Analyzing Group Techniques
The video selected for evaluation is the Interpersonal Therapy for Addiction Recovery Demonstration; it features one of the members (Jimmy) opening up to the group about how addiction to painkillers drove him to steal his mother's medication. Jimmy's mother, who died the previous year, was suffering from a chronic condition that required her to take painkillers to relieve the pain, but he would steal them instead. Based on the Video, he is remorseful and ashamed of his actions. Group therapy techniques The group therapy techniques demonstrated in the video are; group motivation, group interaction, and obtaining feedback. Group motivation is demonstrated when the therapist encourages Jimmy to share with the group (CATS CATS, 2016). Group interaction is demonstrated through participation; the other members offer encouraging words to Jimmy after sharing his addiction story, and they share their stories of addiction that they consider shameful. The therapist demonstrated obtaining feedback when she asked Jimmy to share his motivation for opening up to the group (CATS CATS, 2016). The techniques are well shown in the video, making it easy to spot them. Evidence from literature Len (2018) reviewed group counseling techniques identifying them as group expectation, group motivation, and group interaction, as well as obtaining feedback. Group expectation is the application of specific therapy practices to achieve the established goals. The therapist must set the objectives before each session, build trust with the clients and identify and analyze the problems shared by the group members (Len, 2018). The basis of the technique is to ensure that the therapist and group members are on the same page regarding the therapy achievements during each session. Group motivation is the therapist’s use of encouraging language to get clients to open up or share their knowledge with the other members (Len, 2018). Motivation involves gaining the clients' trust to make them confident to speak up during the group sessions and not feel judged or intimidated. In the video, when Jimmy was asked by the therapist what made him share his experiences with the group, he said that he could trust them, showing that group motivation had influenced him to open up (CATS CATS, 2016). Group interaction involves the members and the therapist discussing the problem; it can involve providing strategies to solve the problem or coping strategies (Len, 2018). Additionally, the other group members can empathize with each other, share similar experiences and provide a sense of community. For instance, in the video, after Jimmy shared his story, one of the group members shared that he would also steal his grandfather’s pension to support his addiction (CATS CATS, 2016). Also, the other members shared that their addition drove them to do things that filled them with guilt and shame. In doing so, group interaction helps ease group members’ burdens and encourages them to achieve recovery. Obtaining feedback involves an assessment of the session; the therapist aims to determine its effectiveness in helping the clients and attaining the set goals (Len, 2018). In the video, the three techniques demonstrated based on Len's (2018) study are group motivation, group interaction, and obtaining feedback. The therapist did not state the session's objectives before it began; therefore, group expectation is not demonstrated.
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