Primary Concepts of Therapy and Training Groups - Essay Example

Primary Concepts of Therapy and Training Groups Introduction It has often been said that two heads are better than one. Following this concept, it is true to conclude that groups are often a magnificent way to get things done and create a higher incidence for success in several undertakings in school, the job market, or even household chores. This can also be said for endeavors to do with treatment and studying of human behavior. As such, two types of groups that deal with treatment, therapy and study of human tendencies have emerged. These are therapy groups and training groups. This essay will explore the respective functions of the two aforementioned groups, exploring some of the advantages of being part of them, other underlying critical concepts behind the groups, and their relationships. Therapy Groups These are groups organized for the sake of allowing therapists (one or more) to work with several people simultaneously. It is a form of psychotherapy. These groups are found in numerous places, for example in community centers, mental hospitals, private practices (therapy practices). Often, therapy groups are used to treat patients as the only treatment plan. However, they may also be used alongside other treatment plans such as medication of patients and individual therapy sessions. The groups are typically comprised of seven to twelve people, it is however possible to have larger or smaller groups. There meetings are either weekly or biweekly. The minimum number of total meetings is six, though some groups meet for a year. There meetings are either open or closed. With open meetings, new participants can take part any time while in the closed groups there are core members, who are the only allowed partakers. Meetings take place in a setting where seats are arranged in a circle to facilitate every member’s ability to see the all members. Group therapy opens with introduction of the members of the group and may perhaps involve members sharing their reasons for attendance and progress. The way in which the session is conducted is pegged heavily on the goals of the therapists in charge. For example, member can be required to engage in open dialogue or take part in specified activities with the rest of the members. Therapy groups are based on a number of principles. Yalom and Lesczc (9) outline some of these principles in their 2005 publication. Key among the principles of therapy groups is that they act as wells of hope for the patients. This is because these groups are comprised of different individuals who are receiving treatment at different stages. Those who are at more advanced stages act as sources of hope for those who are only just beginning their respective regimes. Secondly, the group members draw reassurance from the fact that their problem are universal by getting lumped together with other people that are dealing with the same issues (Yalom&Lesczc, 17). A third principle is that of obtaining and sharing information, whereby group members learn how to cope with the problems facing them by learning from the experiences of others. Another principle is the fact that these groups act as a family for the members of the group. These groups allow the members to explore the impact of certain undertakings in childhood and other stages of life impacted their temperament and behavior. Apart from these, the groups are based on the principle of developing new techniques of socialization. The group provides a venue for the members to adopt and practice new behaviors while reducing the fear of judgment due to failure. Another principle that Yalom and Lesczc (25) outline is learning by imitation, whereby individuals model their actions depending on the actions of other members of the group, or those of the therapists. There is also interpersonal learning, whereby the group interaction provides an opportunity for an individual to receive positive or negative feedback on their actions from other members. Another principle is catharsis, where the members achieve a sense of pain reprieve or other negative emotions through sharing these with others in the group. Finally is the principle of existential factors, whereby therapy groups generate a sense of accountability for their personal lives and selections in the members. Studies and years of research have proven the effectiveness of therapy groups. For example, research demonstrates that therapy groups are instrumental in treating depression, traumatic stress, among other ailments and disorders (McDermut et al, 112). The nature of group sessions, where members open up to each other freely and confess their shortcomings is an effective therapeutic tool. Some of the advantages of treatment by application of therapy groups are outlined. The first advantage is that therapy groups provide support and encouragement for the members. Knowing that other people are having almost similar experiences helps members to find peace and comfort in that fact alone. Secondly, therapy groups provide role models for the members. The members that are progressing positively are a source of teaching for the rest. The rest aim at becoming role models with time and hence find a sense of accomplishment in this. Another advantage is that therapy groups save costs. Therapists are enabled to devote their resources, such as time, to a large group of people at a time, as opposed to when there is individual therapy for each of the members. Finally, the feedback from the therapists after evaluating the actions of individuals in social settings is of better quality than those achieved from watching the group members individually. Therapy groups facilitate better feedback. Training Groups Training groups are settings in which the members have a venue to interact with each other with the long-term aim to learn about their personalities through the