Dynamic group psychotherapy

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The Dynamic Group Psychotherapy is a legally recognized in Austria psychotherapeutic method that depth psychology , social psychology and group dynamics combines theories in a clinical model. It was developed by the Viennese psychiatrist Raoul Schindler in the 1950s.

The psychotherapeutic work takes place with groups, individuals, couples and families.

Roots and Foundations

The development of dynamic group psychotherapy is closely linked to Raoul Schindler. Schindler's intention to organize all methods working with the group phenomenon in a specific group therapeutic model brought researchers in the field of psychoanalysis , role and field theory and group dynamics together in a forum. There was a connection between social and depth psychological theories, which resulted in an independent, interpersonal psychotherapeutic procedure. Kurt Lewin's field theory, his considerations and research on group dynamics in small groups as well as Muzafer Sherif's examination of group qualities (norms, reference systems) represent the main socio-psychological roots of the method. One representative of the depth psychological roots and aspects of the method is Trigant Burrow , who was already studying psychoanalysis in 1926 suggests to the group by the group and “ subscribes to the assumption that neurosis can only be understood in the context of the social and cultural order (group) - individual - symptom in a radical way that otherwise only Wilfred Bion or Schindler can understand".

Other important pioneers are Samuel S. Slavson with his considerations on how a group can be therapeutically effective; Wilfried R. Bion with his model for containment and the basic assumptions; Ezriel, who understood the transference situation as a general phenomenon that occurs in every relationship between people; Stock-Whitaker & Liebermann with the concept of group focus conflict and Irvin D. Yalom with his concept of “paratactic distortion”. Further contextual references can be found to other psychodynamically-interactively oriented group methods, such as in the Göttingen layer model of the group levels by Heigl & Heigl-Evers.

The group interprets the theoretical concept decisively shaped by Raoul Schindler as a dynamic organizational process of several people, which forms a whole in relation to a common other, analogous to the organizational efforts of the ego, which integrates its physical and mental elements (organs) in relation to an environment into one person. This happens through demarcation (individuation) and role formation, which takes place according to the laws of rank dynamics and functionality and is expressed in authentic action.

In doing so, dynamic group psychotherapy uses “the group as its own therapeutic instrument and assumes that it offers optimal opportunities with its diverse range of options for transferring and shaping roles in the current network of relationships. By re-enacting the conflict dynamics of the individual persons in the here and now in the force field of the group process, a process of psychosocial maturation develops in a reciprocal dynamic ”.

Image of man, principles and principles

Dynamic group psychotherapy focuses on relationships, understood as events between people and social systems. It is based on an interpersonal image of man and therefore also on an interpersonal theory of disease development. The group concept is not symptom-centered. Illness is understood as "social role behavior from which the therapeutic goal, the creation of wholeness and movement (dynamics), is derived". Special symptom formation and mental disorders can only be understood in the interaction between the environment and the individual and only in the context of the social and cultural order. It is essential to pay attention to the constant interaction between individual systems, micro- and macrocosms as well as to consider the group as a whole, "in the Lewin's sense, following on from conceptual design theory, as an over-summative unit". The goal of therapy is not an ideal conception of health, but rather the optimization of life processes in relation to the limitations and defenses experienced as illness.

Majce-Egger describes specific principles of dynamic group psychotherapy. These concern

  •  the interpersonal relationship and interaction,
  •  participatory observation,
  •  the plurality ( every person is a group , because through socialization he carries within himself the entirety of the reference groups that are important for him; thus group dynamics principles also come into play in the individual setting),
  •  observance of the "here and now" principle, which makes the current relationship structure clear,
  •  a relative unstructuredness and
  •  group development (groups develop according to regularities that can be observed; the models derived from them are used as a repertoire of methods for process analysis, diagnostics and intervention planning) 

Effect factors

The effective factors of dynamic group psychotherapy include: a. Learning from interpersonal action, received feedback and participatory observation, the experience of a sense of belonging and acceptance, the mapping of external social relationships of the members within the group, the revival and repetition of unprocessed primary and secondary group experiences, their processing and the testing of alternative behaviors.

According to scientific studies, group psychotherapy is highly effective. The effect sizes are well above the usual effect sizes in psychotherapy research . The quality of the ability to accept relationships (interpersonal intelligence, sensitivity) is a significant prognostic factor for the therapy.

Areas of application

Dynamic group psychotherapy is particularly suitable for coping with interpersonal problems, crisis and conflict situations, when changing dependencies and when changing phases of life.

The method is used in clinical and rehabilitative as well as preventive and outpatient areas. The usual settings are weekly group units of 90 minutes. Depending on the objectives and institutional options, open or closed groups, short and long-term group therapies, homogeneous or heterogeneous groups are offered.

