Limitations of group therapy

Benefits and Limitations of Group Therapy – Institute of Counselling blog

Being part of a group can enable you to receive insights from people who are close to your situation and can enable you to express/share your thoughts and opinions.

Group therapy can be an effective treatment for people.

Group Therapy Session

Group therapy is a type of therapy that involves therapist(s) working with several people at a time, often 6 to 12 people who experience similar problems. Unlike individual therapy group therapy offers people the opportunity to socialise with others within a supportive and safe environment.

Group therapy can often be used alongside individual therapy and medications. It can show people that they are not alone in their situations and can give them the opportunity to meet others and socialise, which in some cases may be something that is lacking within their lives.

Group therapy can be carried out within community centers, private practices or mental health clinics.

How do People often Perceive and React to Group Therapy

Group Therapy Counselling

Many people can feel intimidated by the idea of group therapy and feel nervous about being around and sharing intimate thoughts and details with others. Many individuals may find it difficult to share their thoughts on a one-to-one basis with a Counsellor or therapist never mind an entire group of people that they may previously have never met. The fear and stress of contemplating this can be overwhelming for some.

However, many people who initially felt agitated about group therapy can often become more comfortable within a group after a couple of sessions. It is also up to the person how much they would like to reveal about themselves to the group. The more the person is willing to open up and share about themselves, the more valuable feedback and insights from other members they will receive.

social anxiety in groups

Sometimes the cohesion between group members and the psychological security of the group can enable and encourage people to express themselves and make clear the support that they need from others.

So what are the Benefits and Limitations of Group Therapy

Group Counselling

Benefits and Limitations of Group Therapy

Some of the benefits of group therapy are as follows:

Group therapy can promote social skills:

Group therapy can enable you to interact with others and build your communication skills through participation within the group. Individuals who have experienced increased loneliness can often find these social interactions beneficial, life-enhancing and rewarding.

Self reflection and awareness:

Groups can teach you things about yourself that you may not have previously been aware of. This self awareness can be learned from listening to the group’s feedback.

Group Therapy

Support and encouragement from a wide range of people:

Group therapy facilitates individuals receiving support and encouragement from a wide range of people. Individuals within the group can also observe what others are going through by acknowledging their struggles or issues, this can help them feel less along.

Group members can serve as role models:

Seeing others cope successfully with their problems can help group members feel encouraged about their recovery and in some cases be inspired. As people begin to recover they can then become role models for others. This can form a culture of hope, support and motivation.

Group Therapy Session

Observe behaviour:

The benefits to the counsellor or therapist of conducting group therapy is that they can see exactly how individual members react and behave to others within social interactions. Group therapy sessions can give the counsellor or therapist a clearer understanding of how each individual behaves, interacts and responds to others within social situations to a greater extent than if this was simply expressed individually by the client, within a one-to-one session.

Safe environment:

Some people can begin to feel safe and secure within the group and therefore be more confident to display natural behaviours and express themselves more readily.

Some of the limitations of group therapy are as follows:

Group Therapy Session

It can make people uncomfortable:

Group therapy sessions can become very intense and as a result of this can be more uncomfortable for some members, which could result in individuals feeling too uncomfortable to continue with attending group sessions.

Loss of trust:

Trust within therapeutic environments is very important, often clients will have to feel some trust towards a practitioner before ever attempting to disclose sensitive or/and personal information about themselves.

It may be much harder to develop trust with all the individuals of the group at the same time as the individuals would have to develop trust with a number of individuals they may not have developed personal relationships with.

Group Counselling

Clashes between personalities:

In groups there will often be a variety of people who have different personalities, with some individuals having markedly different personalities than others. One example, might be that some sensitive or/and introverted individuals may feel intimidated by other individuals who are very assertive or speak loudly and frequently, this can often be interpreted or misinterpreted by others as ignorance or aggression. Another example, might be that when the group is sharing their thoughts there is a difference of opinion and viewpoint, this can often result in disputes between group members who have a different moral or ethical stance on an issue that is raised. Some individuals opinions on a matter can contrast with the values of another group member.

Some individuals can interpret rejection:

An individual can feel less of a bond with a therapist if they are in a group. Some individuals may have experienced rejection in their past or are currently experiencing perceived or actual rejection within their lives, they may experience social anxiety when being around others and in some occasions may have low self esteem, this may result in some individuals being highly sensitive to perceived or actual rejection from the group, which could make them feel uncomfortable, upset and anxious and in some cases could cause an angry reaction and outburst.

