CONCEPTS AND CATEGORIES OF GROUP PSYCHOTHERAPY

Group psychotherapy as a completely independent direction has its own conceptual apparatus. It primarily includes such concepts as : roles, norms, types of behavior, leadership, group process.

Role

Every person in life unwittingly plays a certain role, or rather, even several roles: he and the boss and subordinate, and husband and father, etc. Since he comes to strangers in the psychocorrectional group, then, as a rule, one of his official roles “looks through” from him, for example, the role of an employee of this or that social status. However, in the psychocorrectional group, he will have to “try on” another role for himself, which is not always and not all easily possible.

For example, a person who is not accustomed to directing a group ( the group itself !) Can entrust the role of leader, and the established boss, on the contrary, the role of subordinate. At the same time, one cannot say that the group offers you the role at random - it means that something is peeping through you from the character that it needs in a certain capacity: Leader, Skeptic, Whiner, etc.

Most often, the group stand out the role-antipodes. Some specialists (Leary, 1957) distinguish polar profiles according to opposite feelings, in some cases this is done on the basis of opposite emotions: love is hate, strength is weakness, softness is rigidity, etc. Others recommend more actors. So, Kellerman (1979) identifies four pairs of opposites: Romantic - Skeptic (Thomas the Unbeliever), Innocent (never in anything) - Scapegoat ; Philosopher (sophisticated) - Naive child ; Puritan (emphatically reserved in contacts and emotions) - Cooperator (unifying).

It is believed that the psychocorrection group can function normally only by relying on opposites. A too soft, friendly group, in which no one honestly tells another not always pleasant truth, will turn out to be an artificially isolated team with imaginary well-being, through the prism of which it will be impossible to see and even more to overcome real problems. On the contrary, a group that is too critical and does not create an atmosphere of psychological security will not allow its members to open up and, therefore, will also not allow to see the true causes of internal and external conflicts.

It is necessary for the group to develop an optimal combination of goodwill and criticality, that is, on the one hand, the group members may feel the comrade’s shoulder next to them, but, on the other hand, they should not expect that their any behavior or statement will receive support, not criticism.

Norm

The concept of the norm in the psycho-correction group does not have a fundamental difference from the concept of any group or social norm. Each society, community and even a separate well-established group has its own formal or informally accepted norms of behavior, the violation of which is not approved by the group, and different types of sanctions are applied to violators. In turn, the behavior in accordance with group norms receives official or informal support from the group, and this group member consolidates or raises his status to various degrees. The same applies to the psychocorrectional groups in which certain norms of behavior are established in order to ensure that the group performs its tasks as efficiently as possible.

Despite the absence of strict regulation of the norms of psychocorrectional groups, most of them have much in common and are aimed mainly at the effective functioning of the group in terms of solving the individual problems of its members. Clearly enough, these norms are set out by B.D. Karvasarsky (1985).

“Each member of the psycho-correction group must:

- Follow the schedule of group classes;

- to speak in a group about everything openly and sincerely;

- not to carry beyond the group what is happening during group classes;

- help teammates to recognize and change their mode of behavior if it is contrary to generally accepted standards;

- to abandon common phrases, to talk about specific problems and experiences, both of their own and of group mates, specifically and on the principle of "here and now."

“listen to the opinions and advice of group members, think about them, but make decisions on their own.” (Quoted from: Kondrashenko V.T., Donskoy D.I. - 1997. - p. 321-322).

Group leadership

As is well known, in sociology and management psychology, three leadership styles are usually distinguished: authoritarian (or prescriptive), democratic (collegial) and liberal (it is also called permissive, anti-authoritarian, advisory).

Unfortunately, most authors forget to remind the reader that in their pure form, managers - representatives of these styles - do not meet. (Just as “pure” sanguine, choleric, melancholic and phlegmatic; not extroverted and introverted, “left-hemispheric” and “right-hemispheric” etc. are not found - this can only be a high degree of predominance of one or another type.)

Therefore, when we talk about a leader or his style - authoritarian or democratic, we mean the predominance of a particular style.

The same terminology is well established in relation to the leadership styles in group therapy (Levin, Lippit, White, 1939): authoritarian, democratic, permissive.

It should be noted that each of these styles has its own advantages and disadvantages. One of the most frequent mistakes of young psychotherapists is the choice of leadership style without taking into account their own individual psychological characteristics.

Remember that the same style can be organic for one and unnatural for another (and, therefore, for the whole group).

Authoritarian group management style

As the name suggests, the psychotherapist of this style is the leader of the group, its manager. It is impossible to say that democracy in this group completely disappears (otherwise it would not be group psychotherapy).

However, the group’s activities, discussions, and speeches are initiated and sent by the psychotherapist in the way that he considers from the point of view of his professional experience to be the most appropriate for solving this particular task (or tasks).

Applying this style, one should remember that the authoritarian leader in group therapy still remains one of the group members and does not “stifle” its activity with its leading role, but, on the contrary, inspires and encourages it in every way.

