GroupTherapy with Childern

Group Therapy With Children

1 Introduction ………………………………………………………1

2 Preparing for the Group ……………………………………7
2 . 1 Indication …………………………………………………….7
2 . 2 Size and Composition of the Group ……………………………9
2.2.1 The Children …………………………………………...9
2.2.2 The Duel-Gender Therapist Team ………………………10
2.3 The Contract …………………………………………………... 11
2.4 Accompanying Work with the Family or Parents ………………..14

3 The External Framework …………………………………..15
3 . 1 Furnishing and Equipping the Group Space …………………..15
3 . 2 The Temporal Framework ……………………………………17

4 The Structure of a Psychodrama Session and Therapeutic
Techniques …………………………………………………..19
4 . 1 The Initial Phase ……………………………………………….19
4 . 2 The Play Phase ……………………………………………….35
4.2.1 Attunement …………………………………………….36
4.2.2 Instigation …………………………………………….37
4.2.3 Structure ……………………………………………..41
4.2.4 Changing Roles and Role Inversion …………………..46
4.2.5 Mirroring ………………………………………………52
4.2.6 The Soliloquy ………………………………………….58
4.2.7 Doubling and Permanent Doubles …………………….59
4.2.8 Interpretive Interventions …… ………………………73
4.2.9 Active Interpretation with Traumatised Children………83
4 . 3 The Closing Phase ……………………………………………87












5 The Complete Group Process …………………………. 91
5 . 1 The Beginning Phase …………………………….. 91
5.1.1 Structuring the First Group Session ……………….. 95
5.1.2 The Situation of the Therapists in The First
Group Session ………………………………….. 101
5.1.3 Developing a Group Theme …………………….. 102

6 Special Interventions for Individual Children ………… 119
6 . 1 Interventions with Inhibited or Anxious Children ………. 120
6.1.1 Psychodynamics ………………………………… 120
6.1.2 Leader Interventions ……………………………… 121
6.1.3 Interventions from Within a Role ………………. 125
6 . 2 Interventions with Aggressive Children …………….. 129
6.2.1 Leader Interventions ………………………. 131
6.2.2 Interventions from Within a Role …………….. 137

7 Group Process Oriented Interventions ………………. 141
7 . 1 Interventions in Conflicts Between Children and Leaders … 142
7 . 2 Oedipal Conflict in the Group ………………….. 148
7 . 3 Interventions in Relationship Conflicts Between
the Children ………………………….. 157
7.3.1 Interventions at the Verbal Level …………….. 160
7.3.2 Interventions at the Action Level …………….. 161
7.3.3 Relationship-Building Interventions ………… 172
7 . 4 Subgroup Formation …………………….. 182

8 Demands on the Therapists ……………………. 187
8 .1 Aspects of Transference ……………………… 187
8 .2 Transferences by the Therapists ………………….. 189
8 .3 Transference Processes in Different Group Phases …. 191
8 .4 Problems of Cotherapy …………………….. 194

9 Operating in Networks …………………….. 199


Final Note ……………………………. 213
Afterword to the English-Language Edition ……. 215
Literature …………………… 217