Group therapy

Group therapy
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Abstract
Group therapy is increasingly becoming an option for therapists treating mental health patients, and this involves a group of patients who meet with either one or more therapists. Group therapy can occur in private therapeutic centers, health clinics and hospitals.
Therapeutic factors help to facilitate cohesiveness in group therapy as well as change participants in the therapy sessions as conceptualized by Yalom (Sternberg, 2003). However, for the therapy process to succeed there is a need for therapy leaders to create an enabling environment that facilitates interaction. In a study conducted by (Vlastelica et al., 2003), self-understanding was identified as the main therapeutic factor.
Group therapy would be ineffective if it does not impart information on the participants and better than individual therapy (Erdman, 2009). Thus, the group therapy sessions need to incorporate sharing and giving of information. For the mental health participants, this includes information about their conditions and common symptoms that may affect them.
Introduction
Group therapy is increasingly becoming an option for therapists treating mental health patients, and this involves a group of patients who meet with either one or more therapists. Group therapy can occur in private therapeutic centers, health clinics and hospitals. One of the main reasons for adoption of this approach is that patients tend to have similar experiences, and hence offers great opportunities towards improving socialization techniques and coping mechanisms. Additionally, individual psychotherapy might take a lot of time, but group therapy is a cost effective way to address mental health care for a group (Burlingame & McClendon, 2008). Even though, pharmacological approaches are at times necessary for people, use of group therapy car lower reliance on pharmacological treatments. This paper explores the role of therapeutic factors, experiences of group therapy clients and the roles of therapeutic facilitators.
Therapeutic Factors
Therapeutic factors help to facilitate cohesiveness in group therapy as well as change participants in the therapy sessions as conceptualized by Yalom (Sternberg, 2003). However, for the therapy process to succeed there is a need for therapy leaders to create an enabling environment that facilitates interaction. In a study conducted by (Vlastelica et al., 2003), self-understanding was identified as the main therapeutic factor. Participants suffering from some form of metal health typically suffer isolation. Thus, it is necessary for group leaders to instill hope among the participants. This will eventually lead to a more positive outcome from the patients throughout the group therapy sessions. In other words when patients feel secure and have faith on the effectiveness of group therapy, then they are more likely to be receptive to therapists. Equally, when other participants get better then a participant is likely to see the sense of participation in group therapy.
On their own mental health, patients may despair and feel isolated when there is no person with whom they can share their experiences. Thus, being in group therapy helps the individuals to understand that they are other members are in similar situations (Vlastelica et al., 2003). In essence, being in groups has a positive effect on participants as the setting encourages sharing of information and interaction. In other words, no one person no can live comfortably in isolation, and group settings offers a good opportunity to patients I which to express their thoughts without being afraid of people’s judgments. Suffering in silence is less likely to occur when participants have similar experiences, and the participants can connect emotionally no matter their different backgrounds, as they can understand each other better through their experiences.
Group therapy would be ineffective if it does not impart information on the participants and better than individual therapy (Erdman, 2009). Thus, the group therapy sessions need to incorporate sharing and giving of information. For the mental health participants, this includes information about their conditions and common symptoms that may affect them. At the end of group therapy sessions, the patients ought to go with sufficient information, and this would help other patients suffering similar fate. Essentially, imparting knowledge involve giving instructions through group leaders as well as sharing this information. Ultimately highlighting on the possible effectiveness of group therapy helps the participants to be more enthusiastic about the process, which enhance their ability to appreciate and contribute to the process.
Another therapeutic factor that is likely to change the participants is interpersonal learning (Sternberg, 2003). People have an inherent feeling of having relations with others, but mental health patients may have low self-esteem, as they tend to focus on their inability to relate properly with others. Under group settings, participants can learn how to relate better with people through interaction with the participants (Sternberg, 2003). The group is a reflection of the individual’s lives, and interaction with members enhances their emotional experiences in a social setting. Human beings feel a sense of belonging and love, when they can interact with other people without inhibitions. Through interpersonal learning, the participants are able to relate with each other and feedback provides motivation towards interacting beyond group therapy sessions.
Group Cohesiveness
In group therapy, group cohesiveness connotes that there are many therapeutic relationships, where group members show care for each other and there is positive relations with the therapists, and there is togetherness in a group as conceptualized by Yalom (Schiff et al., 2007). Thus, members tend to be united with a common goal with cohesiveness also determining the likely success of group therapy. Group members have positive relationships with therapists in a vertical manner where they tend to respect their therapist’s as well belief in their competence. Similarly, group members have horizontal relationships with their colleagues in a cohesive group. Thus, bonding in therapy groups affects how people view their therapists and colleagues, and the tasks accomplished for group settings. However, the individuals may see group therapy as failure depending on the approach used by the therapist or because of conflicts among the members.
Group cohesiveness is more likely to occur as participants interact with each other, as the participants tend to have similar mental health problems. Nonetheless, the participants typically have differences in their socio economic, cultural, religious and educational experiences. Thus, participants may at first be skeptical on sharing their opinion or show disapproval. At the initial stages, the participants tend to overlook other people’s problems. However, as therapy sessions continue, people open up, as they feel free to share their thoughts and beliefs with group members. In most cases accommodation of other people’s views tend to encou...