Introduction to Group Therapy

A practical and balanced guide to effective group therapy

In this up-to-date text, Dr. Virginia Brabender provides balanced coverage of the major treatment approaches and provides a solid background of both why and how effective group therapy is practiced. Writing in a conversational style augmented with many instructive case studies, she covers the key aspects of group therapy, from group planning to termination, and all points in between. Providing a balance of theory, contemporary applications, and personal insight, Dr. Brabender explores four major treatment approaches-interpersonal, psychodynamic, cognitive-behavioral, and problem-solving-and weighs their various advantages and disadvantages in treating a range of problems in a variety of settings.

Introduction to Group Therapy:
* Covers all practical aspects of planning, organizing, and managing a therapy group
* Summarizes the latest research into group therapy theory and practice
* Addresses mistakes commonly made by therapists new to group therapy and offers expert advice on how to avoid making them
* Describes how therapists can be effective in short-term group therapy
* Explores legal and ethical issues that can arise in group therapy
* Provides self-assessment methods along with proven solutions for refining techniques
* Presents empirically validated strategies for handling difficult patient populations-such as acute inpatient clients-and treatment settings, including correctional facilities

VIRGINIA BRABENDER, PhD, is a full professor at the Institute of Graduate Clinical Psychology at Widener University, in Chester, PA.