Introduction to Group Therapy

A practical and balanced guide to effective group therapy In this up-to-date text, Dr. Virginia Brabender provides balanced coverage of the major treatment approaches and provides a solid background of both why and how effective group therapy is practiced. Writing in a conversational style augmented with many instructive case studies, she covers the key aspects of group therapy, from group planning to termination, and all points in between. Providing a balance of theory, contemporary applications, and personal insight, Dr. Brabender explores four major treatment approaches-interpersonal, psychodynamic, cognitive-behavioral, and problem-solving-and weighs their various advantages and disadvantages in treating a range of problems in a variety of settings. Introduction to Group Therapy: * Covers all practical aspects of planning, organizing, and managing a therapy group * Summarizes the latest research into group therapy theory and practice * Addresses mistakes commonly made by therapists new to group therapy and offers expert advice on how to avoid making them * Describes how therapists can be effective in short-term group therapy * Explores legal and ethical issues that can arise in group therapy * Provides self-assessment methods along with proven solutions for refining techniques * Presents empirically validated strategies for handling difficult patient populations-such as acute inpatient clients-and treatment settings, including correctional facilities

VIRGINIA BRABENDER, PhD, is Associate Dean and Director of The Institute of Graduate Clinical Psychology at Widener University, in Philadelphia.