Group Counselling

Limitations regrading privacy:

A person who is invited to take part in group therapy may feel a loss of privacy. Some people may not feel comfortable discussing past or present issues, feelings, thoughts and opinions that they feel are personal and that they are sensitive about. Some individuals may feel much more comfortable discussing such issues and feelings in the privacy of a quiet room with one individual, in which they have built trust and a bond with.

Large group discussions could also cause issues regarding confidentiality.

Social Phobia and speaking in front of a group:

For individuals with social phobia it might be difficult to speak in front of a group of people. For people who have experienced a significant amount of real or perceived rejection, the group may remind them of this and thus enhance these feelings of rejection.

For people who have experienced trauma and/or abuse then discussions about these issues that were traumatic to an individual within the group could trigger the feelings and thoughts of and related to this event for these individuals.

Group Therapy

Individuals who are experiencing severe depression or who are currently in crisis or are suicidal would more than likely not be able to interact and function within this group to the extent that a group member would need too in order to gain benefit from the group. This is because they are not at that time in a strong enough psychological state to do so.

Summary

Group therapy can provide an excellent support system for some individuals and can give them a place to share their thoughts and opinions, they may also build important relationships within group therapy sessions that could provide them with a support network in which they can turn too in times of distress.

However, group therapy can be a bit overwhelming for some people who experience social anxiety or are experiencing significant distress related to psychological difficulties.

The effectiveness of group therapy and whether an individual would be best suited to group or individual therapy will depend on the previously stated factors. Some individuals may benefit greatly from group therapy and some people will not.

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Group Therapy vs Individual Therapy: Uses, Benefits & Effectiveness

Psychotherapy, or talk therapy, aims to help an individual identify troubling emotions, thoughts, or behavior using a variety of treatment techniques. ¹ It may be utilized as one part of a complete treatment plan or aftercare program to help individuals with a variety of conditions, including mental health disorders and substance use disorder, a medical condition defined by the compulsive use of substances despite negative consequences.

Essentially, during psychotherapy, a therapist may draw on a wide range of techniques and strategies to help an individual modify their behavior or thinking, how they deal with their emotions, or the way they process significant events or issues.

“Talking cures” date as far back as ancient Greece.² English physician Walter Cooper Dendy introduced the term psycho-threpeia in the 1850s to describe a type of talking treatment.³ However, Sigmund Freud and Carl Jung are generally acknowledged as the founders of modern psychotherapy.⁴ Freud developed psychoanalysis near the end of the 19th century, and following his work, many other schools of therapy were formed.

Individual therapy is one type of psychotherapy. It involves a trained professional helping a single individual work through the therapeutic process. Group therapy, on the other hand, involves a group of individuals—all of whom are treated at the same time—by a therapist.

Find a Treatment Center That Offers Psychotherapy Near Me

What Is Individual Therapy?

Individual therapy allows a therapist—who might be a professionally trained psychologist, social worker, counselor, psychiatrist, or marriage and family counselor—to help an individual work through their thoughts, concerns, emotions, and situations. Thus, individual therapy differs from getting advice from friends, family, and acquaintances, since it is a professional service provided by a trained professional.

Individual Therapy and Substance Abuse Treatment

Research indicates that individual therapy can be an effective component in a treatment plan for a substance use disorder. ⁵ Individual therapy helps individuals find the root of their addiction. Individual therapy sessions generally focus on teaching those in recovery the skills needed to navigate a life without drugs or alcohol and include different forms of behavioral therapy, such as cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT), motivational interviewing and contingency management.⁶Each of these behavioral therapies utilizes a different strategy to get the desired outcome. CBT, for instance, teaches individuals how to recognize moods, thoughts, and situations that trigger drug or alcohol cravings.⁶ The therapist, in turn, teaches the individual how to avoid these triggers and replace the negative thoughts and feelings with positive ones. In addition to using individual therapy to help individuals with substance use disorder, it can help a wide range of co-occurring mental health conditions, including depression and bipolar disorder, among others.⁷

Advantages of Individual Therapy

Individual therapy offers several advantages, including:^8-10

Confidentiality. The information shared during sessions remains completely private.
One-on-one attention. This allows the therapist to be thorough in understanding the individual’s specific problems and develop an individualized approach to treatment.
An intense and comprehensive level of analysis and treatment.
Completely customized to the individual. For example, individuals who can handle more focused and intense interventions may benefit from a quicker therapy pace. On the other hand, individuals who require time to adjust may benefit from a slower-paced therapy.
A strong therapeutic alliance, which refers to the working relationship between the individual and therapist. Research indicates that the therapeutic alliance is a key component of a successful therapy intervention.
The development of self-awareness, which comes by discussing issues and getting feedback from the therapist.
Flexible scheduling. The individual can arrange a time for the therapy sessions that is most conducive to their schedule.
Quick appointments. Therapy sessions can be arranged rather quickly, if needed.
The development of better communication skills.
An effective component in treating a broad range of mental health disorders.