Although dynamic group psychotherapy was basically designed as a group therapy method, it has also found its theoretical extension and application in individual settings. It is particularly suitable for development deficits that are characterized by interpersonal forms of defense. The focus is on the relationship process in the dyadic situation in the here and now, on re-enactments of conflict dynamics with special attention to countertransference phenomena such as B. role assignments that make their genesis workable in the respective reference groups.

Institutional anchoring and training

In 1959, Raoul Schindler and a few colleagues founded the Austrian Working Group for Group Therapy and Group Dynamics (ÖAGG). With the founding of the association, the integration of these two competing scientific developments should be completed and an interdisciplinary space created for exchange and development. In 1981 there was an expansion of the ÖAGG, in the course of which method-oriented specialist sections were created, including the specialist section for group dynamics (from 1989 specialist section for group dynamics and group psychotherapy ).

The legally recognized specialist subject dynamic group psychotherapy offered by the ÖAGG entitles to practice psychotherapy in all settings (groups, individuals, couples and families).

Web links

ÖAGG - Austrian working group for group dynamics and group psychotherapy

Individual evidence

  1. ↑ Federal Ministry of Health: Patients - Information on the psychotherapeutic methods recognized in Austria - as of December 4th, 2014. Retrieved January 6, 2018 .
  2. ↑ a b c Martin Voracek, Friederike Goldmann & Konrad Wirnschimmel: Austrian Working Group for Group Therapy and Group Dynamics (ÖAGG) - Section for Group Dynamics and Group Psychotherapy (GD&DG) . In: Gerhard Stumm & Elisabeth Jandl-Jager (ed.): Psychotherapy - Training in Austria . 2nd Edition. Falter, Vienna 2006, ISBN 978-3-85439-334-4 , pp. 141 .
  3. ↑ a b Karin Zajec: Group psychotherapy with children and adolescents . Facultas, Vienna 2016, ISBN 978-3-7089-1541-8 , pp. 41 f .
  4. ↑ a b c d e f g h Maria Majce-Egger: Dynamic group psychotherapy. Retrieved January 2, 2018 .
  5. ↑ Rainer Fliedl, Ingrid Krafft-Ebing: Depth psychological roots and aspects of the method . In: Maria Majce-Egger (Ed.): Group Therapy and Group Dynamics - Dynamic Group Psychotherapy. Theoretical foundations, developments, methods . Facultas, Vienna 1999, ISBN 3-85076-482-6 , p. 39 .
  6. ^ Henry Ezriel: A Psycho-Analytic Approach to the Treatment of Patients in Groups . In: The British Journal of Psychiatry . tape 96 , no. 404 , p. 774-779 .
  7. ^ Dorothy Stock Whitaker & Morton A. Lieberman: Psychotherapeutic Change through the Group Process . Transaction Publishers, London, ISBN 978-0-202-36836-8 .
  8. ↑ Franz Heigl & Anneliese Heigl-Evers: Group therapy: interactional - depth psychologically founded (analytically oriented) - psychoanalytical . In: Group Psychotherapy and Group Dynamics . tape 7 , 1973, p. 132-157 .
  9. ^ A b Raoul Schindler: Dynamic group psychotherapy . In: Gerhard Stumm & Beatrix Wirth (eds.): Psychotherapy. Schools and Methods . 2nd Edition. Falter, Vienna, ISBN 3-85439-085-8 , pp. 253 .
  10. ↑ Lilli Lehner & Friederike Goldmann: Dynamic group psychotherapy . In: Heiner Bartuska et al. (Ed.): Psychotherapeutic diagnostics. Guidelines for the new standard . Springer, Vienna / New York 2005, ISBN 978-3-211-29398-0 , pp. 79 .
  11. ↑ a b Susanna Schenk: Framework conditions and conceptual presentations in dynamic group psychotherapy . In: Maria Majce-Egger (Ed.): Group Therapy and Group Dynamics - Dynamic Group Psychotherapy. Theoretical foundations, developments, methods. Facultas, Vienna 1999, ISBN 3-85076-482-6 , p. 293 .
  12. ↑ Volker Tschuschke: Practice of group psychotherapy . Ed .: Volker Tschuschke. Thieme, Stuttgart 2001, ISBN 3-13-127971-0 .
  13. ^ The ÖAGG Austrian working group for group therapy and group dynamics. Retrieved January 6, 2018 .
  14. ^ Judith Lamatsch, Andrea Tippe: Raoul Schindler: A Biography . In: Christina Spaller, Konrad Wirnschimmel, Andrea Tippe, Judith Lamatsch, Ursula Margreiter, Ingrid Krafft-Ebing, Michael ertl (eds.): The living structure of the group . Psychosozial-Verlag, Giessen 2016, ISBN 978-3-8379-2514-2 , pp. 20th f .