Group therapy can be beneficial in helping individuals improve their socialization and communication skills. It enables clients to express their issues and accept criticism from others. One can also benefit from the therapy by developing self-awareness and listening to other individuals with similar issues. However, the therapy process can be rather difficult, especially when one deals with difficult clients. The success and effectiveness of group therapy require that one consider multiple therapeutic factors and the steps required in the therapy process. This paper analyzes group therapy by considering therapeutic factors with problematic clients, two classifications of problem members, stages of group development, and approaches to solve transference distortion.
Therapeutic Factors in Problematic Clients
The therapeutic factors that can be applied in problematic clients include group cohesiveness, instillation of hope, universality, and developing socializing techniques. Problematic clients can include individuals that are forced to seek treatment and are thus reluctant to the treatment. One may also have a fear of judgment and may want to avoid group therapy. Group cohesiveness can make the client feel accepted and welcomed to the group. Feeling a sense of belonging and comfort in the group can improve the experience of a difficult client and make them open up better. The installation of hope can be applied to the difficult client who feels that he or she has been forced to the therapy and that it may not really help. The member should find hope by discovering common traits with other members and shifting their focus from their situation to current solutions. Universality can help the client who does not want to open up as they feel that their problems are unique to them. The group therapy will enable the client to realize that others have similar experiences. Developing socializing techniques will be beneficial to the client that may not want to open up. One could be more willing to discuss their issue with others after the therapy.
Delegate your assignment to our experts and they will do the rest.
The application process from a leader’s standpoint will involve using various techniques like active listening, empathy, and trust. The group leader should actively listen to the needs of the difficult client. Showing empathy will enable the client to feel that others can relate to their feelings. Developing trust will involve making the client know that they are always welcomed to the group. The leader should not make the client feel rejected, unwanted, and judged.
Classifications of Problem Members of Group Therapy
The two examples of classification of problem members include the monopolist and the silent individual. The monopolist is someone that cannot really stop talking. The individual could be anxious when silent and may describe some issues with endless detail (Yalom & Leszcz, 2008). The monopolist can have a negative effect on the group as he or she can turn the mood into frustration and anger. Members that are not assertive cannot deal directly with the monopolist but can make indirect gestures. The result of the unresolved tension is that it could negatively impact the group’s cohesiveness. The therapist can solve the issue by engaging the members regarding why they have allowed the monopolist to take over the meeting. One should also analyze several other issues like fears of assertiveness or harming the monopolist. The monopolist can also have anxiety problems that should be solved separately.
The silent member is an individual that shows restricted verbal participation in the therapy session. Silence can negatively affect the group by decreasing the level of group cohesion. Members of the group may not be comfortable when one of the members is not directly communicating. The group can also grow to become frustrated as they strive to coax and encourage the silent member to talk. The therapist can consider withdrawing the client from the group and including them in another group. The therapist can also periodically mention the client’s nonverbal behavior to show that participation in the group is important.
Stages of Group Development
The stages of group development can be applied to improve the cohesion of the group. The stages can be divided into forming, storming, norming, performing, and adjourning (Yalom & Leszcz, 2008). The forming stage involves the introduction to the group, establishing the rules of communication, confidentiality and participation, and the projected goals and timelines. The storming stage involves the group being aware of each other’s characteristics, and they become annoying. Conflicts can arise, and members can disagree with one another. The norming stage is the cohesion stage, where members start to appreciate each other’s strengths, and the group settles to a groove. The level of anger becomes tolerated, and there could be fewer conflicts. The performing stage involves a process of individual growth where the members become motivated and confident. The adjourning stage is the termination phase, where the team disbands, and there is the closure of the group.
Yalom proposed four stages of group development that can also be applied to analyze the stages of growth in the group. The stages include orientation, conflict, cohesion, and termination. Orientation is similar to the forming phase where universal norms like attendance, confidentiality, and communication. The conflict stage involves group members acting out behaviors that could be disagreeable to other individuals. The cohesion stage involves the formation of a therapeutic alliance where members can disapprove of issues like late arrival. Growth can also occur at this stage. The termination involves the closure of the group as a whole or when someone leaves. The task involves discussing and reviewing the outcomes and achievements and identifying what worked and what did not.
Resolving Transference Distortion
Transference distortion occurs when a patient transfers feelings toward the therapist, and the feelings are distorted because they are not based on the present but the past. Resolving transference distortion can be possible through consensual validation and increasing therapist transparency (Yalom & Leszcz, 2008). Consensual validation will involve encouraging the client to validate their impressions of the therapist against those of other group members. In case all group members concur with the client’s views or feelings, it would indicate that the reaction from the members is a result of global forces. In case there is no consensus, then the member would be helped to understand that one views the therapist through an internally distorted prism. Increasing transparency will involve the therapist revealing more themselves to confirm or disconfirm the client's impressions. The therapist can share one’s feelings, acknowledge or refute certain motives, identify one’s blind spots, and ask for feedback from the members.
Conclusion
Group therapy could be enhanced by considering the therapeutic factors for problematic clients, identifying the stages of development, and reducing transference distortion. The therapeutic factors applied to problematic clients should focus on making the client feel accepted and that other people have also encountered similar challenges. The two problematic monopolistic and silent clients could be resolved by focusing on the client's needs. Following the stages of development in the group can help foster better group cohesion. Transference distortion can also be an issue resolved through increasing transparency and consensual validation.
Reference
Yalom, I. D., & Leszcz, M. (2008). The theory and practice of group psychotherapy . Perseus Books Group, NY.