Democratic style

During the period of perestroika, the word "democracy" was discredited. And in vain. The word is not to blame. Democracy is not laxity and permissiveness. And not even just the power of the people. Without laws that are binding on all, such power of the people is called “ochlocracy”, in the wake of which there are unsure politicians who only today can hold the power, and tomorrow be that will be.

Even the ancients said: democracy - the rule of law (adopted in the interests of the majority, with the approval of the majority and equally binding for all). Thus, blaming democracy for all our troubles, we scold what we do not have.

And in group psychotherapy, the democratic leadership style is precisely the style of reliance on collective intelligence within the framework of strict adherence by all members of the group to voluntarily adopted but obligatory for all group norms.

These two tasks are the main ones for a democratic-style psychotherapist: maximum stimulation of the participation of all group members in discussions and finding solutions to problems with strict adherence to group norms of behavior. At the same time, he himself (like any group psychotherapist) behaves not as a leader, but as an active member of a group.

Permissive (anti-authoritarian) style

At first glance, this style can hardly be called a leadership style. We can say that this is the style of removal from the leadership of the group. However, things are not so simple. This style can be extremely effective, but only for a psychotherapist who is well aware of not only the current situation in the group, but also anticipating its further development.

In such groups, there may also be instances of intervention by a psychotherapist, but only when he is certain that this is necessary (the situation begins to develop in an unnecessary direction). In group therapy, not only are provided, but also certain disputes and conflicts that help the participants and their problems open up better are desirable.

In general, the question of the optimal dosage of periodic interpersonal tension and even conflict is perhaps the most delicate and important in the skill of a group psychotherapist of any leadership style. The conflict-free situation leaves the boils unopened, and overly conflict leads to the disintegration of groups. To stimulate a group discussion, disputes, complete openness of statements about oneself and others, on the one hand, and to keep the situation from irreversible disturbance of relations, serious insults and even the withdrawal of individual participants from the group is an extremely difficult task.

Under-stressing a group atmosphere (insufficient emotional involvement of the group members) will not lead to the desired therapeutic effect. Overstrain, the transition from emotional discussion to hostility and sustained hostility can destroy the results of all stages of painstaking preliminary work and simply “break up” the group, inflicting additional trauma to those who come to you to get rid of them.

Experienced therapists, despite the natural individual-typical predisposition to one of the leadership styles, have in their arsenal the intake of all three styles and even their combinations, quickly switching depending on the requirements of the situation.

Of course, the authoritarian style is easier and faster to stop the conflict, beyond the appropriate norms. However, this technique, helping to maintain order in the group, and even the group itself (which is, of course, important) delays the resolution of the conflict, driving it inside and thus aggravating the problem or neurosis. Apparently, this is precisely why most psychotherapists prefer a democratic leadership style that allows them to take steps quickly and at the same time not too sharply to go one way or the other — into authoritarianism (to thwart dangerous tendencies) and in actual self-elimination development of events).

Requirements for the identity of the team leader. All those requirements that apply to any psychotherapist and counseling psychologist also apply to the representative of group psychotherapy. This is calmness and poise , a client concerned with his problems should feel one by one type of psychotherapist that here he will be calmer, psychologically protected, more comfortable.

This is understanding and empathy ( emotional empathy ) with simultaneous distancing: the client should feel that the psychotherapist not only understands, but feels his problem with his heart, but at the same time does not merge with her (as a simple compassionate), but remains at the philosophical height large personality and professional skills, that is, is able not only to understand and sympathize, but also to help solve problems that seemed to the client intractable .

This is the ability to listen and speak , subtly and in time switching from one (client's understanding) to another (impact on the client, ability to convince).

This is a philosophical tolerance not only for the difficulties of the nature of the client, but also in general for the difficulties of life and unhappiness (by the way, not only for others, but also for one’s own).

In group psychotherapy, the director’s talent is added to these and many other important qualities and abilities - the psychotherapist should be able to unobtrusively help group members to choose the most organic roles and lead the group’s work with minimal personal intervention on the principle: don’t teach, but inspire .

It is believed that the psychotherapist in the group plays one or more functional roles. Most authors of monographs and guides on group therapy distinguish the roles of: a conductor, an expert, an ideal (active) partner, a catalyst .

V.T.Kondrashenko and D.I.Donskoy (1997), like a number of other Russian specialists, believe that the psychotherapist plays different roles in the domestic and western group psychotherapy: in our country, the role of the conductor prevails more often. America - an expert .

What is the fundamental difference between them? Briefly, the difference can be stated as follows: the conductor intervenes more actively in the work of the group, and the expert takes the position of an outside consultant-commentator .

Each of these functional roles has its pros and cons.

The conductor leads the formation of the group, often corrects the discussion in the right direction, corrects the behavior of participants (especially in the initial stage of work) when they come to a dead end. Experience shows that the most therapeutic is a certain level of anxiety that accompanies a group discussion. Its too calm flow does not involve the necessary emotional and volitional resources to solve problems. And too high anxiety blocks the ability to solve a problem with its excess and aggravates the deadlock state of helplessness.

Thus the conductor leads the group out of the impasse. This is gratefully accepted by the group. However, by this he delays the process of teaching the group itself to find such exits.

