With the explosive growth in managed health care, more and more problems that can overwhelm those who live in poverty -- from domestic violence to teenage pregnancy -- are being treated in a group setting. In fact, group psychotherapy is proven to be one of the most effective treatments for overwhelmed clients. Respected experts June Gary Hopps and Elaine Pinderhughes have long advocated the efficiency and power of group therapy; now
Group Work with Overwhelmed Clients shows effective groups in action, and it discusses at length the techniques that make them work.
This authoritative, first-of-its-kind handbook will aid social service agency administrators, clinicians, and paraprofessionals as they explore group therapy for poor and oppressed populations in order to deal with addiction, gang membership, and the stresses of disease or recent immigration, as well as to improve job preparation, parenting, and sex education. It offers case-specific vignettes, new insights on leader issues, and practical application in the form of hands-on guides, as well as step-by-step instructions for organizing groups, targeting and screening members, establishing goals, and managing group dynamics.
Unlike books on groups that focus on single-issue therapy, Group Work with Overwhelmed Clients presents the first integrated treatment approach, demonstrating that the sharing, support, and empowerment of a group can be life-transforming. Comprehensive and exhaustive, Group Work with Overwhelmed Clients will be of great value to anyone in the field.
Industry Reviews
Anne O. Freed Boston College Graduate School of Education The authors ably and with great clarity describe the use of supportive group treatment methods to help their clients/patients find their strengths, confront their difficulties, and acquire the hope necessary to mobilize themselves to change the course of their lives. This book is a valuable, detailed "how-to" guide for mental health leaders on the processes involved in working with a population desperately needing their services and proof that they can be helped -- that there is HOPE.
Bogart Leashore Dean and Professor, The Hunter College School of Social Work Irresistibly clear, this book demonstrates the power of groups for effective intervention. In dramatic fashion, it highlights the promise of groups and compels the practitioner to consider groups as the intervention of choice. Students, teachers, and researchers should also find it a useful reference.