Group Treatment in Psychotherapy

Group Treatment in Psychotherapy was first published in 1951. Minnesota Archive Editions uses digital technology to make long-unavailable books once again accessible, and are published unaltered from the original University of Minnesota Press editions.

The rapid development of group therapy in general in the past decade has pointed up the need for a clear definition of the aims of such therapy and the processes by which these aims may be achieved. This book answers that need by presenting an analysis of the group therapeutic process in simple, understandable style with a generous use of concrete examples for a vivid demonstration of the principles involved.

Dr. Hinckley and Miss Hermann base this analysis on their experience with group therapy for the past ten years in the Students' Mental Hygiene Clinic at the University of Minnesota. Although certain theoretical assumptions underlie the analysis, the report does not aim to discuss or evaluate theories. The purpose is, rather, to help all who are concerned with human relations to understand the potentialities and limitations of group therapy for their own particular needs.

Psychological counselors and guidance workers, social workers and especially those engaged in social group work, educators, medical personnel, and others whose work is associated with psychotherapy will find here an informative and practical guide.

The authors have quoted liberally from verbatim records of actual group sessions to show how a group operates therapeutically and what a therapist should do and not do. A final chapter follows a group through a year of weekly meetings to show the step-by-step progress of therapy. Statistics presented in the appendix show the increased amount of therapy resulting from group treatment.

Forewords are contributed by C. Gilbert Wrenn, president of the Division of Counseling and Guidance, American Psychological Association, and John C. Kidneigh, director of the School of Social Work, University of Minnesota.