The predominance of the functional role of the conductor in the domestic practice of group psychotherapy has its own socio-psychological background.

Due to the predominantly authoritarian traditions of leadership in Russia, and especially in decades of totalitarianism, the majority of the population has a habit of acting under the leadership of others, avoiding personal responsibility for making even their own problems solved (“initiative is punishable”). This is perhaps the main reason for the difficult reform of our state in the direction of an open society, with personal initiative and responsibility. The same reason - avoiding personal responsibility for one’s own problems - is the main symptom (and aggravating cause) of the neurotic personality.

Therefore, especially at the initial stage and in dead-end states, the group, as a rule, waits for instructions from above, not perceiving, despite constant explanations, the psychotherapist as one of the equal (although the most experienced and active) member of the group.

The expert does not pull the group out of the impasse and thus seemingly contributes to a more intensive development of its search activity, however, commentary experts often sin with excessive “lecturing”, and participants listen more to them, acting with constant eye on the expert (“am I acting correctly ? ”) Than looking for their own solutions, more like a passive classroom than an active therapeutic group.

The functional role of the so-called catalyst can be very effective for a group psychotherapist. However, this role requires a special art - it is easier to teach than to inspire, but to inspire is undoubtedly more important for the more active and rapid development of their own creative activity. And the emotional-psychological atmosphere in such groups is more creative, active, and therefore more therapeutic.

A catalytic psychotherapist is usually compared to a mirror in which participants see themselves. But this is not just a mirror, but a living and sympathetically exaggerated (for clarity) reflection of what is happening in the group of events. Such a mirror allows you to better notice your mistakes and not be embarrassed by them, but be inspired to correct them, to find the best solution.

Of course, the psychotherapist who plays the role of such a mirror should possess both experience and artistry , empathy and intuition, inspire participants to believe in their high professionalism and human decency and sincerity. And most importantly - should be able to create an atmosphere of creative enthusiasm, which in itself is a talent, the absence of which is difficult to compensate for even with profound professional knowledge. So, before choosing a style of catalyst, you need to make sure that such talent is available.

Although group psychotherapy (as a psychotherapeutic area, and not as a group form of any psychotherapy) is by its very nature non-directive types of therapy, it can be said that the most non-directive (anti-authoritarian) functional role of the group psychotherapist is the active (ideal) partner.

Such a psychotherapist does not teach, does not comment and does not even catalyze a group - he simply becomes its rank-and-file member, but as such, ideally, should be a member of a therapeutic group. If he teaches, then only by his example, demonstrating complete frankness and openness in discussing his and other people's problems, his readiness to immediately respond to the appeal to him or to the whole group.

One cannot but agree with this, since the very idea and goal of group psychotherapy is not simply in establishing a certain group interaction, namely in movement ( dynamics ), the development of the group and each individual in a therapeutic, positively developing direction. Group dynamics, being an inseparable process of development of a group and individuals, can be conditionally divided into certain stages. Kelman identifies three such main stages: compliance, identification, assignment.

At the first stage (the stage of compliance ) the members of the group begin to be influenced by each other, the therapist and the whole group. More precisely, they are moving from the dead point of the unconscious self-defense of their inner world, including the attitude that has developed in it to their neurosis or other psychological problem that has led them to the group. However, this is not the acceptance of other opinions and influences, but only the removal of the defense to their rejection. This is mainly only the adoption of the norms and rules of the work of the group set forth by the therapist and the beginning of participation in this work. A voluntary, but still largely formal group community is established. (Hereinafter, it should be remembered about the individual differences of the members of the group and, accordingly, about the different speed and efficiency of their passing these processes.)

At the second stage (the identification stage ), the external acceptance of the group and its participants takes place - readiness not formally, but to listen to their opinions with understanding, to join the discussions. It can be said that at this stage an informal commonality of the group is established, a feeling of a certain “we”, even if there are disagreements on certain issues and a certain rejection by certain participants of each other.

At the third stage (the assignment stage ), individual participants accept the already established group values ​​and opinions as their own, the willingness to operate them on their own behalf outside the group, in their personal lives.

Other representatives of group psychotherapy (Schutz, Takman, Kratochvil and others) describe these same stages in their own way, but the essence remains the same: consistent group dynamics from formal association to acquiring significant psychotherapeutic power of mutual support, mutual influence, mutual correction with simultaneous self-disclosure and positive development of the group whole and each of its members.

Yaloma distinguishes such therapeutic factors of the psychotherapeutic group as cohesion, suggestion of hope, synthesis, altruism, provision of information, multiple transference, interpersonal training, development of interpersonal skills, imitating behavior . This classification is not very different from most others, the therapeutic value of the factors mentioned is obvious. However, it is advisable to make some comments.

Cohesion

To the well-known opinion about the importance of group cohesion, it should be added that, as practice has shown, the majority of participants suffer from physical or psychological loneliness, which usually correlates with high anxiety, insecurity and uselessness. In successfully established groups, all participants satisfy the natural human need for affiliation (a sense of belonging to a community), their anxiety decreases, and the sense of psychological security increases.

