The Theory and Practice of Group Psychotherapy

by Irvin D. Yalom, Molyn Leszcz

Overview

The classic work on group psychotherapy. The Theory and Practice of Group Psychotherapy has been the standard text in the field for decades. In this completely updated sixth edition, Dr. Yalom and Dr. Leszcz draw on a decade of new research as well as their broad clinical wisdom and expertise. Each chapter is revised, reflecting the most recent developments in the field. There are new sections throughout, including online group therapy, modern analytic and relational approaches, interpersonal neurobiology, measurement-based care, culture and diversity, psychological trauma, and group therapy tailored for a range of clinical populations. At once scholarly and lively, this is the most up-to-date, incisive, and comprehensive text available on the practice of group psychotherapy.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781541617568
Publisher:	Basic Books
Publication date:	12/01/2020
Sold by:	Hachette Digital, Inc.
Format:	eBook
Sales rank:	221,636
File size:	3 MB

About the Author

Irvin D. Yalom, MD, is professor emeritus of psychiatry at the Stanford University School of Medicine. He was the recipient of the 1974 Edward Strecker Award and the 1979 Foundations' Fund Prize in Psychiatry. He is the author of When Nietzsche Wept (winner of the 1993 Commonwealth Club gold medal for fiction); Love's Executioner, a memoir; Becoming Myself, a group therapy novel; The Schopenhauer Cure; and the classic textbooks Inpatient Group Psychotherapy and Existential Psychotherapy, among many other books. He lives in Palo Alto, California.
Molyn Leszcz, MD, FRCPC, CGP, DFAGPA, is professor of psychiatry at the University of Toronto. He is an award-winning clinical educator. Dr. Leszcz is the president of the American Group Psychotherapy Association (AGPA) and a distinguished fellow of the American Group Psychotherapy Association. He is the coauthor of Psychotherapy Essentials to Go: Achieving Psychotherapy Effectiveness. He lives in Toronto, Canada.

Table of Contents

Preface To The Sixth Edition 1

Acknowledgments 7

1 The Therapeutic Factors 9

Instillation of Hope 13

Universality 15

Imparting Information 18

Altruism 24

The Corrective Recapitulation of the Primary Family Group 26

Development of Socializing Techniques 28

Imitative Behavior 29

2 Interpersonal Learning 33

The Importance of Interpersonal Relationships 33

The Corrective Emotional Experience 44

The Group as Social Microcosm 50

Dynamic Interaction Within the Social Microcosm 58

Recognition of Behavioral Patterns in the Social Microcosm 61

The Social Microcosm: Is It Real? 64

Transference and Insight 65

Overview 68

3 Group Cohesiveness 73

The Importance of Group Cohesiveness 77

Mechanism of Action 88

Summary 102

4 The Therapeutic Factors: An Integration 103

Comparative Value of the Therapeutic Factors: The Client's View 107

Comparative Value of the Therapeutic Factors: Differences Between Clients' and Therapists' Views 141

