Group Therapy

“Is marijuana a gateway drug?” – Any substance abuse counselor at this point is probably sick of hearing that redundant and often misleading question. The following explanation is time-tested, reasonable and easy to understand for just about everyone. See for yourself:

This research seeks to investigate Clients’ Experiences of Family Constellations
(FC) in Psychological Healing. The qualitative research model of heuristic inquiry is used. The phases of the research model that were utilized are initial engagement, immersion, incubation, illumination, explication, and creative synthesis. The collection of data was done via an interview process to allow for exploration of the meanings and essences of client’s experiences of Family Constellations in psychological healing, an increase in the knowledge and possibilities of the approach, and to best serve and support clients and those around them. Co-researchers’ experiences are explicated through the following themes in hopes to better understand their lived healing experiences using FC, and increase their awareness of self and relationships with others and the world: (1) experiences of healing; (2) somatic experiences; (3) experiences of emotion; (4) experiences of connection; (5) changes in perception and understanding; and (6) impact on relationships and self. It is anticipated that this study will give a voice to this approach to psychological healing. Clinically, the expectation is that the findings of this study could be used to further understand the essence of the challenges of psychological suffering, its impact on the family system and the individual, the clients who are challenged by it, and to inform future psychological treatments. This study may give the mental health, and maybe other professions, another instrument to use with clients. Since there is also a shortage of research on this topic, it is hoped that this study helps bridge the gaps between studies and experiences, and may further explore the efficacy of Family Constellations in working with individuals.

This is an insight and self-awareness building exercise specific to self-esteem and self-image. In this exercise everyone in the group will consider different descriptive words and then discuss how they feel personally about these word descriptions

This is an activity and discussion on how attitude can help us manage challenging emotional situations - If you read into second page you can see this is useful for groups focused on upcoming holiday season and its many challenges for clients with mental health and substance use issues

In existential holistic group therapy, the whole person heals in accordance with the holistic process theory and the life mission theory. Existential group psychotherapy addresses the emotional aspect of the human mind related to death, freedom, isolation, and meaninglessness, while existential holistic group therapy addresses the state of the person"s wholeness. This includes the body, the person's philosophy of life, and often also love, purpose of life, and the spiritual dimension, to the same extent as it addresses the emotional psyche and sexuality, and it is thus much broader than traditional psychotherapy. Where existential psychotherapy is rather depressing concerning the fundamental human condition, existential holistic therapy conceives life to be basically good. The fundamentals in existential holistic therapy are that everybody has the potential for healing themselves to become loving, joyful, sexually attractive, strong, and gifted, which is a message that most...

The triple and parallel loss of quality of life, health, and ability without an organic reason is what we normally recognize as a life crisis, stress, or a burnout. Not being in control is often a terrible and unexpected experience. Failure on the large existential scale is not a part of our expectations, but most people will experience it. The key to getting well again is to get resources and help, which most people experience with shame and guilt. Stress and burnout might seem to be temporary problems that are easily handled, but often the problems stay. It is very important for the physician to identify this pattern and help the patient to realize the difficulties and seriousness of the situation, thus helping the patient to assume responsibility and prevent existential disaster, suicide, or severe depression. As soon as the patient is an ally in fighting the dark side of life and works with him/herself, the first step has been reached. Existential pain is really a message to us ...

The purpose of this brief note is to present a discussion of the first two sessions of a poetry group conducted with moderately to severely cognitively impaired adults in a nursing home. Exercises and techniques used with this population are discussed. Poetry groups such as this may provide joy those who suffer, a chance to re-experience memories, to connect to others, and the creation of moments of increased value and meaning.

The aim of the present study was to analyze the results of a cognitive-behavioral group therapy applied in an outpatient unit to treat drug addiction. The sample consisted of 130 males with an alcohol dependence disorder. Around 56% of the sample completed treatment – they were given therapeutic discharge. From those, 75.3% never resumed treatment, increasing to 77.7% when patients completed the check-up period after discharge. Follow-up from therapeutic discharge
varies from 2 to 18 years; 58% of patients with personality disorders completed treatment with therapeutic discharge. Cognitive-behavioral treatment, whose essential components are detailed in the present study, is effective for the group treatment of patients with alcohol dependence and a comorbid personality disorder.