I must say that the feeling of cohesion, belonging to a group of people who understand you, accept you for what you are, and also experience similar problems, is often so important for group members (especially those who lack this kind of communication in everyday life) that their hierarchy of motives for group psychotherapy is changing: the very communication in these groups becomes a greater need for them than the solution of the problems with which they came here. (Although, of course, one not only does not exclude the other, but only mutually promotes).

Prompting hope

Here I would like to warn that the impact of individual members of the group on others can be both positive (increasing confidence in success) and negative (reducing this confidence with skepticism).

Еще Э. Куэ доказал, что помогают те лекарства, в которые пациенты верят, и не помогают те, в которые не верят. Естественно, что к психотерапии это относится еще больше. Это очень важно учитывать психотерапевту при подборе группы и при работе с ней.

Altruism

Еще Альфред Адлер подчеркивал, что самое лучшее и быстрое средство излечения от неврозов - это переключение внимания на бескорыстную помощь другим. И хотя при правильной организации групповой психотерапии этот процесс спонтанно усиливает эффект работы группы и индивидуальное позитивное развитие, не мешает периодически напоминать о важном терапевтическом воздействии альтруизма: лучшая помощь себе - через помощь другим.

Предоставление информации

This item is implemented along with all the previous ones, in turn, strengthening them. The group members, sharing information on common problems, also solve such therapeutic factors as: generalization, suggestion of hope, cohesion and altruism. In addition, group members often receive truly valuable practical information from each other from practical experience in solving common problems, acquaintance with relevant literature, etc.

However, it is also important to ensure here that the distribution of unqualified, scientifically unfounded advice, as well as information that undermines confidence in the success of the whole groupwork process, does not go. Unfortunately, it is in the field of psychotherapy that such “counselors” are often found, and given the increased anxiety and suggestibility of the majority of members of psychotherapeutic groups, such informational impact can be far from harmless (see negative generalization).

Multiple transfer

This is a definite development of the idea of ​​S. Freud about the transference , that is, that the client unconsciously transfers to the psychotherapist various features of his relationships with other people that are significant to him in the past and present.

Yaloma and a number of other specialists suggest applying certain mechanisms for analyzing the client’s personality, studying his attitudes not only to the psychotherapist, but also to other members of the group (taking into account their characteristics, which may turn out to be more meaningful for one and less for the other and thereby give a certain information about themselves and their problems).

Naturally, the transference analysis is most effectively used by psychotherapists with psychoanalytic training.

Interpersonal learning

In the group, in laboratory or model conditions, those skills of communication that members of the group would like to use more successfully in real life are being developed. Here, they more easily overcome timidity when they turn to others and offer their own help, see how others react to it, and either gain confidence that they do everything right, either independently or with the help of a psychotherapist and the group makes certain adjustments, eventually achieving the desired result. (his behavior with the desired reaction to it from others).

However, it is here that it is necessary to say about one significant problem pointed out by the practice and group psychotherapy specialists: even with the perfect working out of the necessary communication skills in the therapeutic group, transferring these same skills to real life is far from easy for everyone . This can be accomplished by doing homework in parallel to group work, that is, reinforcing the same skills at home, at work, in any conditions convenient for that.

In the next lesson, it is advisable to analyze and jointly analyze the successes and failures of homework.

The development of interpersonal skills

Actually, this is the task of most psycho-correction groups - the development of interpersonal skills, which are not enough for group members to self-actualize and optimize their everyday or business communication.

The very presence and work in such groups develops skills, but even here the therapist needs to be closely monitored so that precisely the skills that are needed are consolidated, since incorrect communication (or rather, a position incorrectly occupied in the group) will only fix the mistakes.

Here it is important to take into account all the warnings that we attributed to the preceding paragraphs, as well as to the characteristics of the types of behavior of individual members of the group.

Imitating behavior

I would attribute the imitative behavior not so much to medical factors as to factors facilitating the entry of individuals into the work of the group. They begin to build their behavior according to the mechanism of simple imitation of the psychotherapist, and then to those members of the group who have the necessary behavioral patterns more quickly. Real, simple, almost mechanical activity, mandatory for all, reduces the individual constraint and indecision of each individual. Then, as they become emotionally involved in this process, members of the group imperceptibly begin to show more and more of their own initiative, settling in the group.

It is very important to follow the formation and preservation of the atmosphere of psychological security, goodwill, mutual support. Every correctly performed action should be rewardingly noted by the psychotherapist and evaluated by the group, and the wrong action should be favorably corrected.

Catharsis

Catharsis is the word that in the Greek tragedy denoted the final purification through suffering, as we remember, Freud introduced into psychotherapy.

In group psychotherapy, the stage of catharsis is very important and requires both the high skill of the psychotherapist and the corresponding readiness of the group. The psychotherapist, as a good director, leads the group or creates the appropriate group atmosphere (depending on the style of leadership of the group) to a public “opening abscesses”: feelings and thoughts that are unacceptable for consciousness, carefully hidden from oneself guilt, shame, hatred; to their joint discussion, recognition and "repentance" and through this to purification, relief.

