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Dr. Bob is Robert Hsiung, MD,
bob@dr-bob.orgShown: posts 1 to 5 of 5. This is the beginning of the thread.
Posted by Dr. Bob on August 5, 2002, at 10:01:02
[from http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/20020731/msgs/115231.html]
> Is there a set of descriptions out there about typical roles that various participants in group therapy fall into?
>
> With me, it seems always the same, and I'm not sure whether to try to change this or what.
Posted by Dinah on August 5, 2002, at 15:53:38
In reply to participant roles in group therapy??? « Medusa, posted by Dr. Bob on August 5, 2002, at 10:01:02
Medusa, (By the way is that MedUSA or Medusa?),
I'm afraid I don't have any answers for you because I have never been in group. But I'm always fascinated with the idea of group therapy, although I don't know that I will ever get up the courage to participate in it. I even went so far as to get Kottler's book on Group leadership, hoping to figure out what a group was for and what happened in one, from the therapist's side.
So your question is fascinating to me. If you don't mind, could you elaborate on what you mean by roles? What roles have you seen, and what role do you find yourself in?
It isn't all curiosity on my part. One day I hope to try group therapy, so I am looking for all the information I can get.
Posted by Dinah on August 5, 2002, at 15:54:17
In reply to Re: participant roles in group therapy??? « Medusa » Dr. Bob, posted by Dinah on August 5, 2002, at 15:53:38
Posted by Medusa on August 6, 2002, at 1:09:02
In reply to Re: participant roles in group therapy??? « Medusa » Dr. Bob, posted by Dinah on August 5, 2002, at 15:53:38
> Med(By the way is that MedUSA or Medusa?),
LOL! It's Medusa, though both could be appropriate.
> went so far as to get Kottler's book on Group leadershipSo you're ahead of plenty of group "facilitators" already ...
> could you elaborate on what you mean by roles?Well, I haven't read up on this much, so this will be just observations and lay terms.
In many groups, there are the "normal", cooperative participants. Then there's generally a "needy" member, who fills as much time and takes as much energy as permitted, and doesn't consider that the others might be there as something besides caretakers.
>what role do you find yourself in?In groups with strong leaders, I end up upsetting the needy member by suggesting that we find some method of time allotment so that others can talk. Then the needy person's feelings of invalidation take up a few sessions, and the needy person hates me for the rest of the group. One woman spit at me, but later wanted to hang out.
Then there are self-aware needy members, who really really really need group time but hesitate to take even their fair share. I tend to try to draw them out, and tell them it's okay to ask for more time both in and outside of group, and that they should be sure they're getting enough from their therapist and the leader.
In groups with untrained or otherwise incompetent leaders, I often end up trying to repair invalidation felt by other members, and this often precipitates the leader somehow attacking me, and then the group becomes overtly upset with the leader.
Example: a "Feeding Ourselves" group, all women, exploring a non-diet, non-control approach to eating disorders and overeating. The leader suggested to one woman that she put a picture of herself from a healthy, thin time on the refrigerator, and I suggested that this wasn't really in step with the approach as I understood it, and asked the other participant if she could use a visualisation exercise and if it was possible to reduce outside demands on her time. She responded enthusiastically, and after that other group members seemed to look to me for "second opinions" on a lot of what the leader said. I don't know for sure that it was in response to this, but the leader started saying in front of the group that I had lost enough weight. Other members took this as a statement that the leader thought they were fat, which sounds weird to people without eating problems, but it was really not good for group morale for the leader to be single-ing out members for "success" based on appearance - the group was supposed to help us combat those stereotypes!
Example: a DBT group in an outpatient hospital program. One girl asked a question about applying the principle we were discussing to her anxiety/panic attacks, and the facilitator said that this wasn't relevant, since panic attacks weren't as serious as another member's violent outbreaks. I interjected that perhaps panic attacks did more damage to the person experiencing them than violent outbreaks did to the trash cans that the other guy beat up in his outbursts - just because he got arrested didn't mean he suffered more than the panic-attacked girl did. Even the violent guy seemed to accept this, but I got hauled out of the group and the directors told me I'd "better take a look at why I felt the need to stand up for other members, which they could very well do for themselves."
So I wonder if there's a group role of "know-it-all" or "leader-undercutter" or something, and I wonder why I keep falling into it. The directors were right, that I need to look at this, which doesn't make them right about putting a poorly-trained group leader in place.
Sorry this is all me-specific and not really about groups in general - I'm not sure I'm the person to describe the optimally-functioning idea group!
Posted by Dinah on August 6, 2002, at 9:26:26
In reply to Re: participant roles in group therapy??? » Dinah, posted by Medusa on August 6, 2002, at 1:09:02
Well, Medusa, based on your descriptions of group I think it's something I should avoid. The books never show it realistically I suppose. :)
I guess I'm the wrong person to ask, because to me you seem to be playing the sensible role. (grin) In other words, I'd probably play the same role. No wait, I probably wouldn't confront the needy memebers, I'd just look down at my nails and drop out at the earliest opportunity. In fact I'd probably drop out of all the scenarios because I would expect it to be the group leader's job to manage the group. After all I would be paying to go.
Have you ever thought of studying to become a therapist or at least a group facilitator? Sounds like the role you're best suited for is a leadership role.
But then, I really know nothing about groups. I hope Mark H. chimes in. Or Jay. Maybe you could direct your question to one of them. They have a lot of wisdom in the group area.
This is the end of the thread.
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