The Theory and Practice of Group Psychotherapy by Irvin D. Yalom, Molyn Leszcz Page A

the social rules to which clients are accustomed. Clients are asked to discard familiar social conventions, to try out new behavior, and to take many risks. How can therapists best demonstrate to their clients that new behavior will not have the anticipated adverse consequences?
    One method, which has considerable research backing, is modeling: Clients are encouraged to alter their behavior by observing their therapists engaging freely and without adverse effects in the desired behavior. Bandura has demonstrated in many well-controlled studies that individuals may be influenced to engage in more adaptive behavior (for example, the overcoming of specific phobias) 11 or less adaptive behavior (for example, unrestrained aggressivity) 12 through observing and assuming other’s behavior.
    The leader may, by offering a model of nonjudgmental acceptance and appreciation of others’ strengths as well as their problem areas, help shape a group that is health oriented. If, on the other hand, leaders conceptualize their role as that of a detective of psychopathology, the group members will follow suit. For example, one group member had actively worked on the problems of other members for months but had steadfastly declined to disclose her own problems. Finally in one meeting she confessed that one year earlier she had had a two-month stay in a state psychiatric hospital. The therapist responded reflexively, “Why haven’t you told us this before?”
    This comment, perceived as punitive by the client, served only to reinforce her fear and discourage further self-disclosure. Obviously, there are questions and comments that will close people down and others that will help them open up. The therapist had “opening-up” options: for example, “I think it’s great that you now trust the group sufficiently to share these facts about yourself,” or, “How difficult it must have been for you in the group previously, wanting to share this disclosure and yet being afraid to do so.”
    The leader sets a model of interpersonal honesty and spontaneity but must also keep in mind the current needs of the members and demonstrate behavior that is congruent with those needs. Do not conclude that group therapists should freely express all feelings. Total disinhibition is no more salubrious in therapy groups than in other forms of human encounter and may lead to ugly, destructive interaction. The therapist must model responsibility and appropriate restraint as well as honesty. We want to engage our clients and allow ourselves to be affected by them. In fact, “disciplined personal involvement” is an invaluable part of the group leader’s armamentarium. 13 Not only is it therapeutic to our clients that we let them matter to us, we can also use our own reactions as valuable data about our clients—provided we know ourselves well enough.†
    Consider the following therapeutically effective intervention:
• In the first session of a group of business executives meeting for a five-day human relations laboratory, a twenty-five-year-old, aggressive, swaggering member who had obviously been drinking heavily proceeded to dominate the meeting and make a fool of himself. He boasted of his accomplishments, belittled the group, monopolized the meeting, and interrupted, outshsituation—feedback about how angry or hurt he had made others feel, or interpretations about the meaning and cause of his behavior—failed. Then my co-leader commented sincerely, “You know what I like about you? Your fear and lack of confidence. You’re scared here, just like me. We’re all scared about what will happen to us this week.” That statement permitted the client to discard his facade and, eventually, to become a valuable group member. Furthermore, the leader, by modeling an empathic, nonjudgmental style, helped establish a gentle, accepting group culture.
    This effective intervention required that the co-leader first recognize the negative impact of this member’s