The process of organizing catharsis in a group requires exceptional skill, tact and intuition, taking into account the individual psychological characteristics of group members. In any case, you must be guided by the main commandment of the doctor: do no harm !

With insufficient confidence in an adequate mental reaction of individual members of the group or in their own psychotherapeutic skills, it is better to refrain from this stage or to conduct it in a milder form, subtly warning the possibility of undesirable (both for an individual and for the whole group) emotional reactions.

You can simply lead the group to discuss the burning hidden problems, gradually (and not by an explosion) opening and discussing them, attacking the problem in time and retreating from the painful point in time when there is a danger of losing control of the situation and aggravating the psychological trauma or disintegration of the group (which often happens).

Requirements for a group psychotherapist. Even the features of group therapy that we have listed briefly show that a specialist in this profile must possess a number of specific skills.

The training of such a specialist, as a rule, goes through the same stages as the training of most psychotherapists in various fields: training, internship under the guidance of a specialist, independent activity.

In the first stage, he comprehends the theoretical foundations and practical techniques of psychotherapy; in the second stage, she is doing an internship in a group under the guidance of a qualified psychotherapist; at the third stage - takes an active part in the work of the group.

Here there can be certain transitional stages within the stages, more precisely, different stages overlap: one has not finished yet, and the other has already begun. So, the first stage (learning practical techniques) continues and is improved both on the second and on the third stages (internship and personal participation). During the second stage (internship), the intern does not remain passive, but gradually more and more actively participates in the work of the group as its member (that is, it already enters the third stage). And in the third stage, he also goes through certain stages from participating in the work as an ordinary member of a group to mastering and applying various styles of group leadership (including from the point of view of its active participant - the ideal partner).

It is believed that the best conditions for the practical formation of a group psychotherapy specialist are created in training groups, the so-called T-groups . Since, under the terms of these groups, the leadership periodically moves from one participant to another, everyone can quickly (without delay) assess what effect this or that style of management of the group has on its direct participants, and make necessary adjustments to their style. leadership.

In addition to knowing the previously mentioned roles and norms of group therapy, it is important to know and observe (not only the psychotherapist, but all participants) the requirements of intragroup ethics . These norms and requirements have some differences among different authors and even in separate groups. However, the main requirement for all is respect for the personal freedom of everyone’s choice to participate in the group process and its individual fragments.

Another important requirement is the obligatory observance not only of the psychotherapist, but also of each member of the confidentiality group, that is, what is said or done in the group is not taken out of the group. Without confidence in such confidentiality, there can be no talk of any complete self-disclosure of members of the group, which means that the main task of group psychotherapy cannot be solved.

Training groups

Despite the numerous classifications of groups in which group psychotherapy is carried out, it can be said that we are talking mainly about two types:

1. Psychocorrectional groups.

2. Skill training teams.

Everything that we said before was related to a greater extent to psychocorrectional groups (despite many general laws and requirements for the functioning of groups of both types).

Training groups are divided into professional skills training groups, interpersonal relations training groups, sensitivity groups.

Professional skills training groups are mainly engaged in the preparation of managers of different levels, businessmen, managers and all those who are especially important professional communication and interaction

In groups of interpersonal relations training, models for solving the practical difficulties of interrelations between various family members and sex problems are examined and tested.

Sensitivity groups (sensitivity) solve the problem of overcoming personal qualities (anxiety, shyness, isolation, etc.) that interfere with the sense of independence, confidence, personal growth, self-actualization of the individual.

Since the training groups emerged (in the 50s in the USA) with the goal of developing business communication and interaction skills, this was their main occupation for a long time. I must say that they quickly gained popularity and did not lose it at the present time. In these groups, skills of optimal interrelation and interaction of the authorities with the subordinate and subordinates with the administration, employees among themselves are formed and brought to automatism, the skills of jointly solving problem situations, improving the organization of work, etc. are worked out.

In recent decades, we also began to receive such forms of education, but for the most part they are much less effective than abroad, primarily because they are conducted either by non-psychologists or psychologists who have not received good training in the direction of group behavioral therapy (which we have not taught them).

Many psychotherapists believe that the main task of training groups (T-groups) is to teach them how to learn to live and work independently, that is, to self-correct and self-improve, finding the optimal solution to problem situations.

This process is usually divided into three stages:

- learn self-presentation (optimal representation of oneself);

- learn how to establish and maximize the use of feedback (biofeedback);

- learn to experiment .

Consider the work on these steps in order.

Self-presentation

A handy tool for the implementation and control of this process is a technique widely known as the Johari Window (after the names of its creators, Joseph Luft and Harry Ingram).

This “window” is a circle divided into four sectors. Each sector has its own symbolic name:

- the first (upper left) is called “Arena”,

- the second (upper right) - "Visible";

- the third (lower left) - "Blind Spot";

- the fourth (lower right) - “Unknown”.

We briefly describe each of the sectors.

Arena

This sector represents that part of the personality of the individual that is open to him and to those around him. It can be said that he sees himself and others as such.