Disadvantages of Individual Therapy

The disadvantages of individual therapy include:

Cost. It’s typically more expensive than group therapy.
No peer interaction. It doesn’t allow individuals to identify with others who share similar problems or issues.
A motivation requirement. Individuals, who are not committed to changing, doing the work, and applying the principles they learn, may struggle in certain situations.

Individual therapy is the most used form of treatment for substance use disorders. However, there is increasing evidence that supports the use of group therapy in substance misuse treatment.¹¹

What Is Group Therapy?

Dr. Joseph Hersey Pratt began group therapy sessions to instruct individuals in the care of tuberculosis. ¹² Pratt found that through shared experience and support, the members in the group benefitted emotionally. He began referring to his sessions as group psychotherapy. Group psychotherapy increased in popularity following World War II when therapists treated groups of combat veterans together and observed the positive effects from the group sessions.

Group therapy means more than one individual is being treated at the same time by at least one therapist. Some groups may have more than one therapist. Group sizes vary depending on the type of therapy. For instance, couples therapy, a type of group therapy that typically treats romantic partners, consists of two individuals; whereas, other groups, such as substance misuse groups, may include 10 to 12 people in one session. Researchers who study the effectiveness of group therapy generally recommend 6 to 12 individuals in a group.¹³

Group Therapy and Substance Abuse Treatment

We are social creatures, and as social creatures, our need to congregate can be a powerful therapeutic tool. Formal therapy groups can be persuasive and supportive. Groups organized around substance misuse can offer individuals insight, guidance, and comfort. Under a therapist’s guidance, groups can foster healthy attachments as well as teach individuals new social skills. While group therapy is as effective in the treatment of substance misuse as individual therapy, there is mounting evidence that suggests that group therapy might be even more beneficial.¹⁴

Individuals who engage in group therapy tend to be more committed to maintaining abstinence.¹⁴ Research suggests that group therapy can help with co-occurring mental health disorders, such as depression, anxiety, and personality disorder, too.¹⁴

Types and Models of Group Therapy

Therapists might use a variety of group treatment models to meet the needs of the group during the many phases of recovery. The five group models that have proven to be effective in the treatment of substance misuse include:¹⁴

Psychoeducational groups. The primary focus of these groups are to educate and inform individuals generally about substance abuse, mental health, related behaviors, and the consequences of those behaviors.
Skills development groups. This model is flexible. The therapist can adapt the the teaching of skills based on the needs of the individuals in the group. Skills focus on maintaining abstinence from drugs or alcohol and involve more interaction among the group members.
Cognitive-behavioral therapy groups. The therapist works to identify the problematic thinking and behaviors that contribute to the substance misuse and teaches group members new thinking and behavior patterns. These groups focus on relapse prevention training as well.
Support groups. Just as the name suggests, this model provides support and care for the members while teaching them interpersonal skills through group discussion, shared experiences, and collaborative problem-solving.
Interpersonal process groups. In this model, the therapist observes group interactions, functionality, and performance. The therapist helps members with their emotional development and addresses their childhood concerns that may lead them to poor decision-making and impulsive tendencies.

These models are fluid. Therapists can employ them based on the needs and goals of the group and can even shift from one model to another in a single group therapy session.

