Synopses & Reviews
Review
"Women have played an important role in the history of Group Psychotherapy. Helen Durkin and Henrietta Glatzer were important authors long before feminism raised our consciousness. Nonetheless, there has been little written specifically focusing on the issue of women in group psychotherapy. The present volume fills this void.
"Historically more women than men have sought psychotherapy. In recent years, more women than men are entering the field as mental health providers. Thus it is timely that this important book on Women and Group Psychotherapy is available.
"An important text that combines solid feminist theory and practical advice on Women and Group Psychotherapy.
"Editor Betsy DeChant has assembled a stellar cast of authors and together they present us with a comprehensive and readable text on a very timely subject--women and group psychotherapy." --J. Scott Rutan, Ph.D.
"This groundbreaking book is the most comprehensive text on this topic in print. It brings together, under one cover, some of the most important authors and clinicians, involved in the treatment of women in group psychotherapy. A very valuable resource for all clinicians, this book should be required reading in all training programs in the mental health field." --Nancy Boyd-Franklin, Ph.D., Rutgers University
"I consider this book to be the best book that attempts to extend the ideas that have originated in feminist psychology and psychotherapy to group psychotherapy. This is not often done and is done here very well. The chapters are very thoughtful presentations of the underlying gender issues that exist in group psychotherapy. Everyone, regardless of theoretical orientation, who conducts group therapy should read this book, particularly if they are not already cognizant of the significance of gender issues is psychotherapy." --Hannah Lerman, Ph.D.
Synopsis
Within the traditional group psychotherapy literature, spanning over 60 years to the present, there is little, if any, mention of the social category of gender as an important variable in group psychotherapy. Likewise, within the feminist literature, there are no texts which offer a theoretical and practical framework for the integration of feminist theory with psychodynamic group psychotherapy theory and practice. This book comprehensively analyzes and explores gender-oriented psychodynamic group psychotherapy, and expands the basic tenets of psychodynamic feminist practice. The contributors explore from various perspectives the dialogue between the social construct of gender and psychodynamic theory and process, as well as its impact on leadership and process in psychotherapy groups.
Synopsis
Within the traditional group psychotherapy literature, spanning over 60 years to the present, there is little, if any, mention of the social category of gender as an important variable in group psychotherapy. Likewise, within the feminist literature, there are no texts that offer a theoretical and practical framework for the integration of feminist theory with psychodynamic group psychotherapy theory and practice. Women and Group Psychotherapy offers the first collection of papers that comprehensively analyzes and explores gender-oriented psychodynamic group psychotherapy, and expands the basic tenets of psychodynamic feminist practice. The contributors to this volume explore from various perspectives the dialogue between the social construct of gender and psychodynamic theory and process, and its impact on leadership and process in psychotherapy groups. Organized into three sections, the book begins with an examination of feminist principles as praxis, offering the reader a contextual framework for understanding women and groups. The second section, which focuses on theoretical perspectives, covers key developmental themes, such as narcissism, conflicts with anger and power, and competition; as well as treatment of choice issues: mixed-gender versus all-female groups, and long-term versus short-term groups for women. Providing guidelines in leadership and training issues, chapters in the final section address the impact of gender on trends in research, ethical dilemmas and boundary issues, the different leadership styles of male and female group therapists, coleadership issues, and cross-cultural issues in treating women in groups. Women and Group Psychotherapy clearly fills a gap inthe existing literature and offers a new way to think about group therapy by, with, and for women. The original theoretical and practical perspectives will appeal to a wide range of professionals who deal with the issues of women in groups, including psychologists, psychiatrists, social workers, nurses, family therapists, and couple therapists. This book also serves as an invaluable training manual for psychotherapists and mental health counselors.
About the Author
Betsy DeChant is in private practice in Liberty Township, Ohio. She has been a Full Clinical Member of the American Group Psychotherapy Association since 1972, and a Fellow of AGPA since 1987. She is a Board Certified Diplomate in Clinical Social Work, and a member of the Association for the Advancement of Social Work with Groups. Over the last 20 years, she has presented numerous national and regional training seminars and workshops on group treatments for the chronically mentally ill and on women's issues in group psychotherapy. She has also presented and published papers in these areas.
Table of Contents
Introduction, DeChant
I. PHILOSOPHICAL PERSPECTIVES ON THE FEMINIST APPROACH
1. Feminist Thought and Group Psychotherapy: Feminist Principles as Praxis, Reed & Garvin
2. Women in Context(s): The Social Subtext of Group Psychotherapy, Grunebaum & Smith
3. Ways of Knowing: Women's Constructions of Truth, Authority, and Self, Goldberger
Commentary, DeChant
II. THEORETICAL PERSPECTIVES ON THE TREATMENT OF WOMEN IN GROUPS
4. Feminist Psychodynamic Group Psychotherapy: The Applications of Principles, Reed & Garvin
Developmental Themes
5. Narcissism in Women in Groups: The Emerging Female Self, Cohn
6. Conflicts with Anger and Power in Women's Groups, Bernardez
7. Competition in Women: From Prohibition to Triumph, Doherty, Moses, & Perlow
Treatments of Choice
8. Sex Role Issues: Mixed Gender Therapy Groups as the Treatment of Choice, Schoenholtz-Read
9. Women's Therapy Groups as the Treatment of Choice, Bernardez
10. Short-Term Women's Groups as Spaces for Integration, Oakley
11. Mothers, Models, and Mentors: Issues in Long-Term Group Therapy for Women, Cunningham & Knight
Commentary, DeChant
III. GUIDELINES FOR THE THERAPIST: LEADERSHIP AND TRAINING ISSUES
Research
12. Research on Gender-Linked Aspects of Group Behavior: Implications for Group Psychotherapy, Wright & Gould
13. The Personal is Political: A Feminist Agenda for Group Psychotherapy Research, Kravetz & Marecek
14. Boundaries in Group Therapy: Ethical and Practical Issues, Schoener & Luepker
15. Gender-Based Countertransference in the Group Treatment of Women, Bernardez
Leadership
16. Comparative Leadership Styles of Male and Female Therapists, Rosenberg
17. Coleadership Gender Issues in Group Psychotherapy, Kahn
18. Cross-Cultural Issues in Group Psychotherapy for Women, Olarte
Commentary, DeChant