic factors as "the actual

mechanisms of effecting change in the patient“.

Yalom identified 11 factors that influence the processes of

change and recovery among group therapy clients.

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 THERAPEUTIC FACTORS 
1. Universality- feeling of having problems similar to others, not alone

2. Altruism - helping and supporting others

3. Instillation of hope - encouragement that recovery is possible

4. Guidance - nurturing support & assistance

5. Imparting information - teaching about problem and recovery

6. Developing social skills - learning new ways to talk about feelings, observations and
concerns

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 THERAPEUTIC FACTORS 

7. Interpersonal learning - finding out about themselves & others from the
group

8. Cohesion - feeling of belonging to the group, valuing the group

9. Catharsis – release of emotional tension

10. Existential factors – life & death are realities

11. Imitative behavior – modeling another’s manners & recovery skills

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 GROUP COMPOSITION HOMOGENOUS
GROUPS

• Group composed of patients of the same age, race, sex,

socioeconomic level and similar of illness.

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 GROUP COMPOSITION HETEROGENEOUS
GROUPS

• group vary on different clients age, race, sex,

socioeconomic level and different category of illness.

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 CONCERNS IN GROUP WORK

• Group Size Group counseling and psychotherapy generally

work best with 6-8 members. If group run as long as 6 months
10 people can be included.
• Length and Duration of Sessions Group sessions range from 1-
2 hours.

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 GROUP STRUCTURE

• open (allows members to enter and leave the group as needed)

• closed (only the group members who started at the beginning

are in the group at the end).

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 PURPOSES OF THERAPIST
INTERVENTION 

• To help build an atmosphere of trust and safety.

• To enforce rules and norms.

• To provide feedback.

• To get a member’s input, reaction or feedback.

• To draw connections between members or point out themes.

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 PURPOSES OF THERAPIST INTERVENTION 

To correct irrational or faulty thinking.

To empower participants.

To offer support when needed.

To reinforce helpful contributions.

To encourage constructive risk taking .

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 FUNCTIONS OF GROUP THERAPY 

Sharing experiences

Support to & from group member

Socialization

Imitation

International learning

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 SHARING EXPERIENCES

This help the client to realize that they are not isolated & that
other also have similar experience & problem

Hearing from other client that they shared experiences is often

more convincing & helpful then reassurance from the therapist.

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SUPPORT TO & FROM
GROUP MEMBER 

• The sharing action of being mutually

supportive is an aspect of the group
cohesiveness that can provide a sense
of belonging for client feeling who
feel isolated in their everyday lives.

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 SOCIALIZATION 

• It is acquisition of social skill (E.g. maintaining eye contact)

with in a group through comments that member about one
another deficiencies in social skills.
• This process can be helped by trying out new ways of
interacting within the safety of the group.

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 IMITATION

It is learning from If the group is run

observing & well, client imitate
adopting the the adaptive
behaviors of other behaviors of other
group members. group members.

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 INTERNATIONAL LEARNING

• It refers to learning about difficulties in relationships by

examining the interaction of individuals with the other
members of group.

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 TECHNIQUES OF GROUP THERAPY

Roles of Therapist
• An advisor
• An advocate
• A facilitator
• A social policeman
• A technician
• An enabler

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 TECHNIQUES OF GROUP THERAPY

Cognitive therapy

Focus on irrational thoughts and beliefs of members and

restructuring perceptions and beliefs by substitution of new effective
thoughts and beliefs.

Behavioral therapy Behavior is learned so ineffective behavior can

be unlearned and replaced by effective behavior.

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 TECHNIQUES OF GROUP THERAPY

Role play
One member of the group can portray someone in
another group member's life to give the other member a
chance at practicing how to communicate effectively.

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 TECHNIQUES OF GROUP THERAPY

Story Writing and Sharing

Members write a story about themselves and
their lives and then read it aloud for the group to
hear and discuss.

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 TECHNIQUES OF GROUP THERAPY

Task oriented groups

• To develop social skills ,interacting in a group home.

Therapeutic activity groups

• Wide array of art, music, dance, psychodrama and many other

techniques having a defined therapeutic goal.

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 AREAS THAT MAY PARTICULARLY
BENEFIT FROM A GROUP THERAPY

• Addiction
• Anxiety
• Depression
• Obsessive Compulsive Disorder
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 BENEFITS OF HAVING CO-THERAPISTS

MORE EXPERTISE. • ALLOWS FOR DIVISION • GROUP MEMBERS • TWO LEADERS CAN • TWO LEADERS
OF LABOR (E.G. ONE RECEIVE MORE MODEL PROVIDE DIVERSITY IN
LEADER CAN INDIVIDUAL ATTENTION. COMMUNICATION AND THEORETICAL
CONCENTRATE ON CONFLICT RESOLUTION. ORIENTATION,
CONTENT AND THE INTERPERSONAL STYLE,
OTHER LEADER CAN AND CULTURAL
LOOK AT PROCESS RESOURCES.
VARIABLES).

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LIMITATIONS/DANGERS OF
CO-THERAPISTS

• If two leaders do not get along, it can be detrimental and even harmful
to group

• Co-leaders might develop competition between themselves, and this too

is not good for the group

• If co-leaders have different skill levels, one might try to lead the other.
This can lead to coalitions with other group members or even in the
marginalization of the more inexperienced leader

• Group members might feel ganged up on if both leaders become

adamant in getting across a therapeutic message

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 ADVANTAGES

You realize you’re not alone.

Facilitates giving and receiving support.

Helps you find your “voice.”

Helps you relate to others (and yourself) in healthier ways.

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ADVANTAGES

• Social Skills

• Learn From Other Mistakes

• Diversity of Opinions

• It costs less

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DISADVANTAGES 

• Limited Privacy

• Personality Clashing

• Loss of trust

• It strikes fear into some patients.

• It doesn’t guarantee confidentiality.

• Social Anxiety

• Mourning A Loss

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 CONCLUSION

Group therapy plays a major role in rehabilitation of mentally ill client.

It gives an opportunity for immediate feedback.

It facilitates chance for therapist to observe the clients emotional and behavioral
response towards variety of people.

Enhances client's communication, decision making and assertive skill.

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