The Setting, Target Group, and Effects
Originally, Sigmund Freud (1856–1939), the founder of psychoanalysis, was not interested in working with groups; today, however, many psychotherapists consider the group to be the most effective therapeutic setting and the future of psychotherapy. This is not only because group therapy is more cost-effective than individual therapy, but above all because the group provides a social microcosm in which emotional difficulties can be addressed in ways that are not always possible in an individual setting. The analytical group enables participants to understand how they are influenced by group processes and to become aware of the emotional patterns that drive their relationships with other group members. Belonging to an experiential group has the power to transform the social lives of its participants.

The Method: Group Analytic Therapy
The small analytic group meets once a week for 90 minutes. The group size is limited to 6–8 members. The “here and now” in the sessions is the most important therapeutic “space,” and it is of greater significance than the stories drawn from the group members’ actual lives. Members are encouraged to express whatever is on their minds as freely as possible and without censorship. The therapist supports the group in its self-exploration and helps bring group processes into conscious awareness. She or he ensures that the group’s framework remains intact. Over time, the group develops the capacity to experience intense emotional moments, the kind that rarely occur in everyday life. The meaningful encounters within the group foster higher levels of social self-awareness.

GROUP ANALYSIS

The Setting, Target Group, and Effects
The founder of psychoanalysis, Sigmund Freud (1856–1939), was not interested in working with groups; nevertheless, many therapists today consider groups to be the most effective therapeutic setting and the future of psychotherapy. This is not only because group therapy is more affordable than individual therapy, but mainly because the group provides a social microcosm where emotional difficulties can be worked through in a way that is not always possible in an individual setting. The analytic group enables participants to understand how they are influenced by group processes and to become aware of the emotional patterns that shape their relationships with other group members. Belonging to an experiential group has the power to transform the social lives of its participants.

The Method: Group Analytic Therapy
The small analytic group meets once a week for 90 minutes. The group size is limited to 6–8 members. The “here and now” in the sessions is the true therapeutic “playground,” and it holds greater significance than the stories drawn from the group members’ actual lives. Members are encouraged to voice whatever is currently on their minds as freely as possible and without self-censorship. The therapist supports the group in its self-exploration and in bringing group processes into awareness. He also ensures that the group’s boundaries remain safe. Over time, the group becomes an extraordinary emotional experience, the depth of which is unmatched by other forms of interaction. The meaningful encounters within the group foster higher levels of self-awareness in social settings.