COURSE DESCRIPTION

     This course will expose you to the basic theory and practice of group psychotherapy. The course work combined with supervision will give you the knowledge needed to lead and understand a psychotherapy group. The course will address the first three of the following four important areas of learning:

1. ACADEMIC LEARNING:  Through textbooks, journals, lectures and discussion.
   
   
2. EXPERIENTIAL LEARNING:  Through participation in an experience group led by Dr. Malcolm Bonnheim. Your participation and Dr. Bonnheim's evaluation of you in the group will have no influence on your grade. Experiential learning about group is often obtained by membership in a training group in which professionals come together to use their experience in a study group to understand first hand how a group works. Dr. Leonard Horwitz in his article, "Exciting opportunities ahead" in the International Journal of Group Psychotherapy. (1999) 49, 87-90, provides an excellent introduction to this type of group. READ THIS ARTICLE BEFORE THE FIRST CLASS. You will be asked to visit Dr. Bonnheim's group on the first day of class to determine whether you will choose to be a part of it on a regular basis. This group is voluntary and participation in the group will have no effect on your grade
   
         Experiential learning can also come from your own therapy.  How one decides whether to choose group, individual or family therapy for oneself is a question worth exploring.
   
   
3. OBSERVATIONAL LEARNING:  Through videos and role playing in class.  Hopefully your placements will provide opportunities to observe experts run group.
   
   
4. SUPERVISORY LEARNING:  This type of learning will not be obtained in class but will come when you lead groups of your own under supervision.

REQUIRED TEXT

1. Rutan, J. S. & Stone, W. (2000) Psychodydamic group psychotherapy. (PGP)
            (3rd Edition)  New York: Guilford.
          
   
2. Kennard, D., Roberts, J., & Winter, D.A. (1993) A work book of group-analytic       
             interventions.(WB) London: Jessica Kingsley.
   
   
3. Ormont, L. R. (2001) The technique of group treatment: The Collected papers of 
            Louis R. Ormont.(TGT) Madison, Conneticut:Psychosocial Press. 
   
   
   RECOMMENDED TEXTS

1. Alonso, A. &  Swiller, H. T. (1993).  Group therapy in clinical practice. Washington,
             D.C.: American Psychiatric Press.
          
2. Kaplan, H.I. & Sadock, B.J. (1993).  Comprehensive group psychotherapy.
             (3^rd Edition). Baltimore: Williams & Wilkins.
          
3. Ormont, L. R. (1992).  The group therapy experience: From theory to practice.
             New York: St. Martin's Press.
          
4. Yalom, I. D. (1995).  The theory and practice of group psychotherapy. (4th Ed.)
            New York:Basic Books.
          
5. Vinogradov, S. & Yalom, I. D. (1989).  Concise Guide to Group Psychotherapy.
            Washington, D.C.:American Psychiatric Press.
          
6. International Journal of Group Psychotherapy.  This is available by joining the
            American Group Psychotherapy Association (AGPA). 
          

YALOM'S OEUVRE

Irving Yalom, M.D. has made a significant contribution to the world of group psychotherapy.  I have chosen not to use his textbook because you will receive exposure to his work in watching his video series in class. The following is an annotated bibliography to encourage you to further explore his writing.

Yalom, I. D. (1995). The Theory and Practice of Group Psychotherapy.  (4th Ed.) New York:  Basic Books. (First Edition, 1970).

Now in its fourth edition, Yalom's work deservedly draws the highest praise from even his critics and competitors.

Lieberman, M. A., Yalom, I. D. & Miles, M. (1973). Encounter Groups: First facts. New York:  Basic Books.

A study of the 1960's encounter group movement.  The most successful leaders were seen to be moderate in stimulating the group emotionally and in setting limits.  They were high in the caring and understanding they offered.

Yalom, I. D. & Elkin, G. (1974). Everyday Gets a Little Closer:  A twice told therapy. New York:  Basic Books.