Therapeutic Factors: Modifying Forces 144

5 The Therapist: Basic Tasks 153

Creation and Maintenance of the Group 154

Building a Group Culture 157

How Does the Leader Shape Norms? 160

Therapeutic Group Norms 167

6 The Therapist: Working In The Here-And-Now 183

Definition of Process 185

Process Focus: The Power Source of the Group 194

The Therapist's Tasks in the Here-and-Now 196

Techniques of Here-and-Now Activation 202

Techniques of Process Illumination 214

Helping Clients Assume a Process Orientation 226

Helping Clients Accept Process-Illuminating Comments 228

Process Commentary: A Theoretical Overview 230

The Use of the Past 241

Group-as-a-Whole Process Commentary 246

7 The Therapist: Transference And Transparency 255

Transference in the Therapy Group 259

The Psychotherapist and Transparency 272

8 Selecting Clients And Composing Groups 293

Criteria for Exclusion 295

Criteria for Inclusion 314

Summary: Client Selection 318

Group Composition 319

The Prediction of Client Behavior in the Group 321

Summary: Predicting Client Behavior 330

Principles of Group Composition 330

Homogeneity or Heterogeneity? 333

General Clinical Considerations 336

Summary: Group Composition 338

9 Creating The Group 341

Setting and Structure 342

Brief Group Therapy 349

Pregroup Meetings and Preparation for Group Therapy 355

10 In The Beginning 377

Formative Stages of the Group 377

The Impact of Clients and Other Factors on Group Development 393

Membership Problems 398

11 The Advanced Group 425

How Interpersonal Learning Works 425

Subgrouping 430

Conflict in the Therapy Group 440

Self-Disclosure 455

Termination 465

12 The Challenging Group Member 477

The Monopolist 478

The Silent Client 485

The Boring Client 488

The Help-Rejecting Complainer 491

The Acutely Psychotic Client 494

The Schizoid Client 502

The Characterologically Difficult Client 507

13 Specialized Formats And Procedural Aids 521

Concurrent Individual and Group Therapy 521

Combining Group Therapy and Twelve-Step Groups 533

Co-Therapy 538

Dreams 545

Audiovisual Technology 549

Written Summaries 552

Monitoring Group Therapy Outcome and Process 560

Structured Exercises 562

Group Therapy Record Keeping 568

14 Online Psychotherapy Groups 571

VTC Groups: Early Findings 572

Guidelines for Group Psychotherapists 573

VTC Group Challenges and Opportunities 575

15 Specialized Therapy Groups 579

Modifications for Specialized Clinical Situations: Basic Steps 581

The Acute Inpatient Therapy Group 587

Groups for the Medically Ill 617

Adaptation of CBT and IPT to Group Therapy 626

Self-Help Groups and Online Support Groups 634

16 Training The Group Therapist 639

Observation of Experienced Clinicians 641

Clinical Supervision 645

A Group Experience for Trainees 654

Personal Psychotherapy 661

Summary 664

Beyond Technique 665

Appendix: Group Therapy Information And Guidelines For Clients 667

Notes 673

Index 801

What People are Saying About This

Hillel I. Swiller

"Further enhances its . . . position as the single best book in the field of group psychotherapy."

Editorial Reviews

Probably the best single-author book on the subject ever written.

American Journal of Psychiatry

Far and away the best book about group psychotherapy.

Contemporary Psychology

This standard text in the field covers aspects of group therapy such as interpersonal learning, group cohesiveness, transparency and transference, patient selection, problem patients, specialized therapy groups, and training the group therapist. This fourth edition is revised to reflect the changes in DSM-IV and features new sections on combining individual and group therapy, and brief group therapy, as well as new clinical vignettes. Annotation c. Book News, Inc., Portland, OR (booknews.com)

Booknews

"The authors of the 6th edition of The Theory and Practice of Group Psychotherapy do an excellent job of presenting the art and science of leading psychotherapy groups. The material is suitable for mental health professionals across disciplines who want to build their knowledge and expertise for leading psychotherapy groups. This is an essential resource for learning and enhancing group leadership skills for all types of groups."—Nina W. Brown, professor and eminent scholar, Old Dominion University

"Once again, Yalom and Leszcz have hit it out of the park. The breadth and depth of the research covered is truly impressive. However, it's the remarkably engaging writing style that seamlessly weaves these empirically informed group psychotherapy principles within an interpersonal framework that makes this book a one-of-a-kind classic. The instructive and compelling clinical examples support beginning therapists, while the contemporary group interventions invites the experienced group leader into new territory."—Gary Burlingame, professor and chair of psychology, Brigham Young University

"Reading this eagerly awaited 6th edition of what is truly a classic in the field is like returning home after a time away: the comforting feeling of revisiting familiar tried-and-true notions intermingled with the excitement of new discoveries and developments in the field. This volume, like its predecessors, speaks so clearly to the group therapist, novice, and expert alike, in experience-near, clinician-friendly language, making the group experience come alive in the mind. It represents the state of the art of group therapy today."—Les R. Greene, distinguished life fellow, American Group Psychotherapy Association

"This new edition affords us the treasured opportunity to benefit from the wisdom and expertise of the phenomenal partnership of Irv Yalom and Molyn Leszcz. This work retains the strengths of past editions in terms of invaluable clinical insights and case examples, but introduces new material that enhances this edition. In response to the challenges posed by the COVID-19 pandemic, they have included a chapter on online groups. I look forward to sharing this updated edition and valued resource that is informed by recent research findings with my students and colleagues!"—Alexis D. Abernethy, professor of psychology, Fuller Seminary

"The partnership between Yalom and Leszcz brings new originality to a text that-like no other-has already shaped the field that it helped to spawn fifty years ago. Grounded in current scholarship, their further development of the interpersonal model-wide-ranging and comprehensive-gives this book renewed standing for therapists of all orientations-a lasting treasure for practitioners and teachers alike."—John Schlapobersky, author of from The Couch to The Circle: Group-Analytic Psychotherapy in Practice

"This book is a real classic. In view of an increasing acceptance of group psychotherapy within health systems of different countries, this recent edition is a truly essential help for clinicians and excellently bridges research results and clinical wisdom. It updates theory and practice issues of groups that meanwhile have supported generations of group psychotherapists."—Bernhard Strauss, University of Jena, Germany

From the Publisher