Usually, this image of the I in some way corresponds to the truth, and to some extent it is a sincere , unconscious delusion (it can be said, a subjective distortion of reality ).

Visible

This term in the literal translation does not quite accurately convey the meaning invested in it by the authors. This is what "apparently" is known only to the individual himself, but is hidden from others.

This sector includes both positive and negative secret hobbies and experiences, fears and fantasies that this individual identifies in one way or another with his own Self .

Blind spot

A “blind spot” is opposite to “apparently” - in this sector there is something that others know about this person, but what the individual doesn’t know or, more precisely, does not notice himself.

More often, these are negative characteristics repressed from consciousness (egotism, indiscretion, tactlessness, inattention to others, etc.), but they may also be underestimated in themselves (altruism, conscientiousness, commitment, charm, etc.).

Unknown

In this sector, that which is hidden from itself and from others. It can also be both positive qualities (undisclosed talents, readiness for self-sacrifice, etc.), as well as negative ones that have not yet been discovered only because they were not provoked by life situations, fear, personal gain, etc.

The authors of “Jogari Windows” associate the “Unknown” sector with the unconscious zone (but closer to its interpretation, R. Assagioli approaches in “Psychosynthesis”).

Each of the sectors can either expand or contract.

As the group works, the Arena sector is expanding more and more - a person is revealed not only to other members of the group, but also to himself. This is one of the main goals of group psychotherapy. However, the degree of such disclosure will largely depend on whether the group has the corresponding psychological atmosphere of mutual cooperation and goodwill. Thus, the dynamics of the expansion of the Arena sector will, to a certain extent, inform about the state of the intragroup atmosphere, that is, about the effectiveness of the formed group as a whole.

To help this technique, you can use the "Feedback" and "Experimentation."

Feedback

The value of the Feedback sector will inform about the success of the corrective impact of the group on the behavior of each of its members. Feedback ensures the development of all other sectors, helping to expand the “Arena”, reduce the “Blind Spot” zone, perceiving and taking into account the comments and wishes of other members of the group.

It is clear that the degree of such perception and consideration of feedback depends on three mutually influencing factors: the personal characteristics of the group members; group atmosphere (including the influence of individual participants); from the skill of the psychotherapist.

It must be remembered that when they talk about a favorable intragroup atmosphere, they mean only the degree of its necessary impact on group members, which may not depend on compatibility at the level of mutual sympathy or polite pliability.

On the contrary, the most effective is the level of a certain mutual criticism and even conflict, not turning into hostility, but allowing participants to establish more real feedback , not hesitating to point out to each other the shortcomings.

Experimentation

Experimentation, that is, the search for the best behavior models for solving problem situations, is also associated with the previous sections (“Self-Presentation” and “Feedback”) and largely depends on them. It `s naturally. The wider the Arena sector, the more confident the group member feels, the more boldly he experiments, and the more accurate comments and tips he receives from other members of the group on the feedback mechanism

At the stage of experimentation, it is very important to constantly monitor the observance of the well-known principle “here and now”, that is, when any of the participants tries to go into the past or abstract reasoning to clearly return it to the sinful earth, to solve this situation in this particular group and At the moment.

This requirement applies to skill training groups and psycho-correction groups. The fact is that such evasions from the solution “here and now” are far from harmless - these are evasions from solving real problems, which are further aggravated from this. It can be said that the tendency to such departures in the discussion of the past or in the construction of plans for the future instead of specific immediate decisions and actions (which nothing seems to interfere with, but they are postponed and postponed, being replaced by endless conversations and reflections), and makes these people outsiders ( "Losers" and "neurotics").

It is this neurotic (that is, logically inexplicable) inability to move from the disastrous inactivity to quite accessible real actions to solve their own household and business problems and leads these people into training and psychocorrection groups.

Workship

Naturally, such self-disclosure should not be encouraged, but tactfully restrained. If this fails, we must tactfully get rid of the participant, as well as from any other person with pronounced psychopathology. (Sometimes such people are also included in certain medical groups, but this is from the area of ​​psychiatry, which is not within our competence.)

Self awareness

In the process of self-disclosure, each participant not only introduces the other members of the group, but also clarifies, objectifies his own self-esteem. It is no secret that our self-image is very subjective and voluntarily or involuntarily clarified by us, taking into account the opinions, rewards, comments and behavioral reactions of other people. In the group, such clarification using the aforementioned feedback is carried out constantly and purposefully. The best conditions for this are created by confrontation, but, as we have said, it can be successful only if the atmosphere of benevolence and trust is established in a group.

A responsibility

This is a very important component of socio-psychological health, authenticity. And on the contrary, it is the absence of a sense of responsibility for solving their own life problems, an attempt to escape from them, to find the self-justification for their unresolved is one of the most typical characteristics of a neurotic personality.

It can be said that despite the difference in approaches and methods, one of the main tasks of virtually any psychotherapy is the formation and strengthening of a person’s personal responsibility for solving their own life problems. Therefore, the head of the group should warn, and if necessary, restrain the group members in their desire to help a friend overcome a difficult situation. Of course, he should not doubt the benevolence of the attitude towards him. Group members should be aware that such assistance only retards the growth of the individual responsibility of the participant, and hence the socio-psychological recovery.