Yalom treats a young writer who kept a journal of her sessions with him.  He kept a journal as well and they exchanged and read one anothers journals every six months.  A fascinating and often contradictory picture of what is healing in the psychotherapeutic process.

Yalom, I. D. (1980). Existential Psychotherapy. New York:  Basic Books.

A very readable exposition of existential psychotherapy organized around the themes of death, freedom, isolation and meaninglessness.

Yalom, I. D. (1983). Inpatient Group Therapy. New York:  Basic Books.

This is an excellent addition to his outpatient volume.  It offers two very usable models for inpatient work.  If you are running inpatient groups the modifications from his outpatient format are imperative.

Yalom, I. D. (1989). Love's Executioner and Other Tales of Psychotherapy:  For anyone whose ever been on either side of the couch. New York: Basic Books.

Writes in a revealing way about the therapist and the therapeutic process.  We begin to see his movement toward the telling of truth through fiction that is fully developed in his Nietzsche Wept.

Vinogradov, S. & Yalom, I. D. (1989). Concise Guide to Group Psythotherapy. Washington, D.C.: American Psychiatric Press.

A sort of group psychotherapy book of lists.  Their excellent summaries are best appreciated after you know the literature.

Yalom, I.D. (1992).  When Nietzsche Wept. New York:  Basic Books.

A fascinating culmination of Yalom's life efforts.  Strands of his interest in group, existentialism, the person of the therapist, are all evident in this novel in which Breuer, the therapist, may end up changing more than his patient Nietzsche.

Yalom, I. D. (1996)  Lying on the Couch : A Novel. New York: Basic Books.

Lying of every kind is going on here as Yalom makes another effort to describe the lay of the land in the area of truth telling.

COURSE REQUIREMENTS

1. Read assigned texts and attend class.
   
   
2. Lead and participate in discussions.  See TEACHING AND LEARNING BY DISCUSSION.
   
   
   1. Choose topic and one article.
   2. Raise discussion questions for the article.
   3. Annotated bibliography of 3-5 references.
   4. Design role-play related to the article.
   5. All of the above must be handed out in class 1 week before your discussion.
   6. See sample, THERAPEUTIC USE OF THE SELF, which is our first discussion that I will lead on 1/28/04. READ AND STUDY THIS ARTICLE FOR THE THIRD DAY OF CLASS.
   7. The discussion leader will need to raise two questions worthy of further exploration after the discussion is completed and email these two questions to all class participants and the instructor within 48 hours of the completion of the discussion.

    

3. Visit self-help group and distribute 1 page summary to class on or before 4/14/04. You can do this by visiting an on line list of SELF-HELP GROUPS or visit one in person by calling the Mental Health Association of Dallas at 214 871-2420. An example is given in SELF HELP FOR THE HARD OF HEARING.
   
   
4. Mid-term and final exam, which will be taken as a group. 
   
   
5. Evaluate teaching modules.SEE STUDENT EVALUATION FORM.
   
   
   

GRADING

• Leading and participating in discussion.                50%
• Mid-term, taken as a group                                  20%
• Final, taken as a group                                        20%
• Self-help                                                            10%
  
  Since discussion is the primary way in which you will be evaluated it is very important to be present and be on time to class. You can't discuss if you are not there. We meet 15 times so if you miss once you have missed 6.6% of the class. You can still get an "A". If you miss twice you have already missed 13% of the class and the best you can get is a "B". If you miss five times you have missed 33% of the class and have failed.
  
  It is easy to get an A in this class. Come and participate. Read the paper that is part of your syllabus on Teaching and Learning by Discussion and follow the suggestions given there.
  
  You may also want to look at Stephen D. Brookfield and Stephen Preskill's book Discussion as a Way of Teaching: Tools and Techniques for Democratic Classrooms. (1999, San Francisco: Jossey-Bass Publishers.)
  
