Transcript Chapter 11: In the Beginning Stages of Development

Chapter 11: In the Beginning
Stages of Development
The Theory and Practice of Group
Psychotherapy
Irvin Yalom, Ph.D
Stages of Development
 What type of stages \ development do you think
occur in a group?
 How would it affect you as a leader to know that
such stages exist?
 What would each one entail?
 Do you handle each stage the same?
FORMATIVE STAGES
 1. Each person begins to manifest
themselves interpersonally, each creating
their own social microcosm.
 2. This along with maladaptive personality
styles lead to a great variance in how the
course of group will unfold.
 Yet some crude but useful schemas of
developmental stages can be extracted from
a few empirical studies
FORMATIVE STAGES
 1. Initial stage -in vs out
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orientation & search for structure & goals,
dependency on leader and concern for group
boundaries
 2.Conflict & Dominance - top vs bottom
 3. Intermember Harmony- near vs far
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-submerging diff
-later more cohesive & interpersonal
investigation
INITIAL STAGE
 Tasks
 A. How to achieve primary goal
 B. Pts must attend to social relations in
group in order create niche for themselves
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-This will provide comfort to achieve
primary task
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-The pleasure of group membership
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in vs out
INITIAL STAGE
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MEMBERS
-confused by the use of Group Therapy
=silence
-seek roles & size each other up
-fear of rejection
-tentative conversations
-group norms=shared beliefs about behaviors
-social forces lead to allot of energy spent of
get approval
INITIAL STAGE
 they focus on who-leader.
 -Yalom = human need for a omnipresent &
omniscient figure
 -Hidden Agenda
 -Early conflict can= less cohesiveness
 -Communication Style= social cocktail hour
(?)
 -look for similarities= cohesiveness
 -Advice giving = not functional except for
increased cohesiveness
 LEADER
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-Self vs Group Focus
-Here & Now Focus VS There & Then
-Trust VS Mistrust= self disclosure
-Modeling w Co leader & Group
-Increase Trust
--attend & listen
=nonverbal
=empathy
=self disclosure
=respect
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Group norms=
shared beliefs about behaviors
For example:
you can self disclose but retain privacy
you discuss problems but don’t have to have
a cathartic experience
 your therapeutic work is not to be judged
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There are Explicit & Implicit norms
Implicit norms are modeled by the leaders
Explicit norms are for instance:
attendance, punctuality
be self disclosing
be open to feedback
focus on here and now
bring concerns they are willing to discuss
provide support to others
look at themselves
to attend to others
 Division of Responsibility:
 too high undermine members
 to low poor role model (i.e. I'm responsible
for me you for you)
 Degree of Structure:
 reduce unnecessary floundering and
maximizing full participation
 Opening session:
 generally it is to warm when you open
instead of jumping right in
 e.g.
 a check in process
 have member review previous week
 any unresolved feeling from the previous
session
 have new members introduce themselves or
have vets reflect on what they have learned.
 Guidelines for closing:
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summarize
have members summarize
homework
assign a question
ask for topics they would like to explore
have members give each other feedback
 Second stage:
 Conflict dominance rebellion
 NOTE-forming storming norming
performing
 search meaning
 top vs bottom
 near vs far
 feel free to judge
 hostility to therapist =inevitable
 resistance=above
 in part due to their expectations
 -trouble sharing therapist & more time for
me
 -expectations unreal - p298
 -primal-horde
 -attack
 therapists can have 2 reactions -put neck out
& aloof if p301
 Third Stage
 Group Cohesiveness
 increase morale trust & self disclosure
reveal real reason
 intimacy & closeness
 Group Cohesiveness
 sense of togetherness
 this typically comes after addressing some
conflict or issue together
 invite to be active
 share the leadership
 conflicts are inevitable and may facilitate
cohesiveness if handled properly
 do not categorize yourself
 PROBLEMS 308