The first book dedicated specifically to group therapy with adult sexual abusers.  This comprehensive guidebook and resource manual includes:
-- How to utilize the unique power of group relationships and group cohesion to achieve therapeutic growth for individual group members
-- Sound, practical guidelines for facilitating groups in the powerful mode of “group-centered” group therapy
-- includes dozens of case examples based on the authors’ many years of practice

This research seeks to investigate Clients’ Experiences of Family Constellations
(FC) in Psychological Healing. The qualitative research model of heuristic inquiry is used. The phases of the research model that were utilized are initial engagement, immersion, incubation, illumination, explication, and creative synthesis. The collection of data was done via an interview process to allow for exploration of the meanings and essences of client’s experiences of Family Constellations in psychological healing, an increase in the knowledge and possibilities of the approach, and to best serve and support clients and those around them. Co-researchers’ experiences are explicated through the following themes in hopes to better understand their lived healing experiences using FC, and increase their awareness of self and relationships with others and the world: (1) experiences of healing; (2) somatic experiences; (3) experiences of emotion; (4) experiences of connection; (5) changes in perception and understanding; and (6) impact on relationships and self. It is anticipated that this study will give a voice to this approach to psychological healing. Clinically, the expectation is that the findings of this study could be used to further understand the essence of the challenges of psychological suffering, its impact on the family system and the individual, the clients who are challenged by it, and to inform future psychological treatments. This study may give the mental health, and maybe other professions, another instrument to use with clients. Since there is also a shortage of research on this topic, it is hoped that this study helps bridge the gaps between studies and experiences, and may further explore the efficacy of Family Constellations in working with individuals.

This pilot study assessed the treatment outcome of mental health services for high school students enrolled in a school-based health clinic in Baltimore. Compared to students receiving no mental health treatment (n = 34), treated students (n = 39) showed improvements in self-concept and decreased depression scores following the receipt of individual therapy services (augmented for some students with group therapy). While depression scores decreased for the treatment group, they actuallyincreased for students in the comparison group. Students in the treatment group also showed nonsignificant decreases in anger and anxiety. Implications for the future development of school-based mental health services are discussed.

Sevilen birini kaybetmek, hayatlarının bir döneminde her insanın başına gelebilecek bir durumdur. Bu
kayıp, çocukların hayatlarında meydana geldiğinde, uygun başetme becerilerine ve ya tecrübelere
sahip olmayabilirler. Görmezden gelinen keder, yanlış anlamlandırılan ve bastırılan duygular bir
duygu patlamasına yol açabilirler. Bir çocuğun bastırılmış veya yanlış anlaşılmış duyguları etkili bir
şekilde ele alınmazsa, yetişkinlikte patoloji ve disfonksiyon olarak ortaya çıkabilir. Burada sunulan
Psikodrama etkinlikleri içeren Bilişsel Davranışçı Yaklaşıma Dayalı Grupla Psikolojik Rehberlik
programı, çocukların yas ve kayıp ile baş etme yöntemlerini kazanmaları amacı ile hazırlanmıştır.
Grup uygulamaları 11 oturumdan oluşmakta, her bir oturum yaklaşık 90 dakika sürmektedir, her
oturumun hipotetik bir hedefi mevcut. Programın ana hedefleri ise şöyle: kayıp ve yas kavramları,
özellikleri ve farklılıkları hakkında bilgi sahibi olmak, yas ve kayıp sürecinin olumsuz etkilerini
kavrayabilmek, öğrenilen becerileri günlük yaşama aktarabilmek, kendini ifade etmek, kendini açmak
ve paylaşma becerilerinin geliştirilmesi.Grup oturumları sırasında, temel etkinlik olarak bir Etkinlik
Çalışma Kitabı da kullanılmaktadır. 6-12 yaş aralığında olan çocuklar, ölümün evrenselliği ve
kaçınılmazlığı anlamaya başlarlar. Kayıpların geri dönülmezliğinin farkındadır. Bu dönemde, ölümün
bir dış etken nedeni ile gerçekleştiği türünden bir anlayış sürmektedir. Ölüm, önüne geçilemez
biyolojik bir süreç olarak kavranır. Bu yaş döneminde, yas sürece etkili bir şekilde ele alınmazsa, uyku
problemleri, yeme bozuklukları, içe kapanma gibi tepkilerle karşılaşılabilir.
1. Sevilen birini kaybetmek, hayatlarının bir döneminde her insanın başına gelebilecek bir
durumdur. Bu kayıp, çocukların hayatlarında meydana geldiğinde, uygun başetme
becerilerine ve ya tecrübelere sahip olmayabilirler. Görmezden gelinen keder, yanlış
anlamlandırılan ve bastırılan duygular bir duygu patlamasına yol açabilirler. Bir çocuğun
bastırılmış veya yanlış anlaşılmış duyguları etkili bir şekilde ele alınmazsa, yetişkinlikte
patoloji ve disfonksiyon olarak ortaya çıkabilir. Burada sunulan Psikodrama etkinlikleri içeren
Bilişsel Davranışçı Yaklaşıma Dayalı Grupla Psikolojik Rehberlik programı, çocukların yas ve
kayıp ile baş etme yöntemlerini kazanmaları amacı ile hazırlanmıştır. Grup uygulamaları 11
oturumdan oluşmakta, her bir oturum yaklaşık 90 dakika sürmektedir, her oturumun
hipotetik bir hedefi mevcut. Programın ana hedefleri ise şöyle: kayıp ve yas kavramları,
özellikleri ve farklılıkları hakkında bilgi sahibi olmak, yas ve kayıp sürecinin olumsuz etkilerini
kavrayabilmek, öğrenilen becerileri günlük yaşama aktarabilmek, kendini ifade etmek, kendini açmak ve paylaşma becerilerinin geliştirilmesi.Grup oturumları sırasında, temel
etkinlik olarak bir Etkinlik Çalışma Kitabı da kullanılmaktadır. 6-12 yaş aralığında olan
çocuklar, ölümün evrenselliği ve kaçınılmazlığı anlamaya başlarlar. Kayıpların geri
dönülmezliğinin farkındadır. Bu dönemde, ölümün bir dış etken nedeni ile gerçekleştiği
türünden bir anlayış sürmektedir. Ölüm, önüne geçilemez biyolojik bir süreç olarak kavranır.
Bu yaş döneminde, yas sürece etkili bir şekilde ele alınmazsa, uyku problemleri, yeme
bozuklukları, içe kapanma gibi tepkilerle karşılaşılabilir.

