Ten Lessons for Leading Evidence-Based Treatment Groups on an Inpatient Unit

ABSTRACTPsychiatric inpatient units provide acute stabilization, assessment, and treatment services to populations in crisis. Often these services and therapies are delivered in group settings. From the perspectives of a trainee in a clinical psychology Ph.D. program and his supervisors, 10 practices are discussed that enhance evidence-based therapy groups on an adolescent inpatient unit in a psychiatric hospital. These lessons involve strategies to enhance patient participation during groups, considerations that maintain safety, and recommendations for professional development. Many of the lessons are particularly appropriate for adolescent treatment groups; however, they can be easily adapted for use with child or adult populations. Clinicians in training can benefit from an orientation to inpatient units and awareness of practices to incorporate early in their training. Simultaneously, experienced clinicians can incorporate this approach as part of supervision for trainees they supervise. Clinicians ne...