Interpersonal Group Therapy

What is Interpersonal Group Therapy?

Group psychotherapy helps people to deal with personal and relationship problems by focusing on interpersonal interactions. The aim of group psychotherapy is to help address emotional difficulties and to encourage the personal development of  the group members. The therapist  or facilitator selects candidates for the group which includes people who can benefit from this kind of therapy and those who may contribute to the development of other members in the group.

How does Interpersonal Group Therapy work?

Members talk about events they have been involved in during the week. They explore their reactions ands responses to these events. Members may share their feelings and thoughts about what happened in previous sessions. Members also engage and relate to issues raised by other members or the facilitators. Other participants can respond and give feedback to each other including encouragement, support or challenging each other.  The topics discussed are not determined by the leader but rise spontaneously from the group, although facilitators may provide therapeutic direction to the topics.  The feedback from others in the group can help members become aware of unhelpful patterns of relating and behaving, and thereby help members change their point of view and adopt more constructive solutions to problems.

How is the group made up?

Usually, there are between 8 to 12 members in the group. This  creates the optimal therapeutic climate to allow enough time for each member to fully engage in the therapeutic process. The length of every session is between one and two hours depending on the type of group . The group usually meets once  a week. The duration of the group depends on many factors but usually involves an initial stage of 12 sessions . Usually a therapeutic group aims to be as  heterogeneous as possible and represent a microcosm of general life. Members may therefore vary in terms of age and gender.

Who can benefit from Interpersonal Group Therapy?

Group psychotherapy is suitable for a variety of problems. It is particularly suitable for people who want to develop their interpersonal skills.   The group is especially effective for people with interpersonal difficulties and problems in relationships. Whether these difficulties are in emotional, social, working or intimate relationships, the participant can benefit a lot in these areas. Groups are ideally suited to people who are struggling with relationship issues like intimacy, trust, self-esteem. The group interactions help the participants to identify, get feedback, and change the patterns that are damaging their relationships. The great advantage of group psychotherapy is working on these patterns in the “here and now”  so working in a group situation is more similar to reality and close to the interpersonal dynamics of relationships.

What is expected of the participant?

The participant in the group is expected to be present each week and come on time. It is required that the information brought up by members of the group and their names be kept confidential by all the group members. In some groups, the participant is asked to commit for a specified length of time at  the beginning of the group. The usual commitment is between 3 to 4 months. When participating in a group, you will not be required to talk, or reveal intimate issues when you do not want to. However, it is clear that the more you can participate, be open and talk about yourself, your feelings and thoughts – the more you can gain from this experience.

What groups do you offer?

We offer a variety of interpersonal therapy groups throughout the year.  These include:

Frameworks for Change – An 8 week program for the significant others and family members of individuals with a drug and/or alcohol addiction.

Mummy & Me – a 5 week educational and attachment support program for mothers with children of 0 to 2 years of age.

ACoA Support Group—A 9 week education and support group for Adult Children of Alcoholics and Dysfunctional Families

Independence Group—A 9 week education and support group for individuals managing co-dependency issues.

Anger Management Group—A 9 week education and support group for individuals dealing with anger issues.

Contact us for more information on current Interpersonal Therapy Groups via email at info@apsych.com.au or by phone on our Central Intake Line (02) 4307 8146