“As we know, well-led groups provide many member benefits: feelings of universality, a sense of hope, altruism, acquisition of knowledge and skills, and mutual support...This text is affordable, easy to use, and very suitable for providing group work material in BSW or MSW practice courses.”

— Greg Tully, West Chester University



AN EXPERIENTIAL APPROACH TO GROUP WORK
Second Edition

Rich Furman, University of Washington, Tacoma
Kimberly Bender, University of Denver
Diana Rowan, University of North Carolina, Charlotte

An Experiential Approach to Group Work is not your typical group work text! Using dozens of exercises that build practice-tested skills, the authors' approach is in perfect step with CSWE's competence-based education requirements. The book is organized into three sections—the first addresses stages of group practice, the second looks at major types of groups, and the final section looks at examples of group work practice with special populations.

Features of the Second Edition

    Expanded! Discussion of the theory of group process and dynamics
    New! Content regarding Canadian, British, and Australian group work practices
    New! Chapters on anti-oppressive practice, group work with immigrants, and macro-practice group work
    New! Content on the use and development of technology to aid group work
    Contains customized exercises for each group work topic, designed to build the student and practitioner’s skills for use in group work sessions
    Special emphasis on how to bring individual sessions or groups to closure
    Provides examples of group work in specialized settings: conflict resolution groups within elementary schools, pregnant teens, Latinos, and HIV/AIDS clients

Intervention EMDR d'événements récents : Cas clinique d'une prise en charge collective après un accident de la route
Nicolas Desbiendras Psychologue clinicien Docteur en psycholinguistique Praticien et superviseur EMDR Europe
Dans le chapitre précédent, nous avons vu la spécificité d'intervenir en thérapie EMDR dans le cadre d'un événement récent lors d'une prise en charge individuelle. Ce champ d'application est nommé « E.E.I. », pour Early EMDR Interventions, soit les interventions EMDR d'événements récents ou interventions précoces. Il demande une adaptation de la thérapie EMDR qui s'éloigne du protocole standard sur de nombreux points. Ces adaptations peuvent s'appliquer pour des prises en charge individuelles mais aussi lors d'interventions de groupe. Nous nous proposons dans ce chapitre d'aborder la prise en charge EMDR collective dans le cadre des événements récents. À partir d'un cas clinique d'une prise en charge de groupe après un accident sur la voie publique, nous verrons comment les impliqués ont pu être pris en charge en thérapie EMDR et comment la symptomatologie post-traumatique a pu se résorber.

This study evaluated the efficacy of a group cognitive treatment for pathological gambling. Gamblers, meeting DSM-IV criteria for pathological gambling, were randomly assigned to treatment (N=34) or wait-list control (N=24) conditions. Cognitive correction techniques were used first to target gamblers’ erroneous perceptions about randomness, and then to address issues of relapse prevention. The dependent measures used were the DSM-IV criteria for pathological gambling, perceived self-efficacy, gamblers’ perception of control, desire to gamble, and frequency of gambling. Post-treatment results indicated that 88% of the treated gamblers no longer met the DSM-IV criteria for pathological gambling compared to only 20% in the control group. Similar changes were observed on all outcome measures. Analysis of data from 6-, 12- and 24-month follow-ups revealed maintenance of therapeutic gains. Recommendations for group interventions are discussed, focusing on the cognitive correction of erroneous perceptions toward the notion of randomness.

Objectives: This study has been conducted to investigate the efficacy of group therapy based on logo-therapy on depression in Love Trauma Syndrome (LTS) of female students. LTS includes a constellation of intensive signs and symptoms which appear following the breakdown of a romantic relationship after a long time. It interrupts person's function in many areas (academic, social or professional) and leads to maladaptive reactions. Methodology: The clinical sample is comprised of 40 female students which 20 were assigned to experimental group and 20 to control group. The instruments included the Love Trauma Inventory (LTI) and Beck Depression Inventory. To analyze the data, the paired sample t-test and the analysis of covariance was applied. Result: All subjects who completed the treatment showed significant improvement in their symptoms including depression and general functioning. It appears that logo-therapy is effective to treating depression in LTS.