International Journal of Group Psychotherapy最新文献

This article was selected for commentary as one of the most influential articles published in the International Journal of Group Psychotherapy, as part of the celebration of the 75th anniversary of the journal. The commentary describes the key elements in selected article, regarding early attention to a clinical focus on diversity, equity, and inclusion. Using a very accessible clinical challenge, he addresses the ethical requirement for clinicians to ensure they develop the skills necessary to treat a broad range of individuals, for whom identity is a cornerstone of their pursuit of treatment. This is well-accepted practice today, but as the commentary describes, it was very innovative at the time of its initial publication.

Using the philosophy of Ubuntu (I am because we are), a grant-funded group for African American, inner-city youth between the ages of 14 and 18 was implemented and studied. Five group members participated in the six-week blended model group intervention that culminated in an agreed-upon social justice project. During sessions, participants discussed issues in five main areas: school, home, community, friendships, and internal issues. Through an advocacy-oriented and culture-centered lens, the format of the six-week group is provided along with recommendations for school counselors and mental health counselors working with African American adolescents in under-resourced communities.

The article by J. Dugo and A. Beck, "A therapist's guide to issues of intimacy and hostility viewed as group-level phenomena" (1984), International Journal of Group Psychotherapy 34, 1, 25-45, was reviewed to determine its applicability to current clinical practice and for instructions and training for leaders of psychotherapy groups. The authors write from the psychoanalytic perspective to propose four leader roles for differing group phases and describe the impact of each leader type on the functioning of the group, the leader, and the group members. Central to the thesis for the article are the perception and importance of the group as a whole as an entity. The commentary also addresses implications across identities, research implications and needs, and the impact on the commentary author.

The American Group Psychotherapy Association (AGPA) hosts the Anne and Ramon Alonso Plenary Address each year at its annual conference. In his 2020 plenary address, the newly elected president, Dr. Molyn Leszcz discusses the ways that group therapy has shaped him and meaningfully guided him in his clinical, professional, and organizational roles. Dr. Leszcz illustrates the great value group therapy and group therapists can provide to contemporary society. We are an invaluable clinical resource both for treatment and for addressing current societal challenges with regard to social isolation, polarization and discrimination.

The current paper was the presidential address given at the 2024 Connect Conference of the American Group Psychotherapy Association (AGPA). In the paper, the author weaves together three threads. In each of seven decades, the author offers an example of turbulence occurring in society, pairing those with the events of her life during that period and then noting some intentional and thoughtful decisions made by AGPA leadership to create necessary change and growth. The author focused on the earlier decades, as readers will be more familiar with current years. The author invites resonance with personal turbulence faced by the reader and the victories achieved after encountering extraordinary challenges over the years.

The authors explore the group leader's considerations before removing a group member from group sessions. The authors integrate an approach that warns against a too hasty decision without considering the group-as-a-whole dynamics and the possibility of scapegoating, with the approach that looks at the group therapist's countertransference that prevents them from considering the group's best interest. The rule of thumb the authors suggest is that when a severe breach of the group agreement happens, especially continuously, and when it cannot be followed by exploration, reflection, and an agreement by the group member who violated the agreement to make an effort to avoid repeating this event, the group leader might consider removing the person from the group. The article distinguishes between removing a member in the early stages of the group and at later stages of the group's development. It also recommends exploring this issue with the group and following up with the removed member. Special attention is given to cases of racism, microaggressions, and trauma.

Dual relationships in the training and treatment of group therapists are inherent and endemic to the profession of psychoanalytic group therapy. Independently of theoretical orientation at many training institutes, senior group leaders double as training group analysts, teachers, supervisors, administrators, friends, and sometimes even relatives of group trainees. Further, these trainees are often in the same treatment groups, supervision groups, and classes with each other and may also be friends and relatives. These complicated relationships often blur the boundaries between therapy and not therapy, and they have an incestuous quality. They may even produce iatrogenic treatment reactions when realistic negative perceptions are interpreted as transference and resistance. This can be harmful and can lead to the development of ethical dilemmas and clinical boundary violations. This brief report presents the author's experience leading an open session at AGPA's 2024 Annual Conference that addresses attendees' concerns about this troubling situation.

Group cohesion is considered a key group therapeutic factor; however, limited knowledge exists on the session-to-session development of group cohesion in the context of training groups or on the factors that may predict such developments. We utilized multilevel growth modeling to examine the longitudinal changes in 44 counselor trainees' ratings of group cohesion in seven experiential growth groups across four semesters. We found significant between-person variability in the growth trajectory of group cohesion and identified trainee self-disclosure and gender as significant predictors of group cohesion. The results indicated the complexity of within- and between-person changes in group cohesion in training groups and the need for further research to identify potential predictors of these changes. We also discussed ways for group facilitators to attend to self-disclosure as an important marker of group cohesion.