Of course, we are not talking about extreme cases, when in a sudden emergency, when it is imposed on a serious emotional state of a participant, the psychotherapist must intervene to provide support. But it is expedient precisely in emergency cases, and all group members should know that although they will not be left in trouble, they must do everything in their power to resolve the situation on their own, otherwise the healing process will not be effective.

Attention to feelings

Many psychotherapists consider awareness of their feelings as one of the most important sections of self-knowledge. This is important to emphasize when familiarizing the group members with the tasks of their work, as many reduce self-knowledge to a rational self-analysis of their own image and behavior. In this case, feelings are either given insufficient attention, or they are interpreted on the first impulse, without a serious clarifying analysis.

Therefore, special emphasis should be placed on the self-analysis of one's feelings and sensations in relation to each member of the group, his behavior, and his statements.

It is equally important to try to objectively evaluate and take into account the opinion of others on the expression of your feelings, on the verbal or behavioral manifestation of their feelings towards you.

Here and now

You probably already noticed that this principle is constantly mentioned in various types of group psychotherapy. This is not by chance. The fact is that, as we have said, the majority of participants in psychocorrectional groups constantly show a tendency to move away from real problem solving (responsibility for such a decision) to discuss them in the past tense or in the form of future plans and worries. In this case, distancing from problems occurs, which prevents them from realizing and experiencing the actual.

The principle of “here and now” is essential for effective development of the previous sections (especially “Responsibility” and “Attention to feelings.”) A constant reminder “here and now” trains the ability to live a real life, pushing back neurotic experiences, that is, it leads to healing, finding and feeling its social and psychological usefulness.

Methodology of meeting groups

The main stages (and tasks) of the practical work of the meeting groups are:

- acquaintance (establishment of primary contacts);

- deepening the trust relationship;

- analysis of resistance;

- complicity and support.

Briefly describe the features of each stage.

Acquaintance

This process is not much different from any dating. However, here he acquires the character of accomplishment by the participants of the task necessary for further work. Understanding this, even the most shy and intact members of the group do not shun or stand apart from others.

You can invite the participants to group in groups of two, in groups of three, but not for long, and then move on to the other members of the groups in order to meet everyone in the first session. In some groups, acquaintance occurs mainly on a verbal level, in others, reinforcement of words with physical contacts is encouraged - a handshake (among Americans, even by tapping on the shoulder, which is unusual for us when we first met).

The team leader warns that participants can be represented not by their real names, but by what they want. No one has the right to insist on disclosing them incognito.

This often happens in groups of anonymous alcoholics or groups with other family and personal problems, in general in groups that some would like to hide from. It is their right. Moreover, under a false name, some members of the group quickly find the courage and looseness for a sincere self-disclosure, including admitting that they have a sense of shame or embarrassment.

Trusting relationship

Unlike the previous stage - “Acquaintance” - this stage is not equally fast and successful for different participants. Indeed, many of them turned to the psychotherapist precisely because of the insuperable difficulties in communicating with others, and especially in confidential communication.

To overcome these difficulties, various exercises are used. We give two of the most typical.

Insurance

Group members are divided into pairs. In each pair, one participant stands behind the other. Standing in front, on the spot and not bending, begins to fall backwards. This requires overcoming a certain natural timidity. The participant behind him picks him up.

After several attempts in front, the standing participant is convinced of the reliability of his partner and more and more calmly and confidently performs this exercise. Then the partners change places and the exercise is repeated.

Sometimes it seems - what is there to be afraid of? It is clear that the partner will not let you fall. However, some natural fear of a direct fall back still remains and involuntarily gives way to discharge - a positive emotion after “landing” on the partner’s arms.

Positive emotions, simultaneously and mutually experienced by partners united by a common exercise in which mutual support solves everything, make it easier to overcome the difficulty of entering into more trusting relationships.

Break in a circle

Group members join hands to form a circle. Alternately, one of the participants tries to break into the center of the circle, while others do not let him. Finally he manages (or he is given the opportunity) to break into the circle.

From the outside, it looks like an ordinary children's game, which has nothing to do with psychotherapy. However, it is not. The correct psychological mood of all the participants is very important here.

The psychotherapist, before starting the exercise, explains his symbolic meaning, which he asks for the most tune.

Trying to break through to the circle, the participant must first clearly feel the suffering of loneliness and the unbearable desire to break into the circle of communication, understanding and psychological security, to feel their affiliation to the group. Other participants oppose this, first portraying the complete indifference to the sufferings of the “loner” and unwillingness to let him into his circle, that is, to accept him into his company.

We sometimes recommend that the circle participants face the center, and their backs to the “loner” to enhance their feelings of alienation, to no one else.

After the “loner” manages to break into the circle, the mood of all the participants should change abruptly towards him, they sincerely and joyfully accept him as their own. And he, in turn, must also tune in accordingly as clearly as possible to feel the abrupt change of mood from intolerable loneliness, then the desire to break through to joy and relief from the victoriously completed efforts and from accepting it to others in his company.

