Working with gay men in psychotherapy groups.

Abstract

Much is written throughout the chapters of this book about the struggle for men to understand what it means to be a man, with attention given to class, culture, race, and ethnicity. There is also much written about men wanting to relate with other men, even in ways that are intimate and affectionate. At this point in the various discussions, however, there will likely be a line drawn. This is a line of discomfort that seems to occur when the depth of male-male yearning moves from affectional to sexual.There are areas of commonality among all men, but there also exists a clear demarcation, with gay men either on the outside or, at least, on the other side. This is because the ways in which gay men yearn for intimacy and connection with other men often seem different and frightening.Heterosexual, or straight men, often feel uncomfortable with gay men. Slavson (1964) wrote this regarding the types of people that he thought were inappropriate for group psychotherapy: "The presence of a homosexual patient, whether active or latent, in a group of non-homosexuals, greatly intensifies anxiety in the latter. . . . the climate of the group reflects a sort of fear resembling the restlessness of a herd of animals who sense the proximity of a dangerous enemy" (p. 216). This is an old attitude; yet, it seems in some ways to be as true a feeling and perception today as 30 years ago. Gay men are often seen not only as different but as a threat.

Adolescent Males' Similarity, Emotional Safety, and Change in Strengths-Based Programming

“…The use of values-based programs is motivated by social psychological research on the links between values and behaviors (Neigo et al, 2008), and successful prevention programs often rely on a clear philosophy, or set of principles or values, as guidelines for interpreting and reconciling target attitudes, beliefs, and behaviors (Akers & Benner, 2008;Niego et al, 2008). While self-help groups are often intentionally composed of individuals facing similar difficulties (Frost, 1996), homogeneity of program participants is not often cited as a theoretical underpinning of intervention and prevention programs for youth.…”

“…People who have the shared experience of common problems are at an advantage for reciprocally providing help to one another and are perceived as being knowledgeable and experienced in negotiating the problem (Borkman, 1976;Wills, 1992). Despite findings that individuals are less likely to seek help from others that they perceive as similar to themselves (Nadler, 1987;Nadler & Fisher, 1984), self-help and psychotherapy groups are often composed of individuals in congruous situations (Frost, 1996). This allows identification between group members and superficial bonding to occur more rapidly, expediting members' trust in each others' knowledge and empathy (Borkman, 1976;Frost, 1996), implying that similarity can generate at least as much safety as it may compromise, through its influence on relationships.…”

“…Considering the stressful context of juvenile corrections, and the distinguishing factors that differentiate incarcerated adolescent males from the general population, it may be argued that these youth have the most to gain from well-crafted and rigorously Identifying a significant positive relationship between Council participants' similarity to their group members and their experiences of safety may contribute to the existing evidence of attraction to, and safety in the presence of, similar others (Altermatt & Pomerantz, 2003;Cartwright, 1968;Frost 1996;McMillan, 1996;Sullivan, 1953).…”

Group counseling theory and practice with lesbian, gay, and bisexual clients.

“…For instance, Perez et al (in press) observed that lesbian and bisexual women may be hesitant to address their reactions to sexism in a mixed LGB group for fear of losing some of the group support and safety they experience in relation to their sexual orientation. It has been observed that members of all-male gay and bisexual groups sometimes become more quickly engaged in self-disclosure than those in mixed groups (Frost, 1996). In explaining this phenomenon, Frost suggested that it may be due to the relief members in an all-male group experience.…”

“…Even though the advantages of a single-sex LGB group are noteworthy, conducting an LGB group that includes both men and women has a few advantages over single-sex groups, including increased opportunities to gain broader perspectives on common LGB issues such as parenting and coping with AIDS (see Frost, 1996, for a more extensive list). A few authors of case studies have recommended having both men and women in an LGB group (Lenihan, 1985;Westefeld & Winkelpleck, 1983).…”