Goals of Group Therapy

Applying what is learned in group therapy to life outside of therapy is the main goal. This means individuals are able to make behavior corrections, implement the interpersonal skills they learned to new and existing relationships, and utilize the preventative measures and coping skills when necessary to avoid relapse.¹⁵

Advantages of Group Therapy

There are a number of advantages to group therapy, including.^16-17

The assurance that individuals aren’t alone. Other individuals share similar problems and struggles. Psychotherapist and author Dr. Irvin David Yalom, a longtime advocate of group therapy, terms this the principle of universality.
The opportunity to receive and give support. Both of these notions are important in treatment. Receiving support from others is part of the bonding or therapeutic alliance that occurs in groups; whereas, giving support to others allows for growth and learning.
A broader therapeutic alliance, which allows for the incorporation of different points of view.
The development of communication and socialization skills, which allows individuals to learn how to express their issues and accept criticism from others.
The development of self-awareness, which comes from listening to others with similar issues.
The therapeutic nature that accompanies sharing one’s experiences with others who have similar problems.
The feeling of having a broad safety net for individuals who may otherwise be hesitant to discuss their feelings and perceived weaknesses.
The ability to model the successful behaviors of other individuals who have gone through similar experiences. Modeling is a form of learning where individuals learn by copying or imitating the actions of others.
Cost. Group therapy is typically less expensive than individual therapy.

Disadvantages of Group Therapy

The disadvantages individuals may experience in group therapy include:¹⁷

Not being the center of attention. In many groups, the old adage “the squeaky wheel gets the grease” seems to apply. Thus, the level of intervention is not as focused and intense for any single person as individual therapy.
Less confidentiality. Although group members are generally instructed that the information and events that occur in the group are to be held confidential and only to be shared with group members during therapy, the potential for a breach of confidentiality is greater.
The potential for social loafing. Some individuals in groups do not actually make changes but simply ride on the success of others. Groups may allow unmotivated individuals to hide their issues and avoid accountability.
A less focused therapeutic alliance.
Less flexibility. Groups typically meet at specific times. There is less opportunity to fit the therapy into one’s personal schedule.
Not the right fit. Group therapy may be inappropriate for certain types of individuals, such as individuals who are extremely antisocial, extremely shy, impulsive, and passive-aggressive.

Sometimes, certain alliances form in groups, and these subgroups target and denigrate other group members. An experienced and competent therapist is able to avoid such alliances that are detrimental to the overall group; however, it is inevitable that certain individuals in the group will identify more strongly with one another and not identify with other members.

Is Group and Individual Therapy Covered by Insurance?

Group and individual therapy, when used as one component of a formal rehab treatment plan, may be covered by insurance. This depends on the provider and the specifics of the plan. Use our online verification form below to see if insurance may be able to cover the cost of treatment.

Group vs. Individual Therapy Effectiveness

The answer to the question, “Which is better: group or individual therapy?” is actually relatively straightforward: “Neither.” It really depends on the individual and what’s best suited for them and their needs.

In general, research finds that both group therapy and individual therapy are relatively equivalent in their effectiveness in addressing substance use disorder and a broad range of mental health disorders, too.¹⁴

If it’s an option, try both to see what feels right for you.

Nonetheless, both formats of therapy have advantages and disadvantages. Deciding which one to engage in is a personal choice that depends on an individual’s needs, goals, and the types of therapies available.

2. Advantages and limitations of group psychotherapy.

Benefits group psychotherapy :

one. Economy of money and time resources.

2. Interpersonal learning that allows become more familiar with the style your interactions with others, acquire more effective social skills. The group can receive various reactions to their behavior, see with with the help of group members, its consequences and, subsequently, to model behavior. You can also get support from others. group members.

3. In the group, everyday life is “recreated”. the life of each participant, which allows them to see the difficulties and peculiarities Problems. This fact increases the likelihood that learned in the group new behavior patterns that have changed understanding yourself and your relationship with by others, will be moved to situations real life.

four. Additional feature self-improvement. Members of the group share their life experiences problems and how to solve them, learn from each other's experiences.

Restrictions group psychotherapy:

one. Not all people can effectively decide their problems in the group and interfere with it do to other members of the group.

2. Conformity the behavior of group members.

3. Some group norms necessary for effective group work, create the illusion that in real life possibly exactly the same. However, in everyday life they are more desirable, than real. Thus the group can become safe for some participants niche, a person begins to live in a group, without changing anything in your real life. These participants seek to extend the existence of a group without a therapist or looking for other similar groups.

3. The history of the development of group psychotherapy: pre-scientific forms of psychotherapy, the emergence of scientific forms of psychotherapy, the current state of domestic psychotherapy. Pre-scientific forms of psychotherapy

group psychotherapy is the use patterns of interpersonal group interactions for treatment and achievement of physical and mental human well-being. Group elements psychotherapy traced from deep antiquities. From the most ancient times development of human society people united in groups, communities, conducive to survival and development. Primitive tribes expressed their prayers, feelings in group dances and rituals. The group form was used and Greek philosophers for the search for truth. Medieval monks united in religious orders for the purification of the soul and comprehension of the divine essence person.

