61st Annual Conference

Friday, February, 27
Afternoon Workshops
3:00 – 6:00 P.M.

Workshop 61
Inpatient Group Psychotherapy: An Effective Model When You Only Have One Session

Presented under the auspices of the Severe and Persistent Mentally Ill Special Interest Group

Chair:              

Neal Spivack, Ph.D., CGP, Supervising Psychologist, Lincoln Medical and

Mental Health Center, Bronx, New York

On acute inpatient units, highly disturbed patients sometimes attend group for only one session.  A model of inpatient group therapy will be presented that allows for rapidly developing an empowering environment, focusing group themes, and encouraging a problem solving environment.  The value of the group as a powerful healing tool in this context will be demonstrated in a role-play.

didactic-sharing of work experiences-experiential-demonstration

Course References:

1. Brabender, V. & Fallon, A. (1993). Models of inpatient group psychotherapy.  Washington, DC:

    American Psychological Association.

2. Goffman, E. (1961). Asylums: Essays on the Social Situation of mental Patients and Other Inmates. Doubleday Anchor.

3. Gustafson, J. & Cooper, L. (1992). After basic assumptions: On holding a specialized versus a

    general theory of participant observation in small groups.  In M. Pines (Ed.), Bion and Group

    Psychotherapy, 157-175. London: Routledge.