  In their book they say for discussion to go well in the classroom that all the participants need to practice certain dispositions in each class. They name the most important dispositions as hospitality, participation, mindfulness, humility, mutuality, deliberation, appreciation, hope, and autonomy. Give each of these some thought and come to class intentionally trying to emulate them.
  
  During the discussion I will be looking for material from your own experience, information from the textbooks, learning from other class work and reading, as well as frequent reference to the article we are discussing.
  
  Brookfield and Preskill (1999) additionally frame the following assumptions, from which I quote, that apply to the group course which you are about to begin:
  
  1.  That participating in discussion brings with it the following benefits:
       
• It helps students explore a diversity of perspectives.
• It increases students' awareness of and tolerance for ambiguity or complexity.
• It helps students recognize and investigate their assumptions.
• It encourages attentive, respectful listening.
• It develops new appreciation for continuing differences.
• It increases intellectual agility.
• It helps students become connected to a topic.
• It shows respect for students' voices and experiences.
• It helps students learn the processes and habits of democratic discourse.
• It affirms students as co-creators of knowledge.
• It develops the capacity for the clear communication of ideas and meaning.
• It develops habits of collaborative learning.
• It increases breadth and makes students more empathic.
• It helps students develop skills of synthesis and integration.
• It leads to transformation.
  
  2.  That students attending will have experiences that they can reflect on and analyze in discussion.
  
  3.  That the course will focus on the analysis of students' experiences and ideas as much as on the analysis of academic theories.
  
  4.  That the chief regular class activity will be a small group discussion of expereinces and ideas.
  
  5.  That I as teacher have a dual role as a catalyst for your critical conversation and as a model of democratic talk.
  
  So Please take note of the following "product warnings"
  
  If you don't feel comfortable talking with others about yourself and your experience in small groups, you should probably drop this course. [ An alternative to this would be to bring up the issue in the experience group with Dr. Bonnheim, or find an individual therapist to examine the difficulty with.]
  
  If you don't feel comfortable with small group discussion and think it's a touch-feely waste of valuable time, you should probably drop this course. [An alternative to this would be to read Plato's Symposium. If the Plato's record of a small group on love doesn't convince you of the value of discussion, I doubt if my course will.]
  
  If you are not prepared to analyze your own and other people's experiences, you should probably drop this course.
   

INFORMATION ON GROUP

1. Journals
   1. International Journal of Group Psychotherapy
   2. Group Analysis
   3. Group
      
      
2. Organizations
   
   
   1. American Group Psychotherapy Association (AGPA)
      25 East 21^st street, 6^th floor
      New York, NY 10010
      (212) 477-2677
      
      
   2. Group-Analytic Society (London) (GAS)
      Group-Analytic Society
      258 Belsize Road
      London
      NW6 4BT
      United Kingdom
      
      
   3. International Association of Group Psychotherapy (IAGP)
      
      
      
   4. American Psychological Association (APA)
      750 1^st Street N.E.
      Washingtion, D.C. 20002
      (202) 336-5500
      
      After joining APA you may join:
      Division 49:  Group Psychology and Group Psychotherapy
      
      
   5. Southwestern Group Psychotherapy Society
      Edmundo J. Ruiz, M.D., CGP, President

      1103 Seymour Avenue

      Laredo, TX 78040

      Office:  (956) 722-2115

      E-mail: lrdoejruiz@hotmail.com

      
      

   6. Dallas Group Psychotherapy Society
      Marti Kranzberg, Ph.D., CGP, President
      5217 McKinney Avenue, Suite 102
      Dallas, TX 75205-3324
      Office: (214) 528-1815
      Fax: (214) 528-1686
      E-mail: mkr950@airmail.net
      
       
   7. Mental Health Association of Dallas
      2929 Carlisle Street, Suite 350
      Dallas, Texas 75204
      Self help Clearing House
      (214) 871-2420
      
      
3. Internet Sites
   
   Dallas Group Analytic Practice www.dgapractice.com. Under links you will find addresses for all of the major group sites.