Group therapy is a popular form of psychotherapy in which a
number of patientsÑusually 4 to 12Ñmeet together with a
therapist. The term group therapy is reserved, strictly
speaking, for groups in which individuals with emotional
disorders seek help from a mental health professional. More
broadly, the term group therapy describes groups with other
purposes. Encounter groups, consciousness-raising groups, and
Alcoholics Anonymous are forms of group therapy that each have a
different purpose and structure. People join these groups to
improve their lives or become more aware of particular issues.
There are many theoretical approaches to group therapy. Among
these approaches are the psychodynamic or analytic, Gestalt,
transactional analysis, t-group, behavioral, and psychodrama.
While the approaches vary in rationale, procedure, and content,
they all tend to view the group format as having characteristics
that make it different from individual therapy. In addition to
being a more economical format, groups can serv