The idea of ​​the exercise is to make it clear that a breakthrough of loneliness will not happen by itself. For this it is necessary to show effort.

Remember that without clear psychological attitudes and explanations, getting used to being participants in a group, most group exercises lose their main (psychotherapeutic) meaning.

Conflict studies

As we have said, the accepted translation from the English term encounter group as a group of meetings is not entirely accurate. The word encount translates primarily as a collision . This is the true meaning of such groups: not just groups of meetings, but groups of encounters , confrontations, conflicts, allowing everyone to more fully reveal the essence of themselves and their problems.

We will not be afraid to repeat, since it is very important for understanding the essence of such groups.

The ideal atmosphere of such groups is periodic optimal tension, when, on the one hand, the emotions of the collision are so strong as to lead to spontaneous uncontrolled (and therefore true) expression of feelings and self-disclosure of participants in the group. On the other hand, this atmosphere of confrontation should not disrupt the well-adjusted mechanism of the group process, mutual understanding and mutual support, a sense of psychological security of each participant.

Of course, the creation and maintenance of such an atmosphere of optimal tension is achieved primarily by the skill, experience and intuition of the psychotherapist, but it can also make all members of the group members of such control, helping to prevent conflict from reaching the level of destruction of the group process.

One of the exercises in self-control and mutual control is the combination of emotional confrontation (confrontation) with physical contacts.

For example, confronting participants hold each other by the hands and the degree of compression of the hands of each other characterize the level of emotional tension of the conflict, and they react with relaxation to its decline, which reconciles the solution of the problem. This helps each participant to become more aware of other people's feelings and control their reactions to them.

Of course, this exercise, like the previous ones (and subsequent ones), is effective only with a clear explanation of its psychotherapeutic goal to all members of the group.

Fantasy

The team leader invites each participant to dream up on a given topic (usually having a definite relationship to the problems of the participant).

The group creates a positive emotional background of active listening. At some point, the speaker himself (or with the inconspicuous "correction" by the psychotherapist) is faced with a certain difficulty of presentation.

The leader or someone from the group members sympathetically “pushes” him to analyze the reasons for this resistance, helps him overcome (or at least start to “ripen” for such overcoming in the next classes).

Resistance analysis

In this exercise, participants should get closer to more specific, difficult to solve personal problems.

Each group member is given the task to sit in a “thinker” pose, close his eyes and carefully imagine a problem that it would be difficult for him to sincerely present to other members of the group. Then analyze carefully the reasons for which he is experiencing this internal resistance. After that, without revealing the problem itself, he describes to the group the reasons for which it is difficult to state it, and tries to present and describe the reaction of the group members, their attitude to his problem (if he had just stated it).

After several such exercises, it is easier for a person to move on to the gradual disclosure and discussion of a sore problem.

At first glance, many psychotherapeutic exercises seem to be too primitive or of little help "children's games for adults." However, with the right approach, it is in these children's games that there is help in the difficult process of self-disclosure of people who come to groups with difficult personal problems, lack of mutual understanding and unfulfilled (or even “squeezed” from the consciousness) need for communication.

Therefore, experienced psychotherapists use most of the exercises, mainly for the emotional involvement of participants, creating a favorable group psychological atmosphere, distracting them from the "wedged" problems and disbelief in the possibility of overcoming them.

The psychological attitude of the whole group before the exercise and maintaining this atmosphere throughout the exercise and joint discussion of its results are more important than the exact observance of its technical elements.

Complicity and support

The atmosphere of empathic understanding and group support is the most important condition for the self-disclosure of each participant, and besides, it is psychotherapeutic in itself, since usually those who come for help to such groups are not satisfied with this very important human need - for understanding and support. Therefore, the creation and maintenance of such an atmosphere should be given the main attention, then many other problems of group work will be removed or alleviated by this very atmosphere.

When setting up group members for such an atmosphere, it is important to constantly remind them that such support is psychotherapeutic and important not only for the person they support, but also for the person who supports it. Remember A. Adler, who never tired of repeating that the best cure for experiencing your problems is switching to helping others.

Currently, marathon-type meeting groups have become popular. Marathon they are named because the work in them goes almost continuously (from morning until late evening) -12-48 hours.

Marathon groups were introduced for the first time by J. Bach (1966) and F. Stoller (1972) and were initially intended only for the group form of psychoanalysis.

The management of such groups requires from the psychotherapist a great deal of experience and the ability to promptly introduce a correction to the group atmosphere and to the state and behavior of individual participants.

Unfortunately, it is this form of group psychotherapy that has become the most popular among non-specialists and overt charlatans who profit from unsuspecting (and mentally unstable) people, and not only does not benefit them, but also often harm their mental health.

Despite the fact that, by the very idea of ​​group psychotherapy, the main role and responsibility for its work is transferred to the group itself, the psychotherapist should closely monitor this work from the very beginning. It is especially important to prevent gross mistakes in the recruitment of the group. Participants in group therapy should be able to group discussion (including confrontation) without emotional breakdowns, tolerance for other people's opinions, to transfer the experience gained in the group to the real social