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Dr. Bob is Robert Hsiung, MD,
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Posted by mair on July 17, 2002, at 21:58:34
I've never participated in group therapy so I'm more than a little ignorant about the dynamics of the "group." What happens when there is one member in the group who is clearly out of sync with every other member? What is the role of the facilitator in resolving the inevitable disruptions? Has anyone ever encountered this kind of situation?
Thanks
Mair
Posted by tabitha on July 18, 2002, at 1:51:53
In reply to Question about Group Therapy, posted by mair on July 17, 2002, at 21:58:34
My therapist does groups she call "mixed process/support" groups, typically with 6-8 members, equally balanced male to female. If there is a member who becomes the focus of a lot of conflict, she will remove that member. She said that over the years, as she has gotten more experience, she has become quicker to remove someone (she's been doing groups for 15+ years).
Posted by tabitha on July 18, 2002, at 5:00:48
In reply to Re: Question about Group Therapy, posted by tabitha on July 18, 2002, at 1:51:53
Not to make it sound like someone is kicked out at the first hint of conflict. A lot of the group process is working out conflicts, and learning about each others' projections. It's just if one member is consistently the focus of negative projections that can't get worked out, then that person might be removed.
Not sure if this is in any way standard procedure for group therapy.
Posted by mair on July 18, 2002, at 9:50:07
In reply to P.S., posted by tabitha on July 18, 2002, at 5:00:48
Tabitha
Thanks for your response. Do you know how this would be explained to the person being asked to leave? I mean, theoretically this person maybe hasn't broken any rules.
Mair
Posted by Dinah on July 18, 2002, at 10:00:28
In reply to Re: P.S. » tabitha, posted by mair on July 18, 2002, at 9:50:07
I'm certain that group members aren't privy to that information, since I'm certain that the group leader would be the only one with the ability to do so. And I'm doubly certain it wouldn't be done in the group, but privately.
Please correct me if I'm wrong, Tabitha.
Are you thinking of joining a group, Mair? As you know, I think of that periodically myself. Let me know what you find out about it.
Posted by Mashogr8 on July 18, 2002, at 10:39:52
In reply to Re: P.S. » mair, posted by Dinah on July 18, 2002, at 10:00:28
I participated in a group for 12 weeks as part of a study at one of the hospitals around here. It was a positive experience for me. But I was not sure on the first night. There was this one person who couldnt seem to focus or relate her answers to the topic. I came back the following week thinking if that woman acts the same way I would ask to be excused from the group. I did not need to worry. The group leaders explained to all of us that they had talked to so-and-so about the group and "they" had mutually decided that she was not ready for group. She hadn't broken any rules; she just was too wrapped up in her current situation. there was no chance to "see the forest for the trees." Our group accomplished quite a bit and I think we all felt positvely about her removal from the group. We even discussed our feelings about the removal. We had all wondered how we would ever get anywhere with her there. A good leader will noticde when the mix is couterproductive.
I might even consider group again someday.
Ma
Posted by tabitha on July 18, 2002, at 15:14:42
In reply to Re: P.S. » tabitha, posted by mair on July 18, 2002, at 9:50:07
Well, I actually have first-hand experience with this, since I was removed from one of my therapist's groups. The therpaist told me in our individual session, that one group member was so distressed by me, that she was going to leave if I was allowed to stay, then 2 other members said they would leave if she left, so it was either remove me or the whole group would fall apart. Believe me I just about went thru the roof, since I had signed a 6-month commitment to this group, and did not even know it was possible to be thrown out. Anyway, I asked to do a termination session with the group, my therp asked the group about it, they all agreed except the one woman who had such a problem with me.
After that I totally lost faith in therapy (and my therapist), and quit for 2 months, after which time my therapist called me, offerred a partial apology, and we eventually patched things up. I argued in our sessions for months about the whole thing, how unfair it was, whose fault it was really, etc. Since then she has invited me to join other groups but I haven't done so, though I think I would be capable of it by now.
Posted by Dinah on July 18, 2002, at 15:27:45
In reply to Re: P.S., posted by tabitha on July 18, 2002, at 15:14:42
I am trying hard to imagine anyone not enjoying your company, Tabitha. And failing miserably. Must have been someone with no sense of humor.
I'm glad you were able to patch things up with your therapist.
Mental note to self: Never join a group run by my therapist. Too much investment. Find a complete stranger.
Posted by tabitha on July 19, 2002, at 1:49:23
In reply to Re: P.S. » tabitha, posted by Dinah on July 18, 2002, at 15:27:45
Well thank you, but my sense of humor was not much on display in that group. Mostly I was weepy and depressed, or quick to anger. It was not a good time.The only benefit of doing individual and group with the same therapist was she could help me process my reactions to the group in individual without me having to describe what happened. I kind of resented the conflict of interest though. It seemed like doing the group added so much more stuff to process, then I didn't get the attention paid to whatever else was in my life.
Posted by Medusa on August 3, 2002, at 2:23:57
In reply to Re: P.S. » Dinah, posted by tabitha on July 19, 2002, at 1:49:23
Interesting topic.
I've participated in several groups - and been "mutually removed" from one. That was a retaining-oneself-while-coupled group, and I had issues with one of the other participants. I was sad to be kicked out of there - I had felt a lot of connection with all but that one member, and I was getting a lot of positive feedback from them.
The person who got on my nerves was constantly going on about how great it was to be part of the XYZ University community, and I should have just let it go. She was a secretary in a division that other parts of the uni make a bit of fun of, and the rest of us were in strenuous graduate or undergraduate programs. She made the first meeting twenty minutes late - and since it was the first meeting, we couldn't start without her - because she was running around looking for a FedEx drop box so she could get something out for her boss. Sure, it was her deadline and her stress, but it was hard for me to take that seriously ... and she went on and on about the stress of her job and how it was like boot camp.
I once remarked, without mentioning her name, that it was hard for me to understand how "some people" could feel a sense of belonging so quickly, when I had worked so hard and attained a more selective status yet didn't feel "worthy" at all. Other group members laughed and knew exactly what I meant and had some of the same sentiments, but this went right by the therapist.
It made sense for the leader to remove me rather than the FedEx stresser, though, since the topic was relationships and I had recently broken off a relationship, and she was in one.
This is the end of the thread.
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