Group Therapy Techniques Discussion Paper

WEEK 3 ASSIGNMENT

In a 3- to 4-page paper, identify the video you selected and address the following:

• What group therapy techniques were demonstrated? How well do you believe these techniques were demonstrated?
• What evidence from the literature supports the techniques demonstrated?
• What did you notice that the therapist did well?
• Explain something that you would have handled differently.
• What is an insight that you gained from watching the therapist handle the group therapy?
• Now imagine you are leading your own group session. How would you go about handling a difficult situation with a disruptive group member? How would you elicit participation in your group? What would you anticipate finding in the different phases of group therapy? What do you see as the benefits and challenges of group therapy?  Group Therapy Techniques Discussion Paper
• Support your reasoning with at least three peer-reviewed, evidence-based sources, and explain why each of your supporting sources is considered scholarly. Attach the PDFs of your sources. Group Therapy Techniques Discussion Paper

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Reminder: The School of Nursing requires that all papers submitted include a title page, introduction, summary, and references.

Introduction

Group therapy is a treatment method whereby one or several healthcare providers treat many patients together. It is used for various conditions such as post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), anxiety disorders, substance use disorder, and attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). Through group therapy, which entails a multi-disciplinary approach, patients benefit from long-term psychiatric care for behavioral intervention (Malhotra & Baker, 2021). This is especially important as it eliminates the long wait time patients usually suffer due to high demand. Group therapy enables patients to interact with other patients with similar conditions, thoughts, and feelings. In this paper, the author analyzes a group therapy video by highlighting techniques used by the therapist and giving suggestions on how they would handle a similar therapy session. Group Therapy Techniques Discussion Paper

Group Therapy Techniques Demonstrated during the Session

Verbal communication is one of the group therapy techniques demonstrated in the session. Here, the therapist leads the patients in an interactive session where they air out their thoughts and feelings about certain events in their lives. Through verbal communication, commonly referred  to as sharing, the group members share their thoughts with others (Harold et al., 2022). Various members in the group are allowed to give their thoughts on the same. This allows the patients to see that they have support from the entire team and can help each other get better. Group Therapy Techniques Discussion Paper

The technique of verbal communication is clearly demonstrated in this group therapy video through an interactive session. One patient, “George” airs out his feelings about a traumatic event in his life. George explains that he feels bad for what happened and would love it if he could comfort another patient in the group, whom he appears to have a relationship with. The therapist encourages him to say out what he would love to do if he were given a chance. Through the verbal communication, the other members are able to understand George’s thoughts and relate with them. We also see another person within the group encourage the patients to talk by telling and ensure them that they will be heard. Group Therapy Techniques Discussion Paper

Another technique observed during the session is active listening. This is where members of the group, including the therapists, attentively listen as the other person talks without interrupting them. Active listening shows that we respect the person speaking and value their thoughts and feelings (Malhotra & Baker, 2021). It builds trust and encourages the speaker to open up without fear of judgement from the other group members.

This techniques is also well demonstrated in the therapy session. Towards the end of the session, we see the therapists actively listening to George without interrupting as he discusses how he feelings about needing help from his family members. He clearly demonstrates his frustrations about needing help with many basic tasks like getting to the bathroom and says that he feels like a burden. As he is talking, the therapists give him time to express himself while nodding to reassure him that they understand him. After he is done talking, the therapist reassures him that he understands what he must be going through which also shows they were listening. Group Therapy Techniques Discussion Paper

Evidence-based literature shows that group therapy mechanisms that helps patients successfully attain therapy goals includes factors like universality, where patients see that other people also share similar thrugh, feelings, and problems like theirs and that they are not alone (Malhotra & Baker, 2021). Another mechanism is altruism, which means that patients improve through assisting other patients. Through sharing of personal experiences, patients are able to learn from each other and achieve their treatment goals. This is possible through the techniques of verbal communication and active listening as discussed above. Group Therapy Techniques Discussion Paper

What the therapist did well

Throughout the session, the therapist gives the patients the time to talk freely while facilitating to ensure each patient is given an opportunity to talk. He creates a rapport with the patients by assuring them that he understands their feelings (Malhotra & Baker, 2021). The therapist also ensures that each patients focusses on the topic at hand by asking them specific questions like what they would have done in certain situations to make things better. This ensures that the group therapy runs smoothly and addresses the patient’s problems that brought them there.