interaction. Some of the strategies employed towards this include feedback from the facilitator and others, role playing and problem solving. By these, they gain valuable insights into themselves, the rest and groups in general. Typically, a training group is comprised of eight to fifteen people. Training groups are meant for non-psychiatric individuals as treatment and educational schemes. Training group meetings are not defined by any overt agendas or goals. The members, under the instruction of a facilitator, share emotional reactions like anger that they feel arise from the other participants’ actions and articulations. They are discouraged from judging. The aim of this is for the participants to gain insights into the effect of their words and actions on the emotional responses of other people. Overtime, there has been an evolution of training group. The pioneer training groups were meant as a way to study the dynamics of small groups. The contemporary training group focuses largely on understanding oneself and as a medium through which the dynamics of interpersonal communication are explored. Various corporations used training groups for this purpose specifically. In modern times, it can be said that training groups were predecessors of initiatives such as team building. Like any other social invention, the training group has got its own set of effects on the participants or members. A study undertaken by Adler and Goleman in the year 1975 led to the revealed that there was positive change towards goals among students that had participated in training groups. This was after the students were instructed to set goals for their lives. The study also revealed that there were regressive tendencies among students that had set goals but lacked any training group experience; these students had their goals negatively impacted (Adler &Goleman, 206). Despite the positive effects attached to training groups, there has been controversy around the fact that the openness and self-disclosure encouraged within the confines of these groups turns out to be punitive in the end. The feedback received is at times more harmful than constructive and as such, it has been recommended that feedback ought to come primarily from highly trained observers (Yalom& Lieberman, 24). There have been claims of lasting psychological damage emanating from participation in training groups. Apparently, a certain percentage of training group participants developed psychological issues approximately half a year post their experience. This was especially the case when the leader of the training group employed vicious attacks and humiliation in their leadership of the participants. This has however been refuted vehemently, with several authors claiming that there is no proof of correlation between training groups and psychological problems. Some training groups embed the group in Human Interaction Laboratories, which set apart time for reflection and theory. Here, the members of the training group are walked through understanding the occurrences in the training group sessions. Some training groups take a form in which most of the emphasis is placed on learning process that is based on strengths. The evolution of training groups has led to development of the concept into training on large group awareness, among other deviations such as nude encounter groups and marathon encounter groups. In the former, members of the group conduct their sessions naked, while in marathon encounter groups, the participants have sessions that run for a sleep-less twenty-four hours at least. Comparison Therapy groups and training groups have got some features that may make them seem as though they are one and the same thing. For example, they both warrant the participation of a large group of people, ranging from seven fifteen individuals roughly. In addition, these groups command certain levels of openness among their members. In both the groups, members are called upon to share their feelings openly, this should then warrant an appropriate response from the rest of the group or the therapist/ facilitator. Some of the features that distinguish training groups from therapy groups are easy to miss. For example, therapy groups are formed for the sole purpose of treatment or therapeutic advantages. In these forums, members discuss their respective ailments and find support and comfort from within the group. Training groups, on the other hand, are solely for the study of human behavior and group dynamics. They entail finding out how people respond to certain actions and words, away from psychiatric or therapeutic settings. In training groups, participants gain an understanding on the kind of emotional responses their actions trigger in other people. Conclusion The essay has laid out the respective functions of training groups and therapy groups, discussing some of the advantages of using these groups for either providing treatment, or for the study of various individuals. It is worth noting that both these groups require the participants to be open about their feelings on the respective issues addressed within the group. However, it is important that relevant parties take note of the unique features of each of the groups. Works Cited Adler, Nancy and Goleman, Daniel. “Goal Setting, T-Group Participation, and Self-Rated Change: An Experimental Study.” Journal of Applied Behavioral Sciences11.2 (1975): 197-208. Print. McDermut, Wilson, Miller, Ivan, and Brown, Richard. “The efficacy of group psychotherapy for depression: a meta­analysis and review of the empirical research.” Clinical Psychology: Science and Practice 8.1 (2001) 98–116. Print. Yalom, Irvin, andLesczc, Molyn. The theory and practice of group psychotherapy. New York, NY: Basic Books, 2005. Print. Yalom, Irvin and Lieberman, Morton.“A Study of Encounter Group Casualties.”JAMA Psychiatry 25.1 (1971) 16-30. Print. Read More