Argosy University, Chicago s4

Argosy University, Chicago

COURSE SYLLABUS

PP8060

Group Psychotherapy

Summer 2010

Faculty Information:

Faculty name: Mark Kiel, Psy.D. C.G.P

Campus: Chicago

Contact Information: ;

(312) 777-7671 (also available by phone)

Office Hours: M-Th - Please call to schedule an appointment

Teaching Assistant: Katherine Zwick
Contact information: (773) 988 2880 (Between 8:00am and 10:00pm);

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Course Description:
This course provides an introduction to the basic principles of group psychotherapy operations. Emphasis is on gaining both firsthand experiences and a conceptual grasp of membership issues in group therapy; therefore, this course consists of both experiential and didactic components. The course engages students in a thoughtful study of group process, and is structured to help them integrate their thoughts and feelings with their experience. Theories of group development and relevant research are also addressed.

Course Pre-requisites: PP7365 - Clinical Interviewing

PP7080 - Personal & Professional Development

Required Textbook:

Colman, A. and Geller, M. (1985). Group Relations Reader II. Washington: A. K. Rice. ISBN: 0-9615099-1-0

Ganzarain, R. (1989). Object Relations Group Psychotherapy. New York: IUP.
ISBN: 0-8236-3725-5

Hazell, C. (2005). Imaginary Groups. Bloomington, Indiana: Authorhouse
ISBN: 1-4184-9818-1

Yalom, I. (2005). The Theory and Practice of Group Psychotherapy. New York: IUP. ISBN: 0465092845

Course Length: 15 Weeks

Contact Hours: 45 Hours

Credit Value: 3.0

Purpose/Overview:
It is the purpose of this class to acquaint the student with theories of group psychotherapy. As Bion (1961) has pointed out, the first question one encounters when attempting to solve the problems of group psychotherapy is whether one aims at doing psychotherapy in the group or of the group. The former involves doing what is essentially individual therapy in a group of people while the latter involves working with the group as a whole - examining its dynamics, tensions, conflicts, defenses and so on. This course most decidedly takes the latter approach - of examining procedures of working with the group-as-a-whole. The emphasis will be on the therapy of the whole group.
There will be “here and now” experiences in the middle classes to give students the opportunity of experiencing group as a whole analysis. Students will also have the opportunity to consult to the group from a group as a whole perspective. Ample opportunity will be given to discuss and make sense of these sessions in class.
This will involve the examination of roles, member relationships to the group task, issues such as joining, participation, differentiation and stages of group development. In addition to developing an understanding of the formation and maintenance of a learning group, members will also be expected to form explanatory linkages between their behavior in the group and roles they have in groups in other places and/or at other times.

This course will explore the impact groups and systems have on individuals and how those individuals relate to the various groups of which they are members. Specifically, this course will focus on the study of small and medium sized groups, with an emphasis on leadership and authority, member roles, small group dynamics, and development, diversity, and inter-group relations. Experiential and intellectual learning will be integrated through the use of discussion groups and assignments designed to facilitate application of theory and research.
Finally the course has a “lab.” This lab is a Group Relations Large Group Event, sponsored in part by Argosy, Chicago. The event is more accurately described as a “temporary learning institution” rather then a traditional conference where you are presented information. The primary purpose of the training (in reference to this course) is to learn about large group functioning.

Course Objectives:
This intervention course is developmentally appropriate for second and third year doctoral students. It is designed to meet two primary curricular goals: Psychotherapeutic Intervention (with particular attention on personal development) and Human Diversity.
Goal 2: Prepare professional psychologists to select, implement, and evaluate psychological interventions consistent with current ethical, evidence-based, and professional standards, within a theoretical framework, and with sensitivity to the interpersonal processes of the therapeutic relationship and the diverse characteristics and needs of clients.

Objective 2d: Demonstrate personal development and self-reflective capacity, including growth of interpersonal skills, and therapeutic relationships.

Goal 3: Prepare professional psychologists to analyze the complexity and multidimensionality of human diversity, and demonstrate the knowledge, skills, and attitudes necessary to understand diverse worldviews and the potential meaning of social, cultural, and individual differences for professional psychological services.

This course accomplishes these goals by the course objectives listed above, as well as by emphasis on:

1)  The Theory, Science and Practice of Group Psychotherapy principles.

2)  Participation in a T-Group.

3)  Attention to Emic and Etic perspectives on repository functioning, role specialization and scapegoating.

4)  Application of Social Psychology principles as pertinent.

5)  Review and analysis of empirically supported treatments using group therapy formats.

Evidenced Based Practice:

This course addresses evidence based practice issues in course readings, discussion and assignments. For example, all readings addressing clinical process are grounded in empirical data such as quantitative data, qualitative data, idiographic data, etc. Group psychotherapy and systemic-oriented techniques are oftentimes a treatment of choice - however, the execution of said treatments can vary.

As the American Group Psychotherapy Association states:

Multiple perspectives on evidence-based practice have been articulated in the contemporary practice of psychotherapy. One approach emphasizes the application of empirically supported therapies, predicating treatment decisions upon the efficacy data emerging from randomized control trials of discrete models of intervention applied to discrete syndromes and conditions. This is a disorder-based approach. An alternative approach to evidence-based practice integrates the best available research with clinical expertise applied within the context of client characteristics, culture, and preferences (APA, 2005). This is a client – based approach and is the model we have employed.

