The Theory and Practice of Group Psychotherapy, 6th edition

Abstract

T here is a reason this book is in its sixth edition. The foundation of clinical wisdom reflected in this quote has withstood the test of time and is now strengthened by contemporary theories and research. Full of interesting clinical examples that demonstrate the nuances of creating and maintaining a successful therapy group, the book also reveals both authors on an unusually personal level along the way. Yalom and Leszcz not only present the interpersonal theory as the predominant theoretical orientation but also provide detailed conceptual descriptions from a wide variety of approaches, such as how we construct our self-regard or develop parataxic distortions. They then delineate how understanding these concepts and framing symptoms as interpersonal concerns can be applied to building a strong base for the therapeutic forces in a group. This book is important for depicting how using theory can govern how group members heal. Another unique offering is around the group as a social microcosm. Two fundamental points of the book that remain vital are: (a) the here-and-now approach is an ahistorical one, and (b) there is a clear distinction between here-and-now experience and here-and-now process illumination. Moreover, the authors describe in detail how past events in the therapy group become a part of the here-and-now and International Journal of Group Psychotherapy, 71: 500–508, 2021 © 2021 The American Group Psychotherapy Association, Inc. ISSN: 0020-7284 print/1943-2836 online DOI: https://doi.org/10.1080/00207284.2021.1908831