Commonalities in Some Therapeutic Approaches

In reading about the diverse therapeutic approaches described in Samuel Gladding's (2003) Group Work and Linda Metcalf's (1998) Solution Focused Group Therapy, I am struck by their commonalities. Regardless of the differences in their underlying premises and their emphases on specific aspects of the clients' lives, group therapy challenges the group members to: a) utilize their imagination in a spontaneous fashion; b) focus their thoughts and energies on the present; and c) move out of their comfort zone in expressing themselves and interacting with fellow group members. To me, it would appear as though these specific components of the therapeutic process may hold the key to the effectiveness of the therapies, rather than the unique theoretical aspects that distinguish one group therapeutic approach from another. In the remainder of this paper, I will address each of the three aforementioned commonalities and explain why I think they are helpful in enabling clients to overcome their issues.

Whether it is through dream analysis in psychoanalytic groups (Gladding, 2003, p. 352), experiments in gestalt groups (p. 417), behavioral rehearsals in behavioral groups (p. 451), or even the rating of symptoms in solution focused groups (Metcalf, 1998, p. 122), clients are essentially challenged to utilize their imagination. Instead of adopting conventional thinking processes that take place in the transaction of daily group, members in group therapy are asked to picture themselves

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urrent group activity in order to participate in them. Second, the dynamic interactions between the group leader and the members, as well as among the members, compel individual group members to evaluate their problems and their interpersonal relations with others. Very often, their problematic interactions with fellow members are a manifestation of the reason why they are in group therapy. Third, group members are attending the group in order to resolve problems that are affecting them in the present. Therefore, all group therapies ultimately shift the group members' attention to the current problems and the solutions for addressing the problems. To me, this component in itself is highly significant for all clients, regardless of their choice of therapeutic approaches. When clients are forced to focus their thoughts and energies on the present moment, they are unable to escape or hide from their problems. In our daily lives, most of us can avoid dealing with the issues that affect our lives by putting them aside and focusing on other distractions such as work and family responsibilities. Only when the problem appears and affects our daily functions will we acknowledge them. However, in a group therapy setting, clients

Category: Psychology - C