This is a resend of a message I sent on 5/10/92 plus a few
additional thoughts.
I would appreciate some comments on how to apply HPCT to a group
therapy situation with adolescents. I am taking a look at how
groups are run at the Residential Treatment Center(RTC) where I
have beem Clinical Director for the past almost two years. Each
resident is offered at least one session of individual and one
session of group therapy per week. Other than insisting that a
group therapy session take place each week, I have left this
aspect of treatment to the consulting clinical staff to do as
they see fit. I am beginning to feel that I need to take a more
active role in this area.
Some of the problems we are running into with our groups: The
groups are often chaotic, more so on the boys side than the girls
side. The residents are sometimes stirred up by the group
discussion and act out afterwords. The residential living staff
complain of having to deal with this. The residential living
staff participate in the group therapy and the clinical staff
feel powerless to influence how they participate. The
worthwhileness of the group therapy is being called into
question.
Some issues which occur to me:
What are the distinctive purposes of group therapy? Some of my
own thoughts--
To sharpen observational skills as you see your peers
interacting with each other.
The levels of perception can provide some
observational categories.
Trying to improve skill at reading other
people's intentions.
To improve communication skills as you verbally express
yourself in the group.
Expressing your intentions clearly as well as
other things you want to say.
Being aware of signs that the other person is
understanding/not understanding of what you
said or are doing.
To learn the method of levels.
To learn more about yourself from the reactions of
other people to you.
Receiving comments about your actions and
words in an open fashion.
Noticeing people in the group who are like
you and unlike you in different ways.
To learn how to be emotionally supportive of and
receive support from another person.
Be aware of signs that the other person is
feeling better.
Letting other people know when you are
feeling better.
To learn how to relate to someone without trying to
control them or be controlled by them.
Being sensitive to when you are trying to
control another person.
Being sensitive to when another person is
trying to control you.
Knowing how to resolve conflicts.
How should the meeting being organized to reach these goals? Some
of my own thoughts--
Some easy-to-understand summary of HPCT should be part
of what happens. (For example: A person is always
trying to get and keep what he/she wants as mucn as
possible. A want refers to a desired experience. If the
action being taken does not result in the desired
experience, a person will change the action being taken
so that what is experienced becomes more like the
desired experience. Control refers to how closely the
actual experience matches the desired experience. When
the person is controlling perfectly, the actual and
desired experience are the same. This is called zero
error signal. The smaller the mismatch (error signal),
the better the control is said to be.)
Some statements of the group self-image should be made.
This involves stating the purpose of the group clearly.
Participation in the group should be voluntary after
the resident has participated in the group for a while.
Some development of group norms(principle level
perceptions) should take place.
I would really appreciate any comments you have about basing a
group therapy on HPCT ideas. My plan is to write a curriculum for
each of the points mentioned above. Regardless of the purpose of
the group, I think that the above points should be addressed.
Thanks.
···
To: general CSGnet members
From: David Goldstein
Subject: group therapy based on HPCT
Date: 05/15/92