Resistance in group psychotherapy

Teaching beginning group therapists to incorporate a patient's empathic capacity in treatment planning

“…An empathic stance towards the group resistance implies, according to Fenchel and Flapan (1985), that "therapists are not dealing with neurotic patients in group therapy but rather with disorders of the self.., it is quite likely that if therapists were more empathic to resistance manifestations, treatment would be facilitated" (pp. 35-36).…”

Using the prospective approach as an adjunct to established models of group psychotherapy

“…Resistance, a key psychoanalytic concept, has been defined by Feinchel (1945) as "everything that prevents the patient from producing material derived from the unconscious" (p. 27). Group resistance may compound the resistance of individual patients (Fenchel & Flapan, 1985). This occurs when members "band together" to stave off therapeutic interpretation.…”

Dealing With Resistance in Group Therapy

“…Often the group resents the scapegoat for not changing annoying behavior that has been pointed out. Since scapegoating can never be tolerated, the therapist needs to intervene (Fenchel & Flapan, 1985). Some clients will reject or deny group members' statements concerning observations about their behavior in a way that indicates an unwillingness to change.…”