9. Special techniques’ application in Group
Therapy
- Prevent the patients from being exposed to
many stimuli: as already mentioned, a patient
in the first and incisive phases of the disease,
as well as disorganized patients of low
functionality are not allowed to participate in
interaction groups. The methods employed
evoke to the patient aggravation condition
and total isolation. The gradual adaptation,
where the patient gains more resistance to
anxiety is a correct and suggested technique.
- Education and Reality inspection: the
member’s instruction lies upon the general
information about their sickness, its
prognosis, the reason which lead to the
aggravation of their condition, the ways of
avoiding reversion, the identification of
positive symptoms and the need to comply
with the P/T. In groups, thanks to interaction,
the members communicate their experiences
on how they live with the problem, how they
come over their psychotic condition elements,
the encouragement and the course of their
disease.
- Maintain the discussion on recent and timely
issues of living: the patients discuss over
subjects which are directly related to
everyday life. They refer to problems that
engross them, such as family, work, their
relation with their co-patients and how they
get on with each other.
- Focus on the positive side of the themes
discussed: the discussion is rolling on the
positive points of the narrations so that the
goals of the team be more feasible and in the
realms of reality. These goals are mutual
support, encouragement and mutual aid
through consultation.
- Focus on the group’s orientation: a) towards
interaction and (b) towards social education
depending on the patient’s functionality. In
interaction groups, patients are encouraged
to express their emotions and problems, and
they are rewarded for this. Within the groups,
they recognize their problems, find solutions
and answers through their in between
relationship, while they receive consultation
and moral solidarity and support by the other
members. The patients live confidence and
are not obliged to refer to very personal
issues. They learn to manipulate anxiety
through the team, and therefore the social
and professional relationships. Everything
happens within the therapy environment is
employed as an example by the therapist,
who asks and seeks after the members’
annotation and opinion over these themes.
Group therapy in psychotic inpatients.Health Science Journal.2014;8 (3) P a g e | 405
In the second groups of social education
through roles and models function, which the
therapist himself represents, the patients are
asked to improve their sociality and abilities. They
are taught the indispensability of communicating
with people, of perceiving their false thoughts and
social conducts, the reasons that lead to these
conducts, one’s actions consequences, and
through the team they seek for alternative
solutions so that the dysfunctional conducts can
be altered. The group therapy context ensures the
protection and safety of its members, gives the
impression of family and home atmosphere and
encourages the members to stay in touch
independently of the sessions.