63rd Annual Conference

Friday, February 24

Afternoon Open Sessions

2:45-6:00 P.M.

Session 310

On Treating the Group from Hell

Chair:     

Anne Alonso, Ph.D., CGP, DFAGPA, Clinical Professor, Harvard Medical School, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts

Panelists:

Priscilla Kauff, Ph.D., CGP, DFAGPA, Private Practice, New York, New York

J. Scott Rutan, Ph.D., CGP, DFAGPA, Faculty, Boston Institute for Psychotherapy, Boston, Massachusetts 

Even seasoned group clinicians tend to grapple with very difficult patients in difficult groups.  Some groups can develop defenses that feel unreasonable even when the individual patients do not appear to be particularly troublesome.  This situation can result in the "group from hell."  This open session will consist of a demo group selected from the participants and conducted by Drs. Alonso and Rutan, moderated by Dr. Kauff.  Discussion will ensue about how to minimize hellish aspects of the experience.

Learning Objectives:

The attendee will be able to:

1. Deepen understanding of potential therapeutic impasses.

2. Identify advantages and disadvantages of group therapy for the difficult patient. 

3. Explore countertransference anxiety around working with one's most difficult patient.

4. Understand group-wide defenses.

5. Enhance the group leader's ability to use group consultations.

Course References:

1. Alonso, A. & Rutan, J. (1993). Character Change in Group Therapy. International Journal of Group Psychotherapy, 43 (4), 439-451.

2. Chessick, R. (1986). Transference and Countertransference Revisited. Dynamic Psychotherapy. 4 (1), 14-30.

3. Groves, J. (1978). Taking Care of the Hateful Patient. New England Journal of Medicine, 298, 883-887.

4. Kernberg, O. (1984). Severe Personality Disorders: Psychotherapeutic strategies. New Haven: Yale University Press.