Clinical practice guidelines (for group Psychotherapy) are distinct from treatment standards or treatment guidelines. They are broader and aspirational rather than narrow, prescriptive and mandatory and address the broad practice of group psychotherapy rather than specific conditions. Clinical practice guidelines also respect the strong empirical research supporting the role of common factors in the practice of psychotherapy (Norcross, 2001; Wampold, 2001).

To this end, this course focuses on the most current literature and evidence on group psychotherapy practice, research and the limitations of empirically based group psychotherapy practices. The second, concurrent focus of the course is client-based and clinician-based development and learnings.

This course follows the criteria suggested by Abe Fenster and Jessy Colah in Group, 2004:

Group therapy is a widely practiced, effective, but underrated specialty. Unfortunately, group therapy seems to be taught more haphazardly, with less attention to quality, than is individual therapy. Group therapy has a technique, history, and literature of its own and should be taught independently from individual psychotherapy. The training of psychiatric residents is particularly crucial for group therapy to prosper and be seen as more prestigious. A common core of experience is vital for training in group therapy, whether the trainee's background is psychiatry, psychology, social work, pastoral counseling, or nursing. This core consists of: 1) clinical experience doing group therapy; 2) supervision; 3) a professional training group experience; 4) observation of experienced group therapists; 5) exposure to current thinking in the field; 6) personal group therapy; and 7) a didactic course in theory and technique. Clinical experiences involving cotherapy and combined individual and group treatments are especially useful, both as training and as treatment modalities.

Expectations:
This course (and the training event) has experiential learning opportunities embedded in them that can be intense or stressful as well as enjoyable and rewarding. Therefore, students should consider if this is the right time personally to take this course in this format. Whereas it is possible to get credit for the course without attending the conference, this option is for students who have a change of circumstances during the duration of the course, not for students who know in advance they cannot attend the conference or simply do not want to.

Students will not be evaluated on their performance in the course or conference experiential sessions.

Attendance:

Full class attendance is required. If a student must miss a class or a portion of it, she or he must notify the instructor at the earliest possible time. Two absences (or the equivalent in tardiness or early departures) and/or any failure to contact the instructor about an absence will result in either course failure or permission to withdraw from the course.

Confidentiality:
All material discussed within the time boundaries of the group is to be regarded as confidential by faculty, members and the teaching assistant. The only exception to this rule will be when a clear danger to self or others is indicated by the shared material.

Lastly, the faculty, the teaching assistant and student’s in the consulting role may engage in confidential consultation on the group process for their own learning as well as to keep the process open by means of processing projections or transferences that may occur during the life of the group.

Large Group Lab:
This lab is a Group Relations training experience, co-sponsored by Argosy, Chicago. The event is more accurately described as a “temporary learning institution” rather then a traditional conference where you are presented information. The conference is at Argosy University and will be held Nov. 13 & 14. The primary purpose of the “lab” is to learn about large group dynamics. This event costs $50.00. This would normally be part of your tuition, but due to registration circumstances, this will be done separately during the fall semester.

Journal:

In addition to reading, it is highly recommended that members keep a journal of their experience in group. This will clearly be of assistance in that it will provide a database for the final integrative paper.
Assignments:

Application Paper (30% of grade) Due week seven of class.

In this paper, students are asked to analyze a group with which they are familiar. Students should describe the group, its constitution and context, and analyze the group from a psychodynamic, systems-oriented point of view. The paper should be about five pages long and should utilize at least five concepts covered in the course in its analysis. Points are awarded based on the accurate understanding of the concepts and their creative application to the group being analyzed. In describing the group students are expected to maintain the group’s confidentiality. Students are furthermore encouraged to be creative in developing their own concepts or applying ideas in imaginative ways.

Final Paper (70% of grade) Due week fifteen of class.

Students are asked to write a paper 8-12 pages in length on their experience in the here-and-now portion of the course. This paper will contain three sections—one pertaining to their experience as a member of the group, one having to do with their experience as a consultant to the group, and the third regarding their experience at the Group Relations Large Group Training. The function of this paper is to provide the student with an opportunity to make sense of the group in the various ways it was experienced in the class. This involves perhaps most importantly the students developing for themselves a serviceable and robust theory of how groups function. Secondarily it involves students showing they understand the key concepts covered in the class and can recognize them “on the fly” as they occur in the here and now. For these reasons, students are very strongly encouraged to keep their analysis (in both assignments) at the group-as-a-whole level. If students have questions on either of these assignments, they may of course turn in early versions of their efforts to the instructor.

For Consideration:
Part I: Weekly Small Group

1.  Your subjective experience/reaction(s) to the group.

2.  Role analysis of self and others (including notable repository functions).

3.  Identify critical developmental events in the group’s life and hypothesize about their meaning(s).

4.  Hypothesize about the group’s use or avoidance of consultants and consultations and hypothesize about why that was so.

5.  Identify and describe the development, or lack of, group development(s).

6.  Identify and describe the group’s capacity, or lack thereof, to identify, engage or integrate difference of its members and consultants.