Group-Analytic Psychotherapy (PDF)

This book offers practitioners, teachers and students of
psychotherapy a detailed and comprehensive account of group
analysis. It demystifies the workings of analytic groups and looks
at the great stretch of issues and tasks confronting the therapist
in the practice of group analytic psychotherapy. Each stage in the
process is fully discussed: the assessment and preparation of
patients for groups, dynamic administration, beginning and ending a
group, and the introduction of new members into an established
group.

A chapter on psychopathology gives a picture of the main
psychiatric conditions which the group therapist is likely to
encounter, and offers clear guidelines on how to manage them in a
group context. An exposition on the group in full flow provides an
unusual insight into the processes which constitute the analytic
culture, including the analysis of dreams, the art of interpreting,
use of the transference and countertransference, and the place of
play, humour and metaphor.

Difficult and challenging scenarios, such as dropping out,
scapegoating, the silent group member, and monopolisation of the
group are treated in depth, as are Large Groups, homogeneous
groups, groups for children and adolescents, family therapy, groups
in non-clinical settings, and the supervision of group therapy. The
impingement of the therapist' s own personal issues is also given
attention.

The authors have flanked their narrative with accounts of the
historical, social and cultural origins of group analysis, and a
vision of the future provided by the newer strands of thinking in
the field. The text is enlivened by colourful vignettes drawn from
the authors' own experiences, and by sharply focused dialogues
between the two authors, designed to illustrate their contrasting
and complementary perspectives.

The book represents a distillation of the authors' long
experience in the field of group analytic practice and training in
the United Kingdom and internationally.