FROM the beginning of the existence of medicine in order to helping the needy healers used methods of psychological impact, widely using for these group process goals. Process Analysis therapeutic effect shows that its basis is always a certain belief system, including clarification essence of life and disease, and ways to get rid of them. Healer in the course of influencing and influencing on the patient increased his condition emotional arousal using various treatments, dramatic ceremonies, rituals, including public admission of guilt in the presence of a large the number of people.

Manifesting during these impacts of expectation, orientation, emotions, feelings of hope, faith and confidence in the competence of the healer increase the state of affect tension that increases as "emotional contagion" participants and facilitating them susceptibility to its influence. Phenomena these act at all stages of development human community in the form of called the placebo effect, explaining therapeutic functions and results influence of priests in the ancient world, monks and inquisitors in the Middle Ages, healers, palmists, psychotherapists in modern world.

Ability healer to substantiate their knowledge and opportunities through explanations and theories satisfies two main the needs of the patients emotional contact and need in obtaining information that is possible through showing interest in the affairs of the patient, the desire to help him and understand, explanation, persuasion, advice, reassurance, suggestion, often using collective context.

BENEFITS AND LIMITATIONS OF GROUP PSYCHOTHERAPY

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R.W.Toseland and M.Siporin (1986) summarized 32 studies that compared the effectiveness of individual and group psychotherapy in solving problems of interpersonal relationships. In 24 studies, no significant differences were found, but the remaining 8 studies indicate a significantly greater effectiveness of group psychotherapy compared to individual psychotherapy. Of course, studies of this kind are somewhat ambiguous, since their results largely depend on the sympathy of researchers for one or another method of psychotherapy, on which individual and which group psychotherapy is compared, on the qualifications of psychotherapists, and finally on how psychotherapists and counselors understand the effectiveness of their work (there are a variety of points of view on this issue).

In spite of this, one can immediately notice some advantages of group psychotherapy.

Even assuming that group psychotherapy is not more effective than individual psychotherapy, it is certainly more economical, and in our time this is quite significant. As K.R. MacKenzie (1990) noted, “A patient hour in group therapy is equivalent in effectiveness to an hour of a patient in individual therapy. However, in a group, each hour of a psychotherapist can potentially be used to help eight patients (if there are eight participants in a group). Group psychotherapy is more economical and for clients, as it costs a third or half less for an individual participant.This is one of the most important reasons for the proliferation of various forms of group psychotherapy in the last two decades.0137
The group itself has unique psychotherapeutic possibilities that are absent or occupy a very small place in individual psychotherapy. This is, first of all, interpersonal (social) learning, which allows you to become more familiar with the style of your communication with other people, as well as acquire more effective social skills. The group gives the opportunity to look at yourself and your problems through the eyes of others, to model your behavior "here and now". In a group, you can get different reactions of its other participants to your behavior, see with their help the consequences of your behavior not only in the group, but also outside it. The group not only allows participants to see themselves in a comprehensive way, but also provides support in trying new ways of behavior. Only in a group can one fully use the possibility of universalizing problems and using altruism.

The group corresponds much better to the everyday reality of the individual than the psychotherapist-client contact. In the group, the daily life of each participant is effortlessly "recreated" - here they are the same as they usually are in relationships with other people. This allows a more "spatial" view of their lives and in particular the problems and difficulties of relationships. The interconnection of interpersonal processes in the group and interpersonal relations outside the group increases the likelihood that the new ways of behavior learned in the group, the changed understanding of oneself and one's relationships with others, will be transferred to real life situations.

The group provides members with the opportunity to share life experiences, ways to "create" and solve problems, learn from the experience of other members. This is an additional opportunity for self-improvement.

However, group psychotherapy is not a panacea for all human problems. Its application has certain limits.

Despite the fact that group psychotherapy is increasingly used in clinical practice, in the treatment of endogenous diseases, borderline personality disorders, its limitations are most obvious here. The effectiveness of psychotherapeutic groups in a psychiatric clinic raises many doubts and discussions. True, the achievements of individual psychotherapy in the treatment of severe mental pathology are not very significant.