Insight gained from the therapy session and what I would handle differently

While dealing with patients in an interactive therapy session, it is easy for patients to lose focus and start talking about many other things in their lives. While this is still a good way to share experiences and learn from others, it can sometimes take so much of the therapy session time with things that are off topic. The therapist at some point asked the patient a leading question so that they be more specific about what they feel about a certain situation. The therapist also assures another patient that the doctors in the group care about their patients are committed to hear them out. This gives them the courage to open up (Wendt & Gone, 2018). Group Therapy Techniques Discussion Paper

Generally, the therapist handled the session very well. Perhaps what I would handle differently in a similar situation is time rationing. In the session, it appears as though it is focused on one patient and all the eyes are on him. This may make him feel anxious. Time rationing would allow all the other patients to have some time to contribute.

How I would lead my own group therapy session

During my own group session, I would apply the techniques I learnt from the video by creating a rapport with the patents and giving them time to talk freely. In handling a difficult situation with a disruptive group member, first I would reassure them that their thoughts and feelings are important and we are all ready to listen to them. I would not cut them short or talk over them when they are still talking but I would carefully explain to them that they have to follow the group therapy ground rules and regulations so that everyone feels appreciated (Novotney, 2019). Calming them down would make them see reason and possibly cooperate. I would also try talking to them alone and see what can be done to address their issues.

In order to elicit participation in the group, I would first assure them that the process is confidential and only the people in the group would hear their stories. This would clear any fear that they could be having about people discussing them. I would also encourage participation by assuring them that the therapy process works even though it might take some time. Group Therapy Techniques Discussion Paper

The different phases of group therapy include the forming phase, transition, norming, and termination phase. The beginning of the therapy is the forming phase where we expect a lot of anxiety and uncertainty among the group members because they are still struggling with their feelings. The stage after the formation is the transition phase (Malhotra & Baker, 2021). This is where members start interacting with each other and some may develop fear and refuse to open up. In the norming phase, the group members get used to each other and start appreciating each others opinions whereas in the termination phase is where the relationship is terminated after successful therapy. Group Therapy Techniques Discussion Paper

Benefits and Challenges of Group Therapy

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In group therapy, people learn from each other, which encourages self-discovery. It also makes them accountable for each other through an interpersonal relationship they develop through the sessions. This helps them achieve their treatment goals and overcome past traumatic events and fears. Although group therapy has many benefits than disadvantages in treatment, one disadvantage it has is that sometimes social phobia can prevent people from opening up and this will hinder their progress towards becoming better (Lochman et al., 2017). Having a difficult uncooperative patient may also have a negative effect in the progress of the entire group.

Summary

Group therapy is an inter-professional treatment method that allows people with similar conditions to interact together and talk. Through this, they are able to learn from each other by participating in therapy sessions. The goal of group therapy is to enable patients to grow and function well with other people in the society. Group Therapy Techniques Discussion Paper

References

Harold B., Burlingame, G. M., Flores, P. F., & Greene, L. R. (2022). Clinical Practice Guidelines for Group Psychotherapy. AGPA. https://www.researchgate.net/publication/23302146_Clinical_Practice_Guidelines_for_Group_Psychotherapy

Lochman, J. E., Dishion, T. J., Boxmeyer, C. L., & Powell, N. P. (2017). Variation in Response to Evidence-based Group Preventive Intervention for Disruptive Behavior Problems: A View from 938 Coping Power Sessions. National Center for Biotechnology Information. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5498271/

Malhotra A., & Baker J. (2021). Group Therapy. NCBI- Bookshelf. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK549812/

Novotney A. (2019). Keys to great group therapy Seasoned psychologists offer their expertise on the art and skill of leading successful group therapy. AMERICAN PSYCHOLOGICAL ASSOCIATION, 50. https://www.apa.org/monitor/2019/04/group-therapy

Wendt, D. C., & Gone, J. P. (2018). Complexities With Group Therapy Facilitation in Substance Use Disorder Specialty Treatment Settings. National Center for Biotechnology Information, NCBI. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5990965/ Group Therapy Techniques Discussion Paper