Group Psychotherapy: Its Basic Principles and Usefulness in Working with Chicanos and Latinos

This presentation will provide basic information about group therapy and its usefulness, particularly as it relates to working with Chicanos and Latinos. The essentials for starting a group, including selection, screening and preparation of clients will be presented. We will address the therapeutic factors unique to group psychotherapy, and the differences among three 3 types of groups: psychodynamic, interpersonal, and cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT). We will address how cultural themes, such as familismo, personalismo, respecto, gender roles, etc., can be employed to foster safety, trust and interconnectedness within the group. Clinical examples will be presented, underscoring how delicate experiences, such as feeling vulnerable, unwanted or ashamed can effectively be handled within a group format. The presentation is didactic in nature, although aspects of the presentation will be experiential, as workshop participants will be included within a psycho-educational group framework.