the approaches have their use and place in the treatment of troubled people. In
multi-modal therapy, the specific kind of therapy employed depends on the needs of
the patient and the type of mental or emotional problem presented to the therapist.(a) Beck speaks of thoughts, thoughts that appear at a conscious level with-
out intention or the use of will.(b) Many psychotherapists use therapy, a general approach recognizing that
all of the approaches have their use and place in the treatment of troubled people.
Answers: (a) automatic; (b) multi-modal.Group Therapy: Encountering Others
Group therapy,as its name clearly suggests, is therapy conducted in group set-
tings. A typical group ranges from five to seven in number. The therapist acts as a
facilitator,an individual who mediates between members of the group, allows
everyone a chance to participate, and keeps the group on track. Any of the prior
kinds of therapy specified can be conducted in a group setting.
Group therapy arose during World War II, over fifty years ago. There was a
need to treat large numbers of patients suffering from battle fatigue,an inability
to continue active service because of adverse emotional reactions to the stress of
combat. (This same condition was called shell shockin World War I and post-
traumatic stress disorder [PTSD]in the Vietnam War and later conflicts.) Trained psy-
chotherapists were in short supply in military psychiatric wards. Out of necessity,
clinical psychologists and psychiatrists began to see patients in groups. Group
therapy was found to be highly effective. The patients learned from each other,
shared feelings, and helped each other heal. Group therapy remains a principal
way in which to make psychotherapy accessible to a large number of sufferers. It
is used frequently in both mental hospitals and private practice settings.
In the 1960s a trend arose called the human potential movement.The
basic idea of the movement was to go beyond using a group approach to heal the
sick. Instead, the group structure was used to help a relatively normal person
exceed his or her present level of mental and emotional development. To a large
extent, the movement was based on Maslow’s principle of self-actualization.
Groups that aim at fostering one’s potentialities and personal growth are called
encounter groups.In an encounter,one human being meets another human
being in an authentic manner without sham or pretense. At an informal level,
members of the group “get real” with each other. The atmosphere of the group
creates a kind of psychological mirror that allows the individual to see the self in
a more reality-oriented way. Encounter groups were very popular in the 1960s
and 1970s. Their popularity has ebbed, but they are still used.240 PSYCHOLOGY