Intentions, Objectives and Profits of Group Therapy

Groups practiced in a therapeutic aim are often organized according to a certain type of activity. Theoretical reflection nourishes practice. Some were initiated at the end of World War II, for instance the so called “Institutional Psychotherapy”. This gave birth to different approaches practiced in some psychiatric institutions, then in various associations meant to improve practices in mental health. Other approaches are of educational aim, of which psycho-education, cognitive remediation, therapeutic education. The author initiated a method of speech group that can go to various publics, as much to patients as to family members or to those who want to become trained around different problems of mental health. These groups apply to people enduring addiction, of bipolar mood disorder, to carers in mental health and to helping peers. The method is elaborated on the base of constant dialogue between professionals coaching and participants. Five educational intentions emerged in this practice: transmission of knowledge, allowing participants to know themselves, arousing the taste to change, liberating speech, use of a universal language. The tool is readjusted progressively because it evolves, at a time, according to the information that the professionals want to transmit and to participants’ examples. During the meetings all participants share on an equal base, coaches included. This exchange allows the participants to free their speech, to take confidence in them and to enter a group dynamic helping them to move forward.