It is assumed that some people, due to their personal characteristics, cannot effectively solve their problems in a group, and once they get into it, they prevent other participants from doing this (we will talk about this in more detail when discussing "problematic behavior" in groups).

The group atmosphere created by the cohesion of participants and group rules can contribute to the conformity of participants' behavior. Although one of the goals of the group may be to find a balance between productive relationships with other group members and resistance to group pressure, however, the therapist, and even more so the participants, do not always succeed in achieving this goal.

Finally, some group norms (empathy, respect, desire for mutual understanding, positive confrontation, sincerity, openness, etc.) necessary for effective group work can give rise to illusions, since in life they are more desirable than real. Therefore, the group for some participants can become a safe "ecological niche". Then the person begins to "live" in the group, without changing anything in his real life. For such members, the end of the group is usually catastrophic, and they either seek to prolong the existence of the group without a therapist, or look for other similar groups.

1.4. POSSIBILITIES OF CLINICAL APPLICATIONS
GROUP PSYCHOTHERAPY: CHANGE IN SETTINGS

Group psychotherapy by the end of our century has achieved wide popularity. Psychotherapeutic groups of a very different nature work in psychiatric and somatic hospitals, in counseling and psychotherapeutic centers, in universities, organizations, etc. Some groups work under the guidance of professionals - psychologists and psychotherapists, others - independently, some groups last for years, others gather only on weekends; movement groups are spreading (for example, groups of anonymous alcoholics), etc. For more on the diversity and purpose of these groups, see Chapter 2.

However, in psychiatric, and even more so somatic clinics, the use of group psychotherapy has long been quite limited. Despite the fact that the emergence of groups of patients suffering from tuberculosis in America at the beginning of the 20th century is considered the beginning of group psychotherapy, it took decades for its real recognition in clinics.

Until recently, group psychotherapy was used only in work with people with neurotic disorders, psychological difficulties. Most practitioners believed that the ideal clients for group psychotherapy were those with neurotic symptoms and problems.

In the face of changes over the past decades in the treatment of most severe mental disorders, it turned out that group psychotherapy can also be effective in this area. Psychotic patients have traditionally been considered unfavorable clients of group psychotherapy. But homogeneous groups of such patients, when setting adequate goals and choosing means, turned out to be suitable for solving local therapeutic problems. For most of these patients, the world around them seems to be a dangerous place where it is impossible to feel safe. Through the creation of an atmosphere of safety, tolerance in the group, where there is no criticism or condemnation, such patients find the possibility of positive interaction with others. As works of recent years testify (R. R.Dies, 1993; B.J. Buchele, 1994), schizophrenia, bulimia, depression, clinically expressed anxiety, alcoholism, post-traumatic stress syndrome, i.e. those cases that until recently I. Yalom (1985) called among those unfavorable for group psychotherapy .

Group psychotherapy is also spreading in somatic clinics in work with seriously ill patients and their relatives. The group method is considered especially valuable in solving the problems of patients suffering from chronic somatic diseases (multiple sclerosis, diabetes, muscle dystrophy, rheumatoid arthritis, and other diseases). They often feel helpless, abandoned to the mercy of fate, offended by the whole world around them because of their ailments. Special groups of such people can help them to more realistically assess their situation, existing opportunities, accept in life what is inevitable, and change what is possible. In many countries, psychotherapy groups work in oncology clinics and centers (B.J. Buchele, 1994). Thus, recent studies (D. Spiegel et al., 1989; P.J. Hitch et al., 1994) showed that women with breast cancer who underwent group psychotherapy lived longer and their quality of life was higher.

Brief group psychotherapy has been shown to be effective for AIDS patients, especially in overcoming the psychological consequences of learning the diagnosis (B.J. Buchele, 1994).

Group psychotherapy began to be used to overcome psychological crises associated with experiencing loss (I.D. Yalom, S. Vinogradov, 1988).

Elderly people often experience a sense of isolation due to loss of mobility, loss of loved ones. Group therapy can give them the opportunity to express feelings of loneliness and loss. Some modern researchers, for example, B. Friedan (1993), believe that the widespread opinion that the intellectual powers of older people are decreasing can be just a myth, since intellectual development continues in old age if sufficient stimulation of thought processes is provided. Just such a stimulant for the elderly can be a homogeneous psychotherapeutic group that helps reduce isolation and block the path of intellectual atrophy.

The list of psychotherapy group possibilities could be continued. Nevertheless, the examples given show the possibilities of its development and application.

Chapter 2

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