Theory and Practice of Group Psychotherapy, Fifth Edition

Comprehensive without being pedantic, thorough without being dense, Dr. Yalom puts the group process under a magnifying glass and, in straightforward easy-to-understand language and conceptualization, gently guides the student through all of the subtlties and nuances of group work.

I had to purchase this book for use as the main text in a group process course, but this book will remain on my shelf long after I have taken the course. Dr. Yalom's keen insight into not just how/why groups behave and function the way they do, but also his insight into basic human nature, has made this book very enjoyable as well as educational.


Timeless   January 19, 2005
Sophia Bezirganian (NY United States)
32 out of 34 found this review helpful

Yalom's techniques are timeless, as long as human nature and how it plays out in social interactions transcends time and place. Thus, decades after publication, this book of group therapy lives on, whereas others, more faddish, are either narrowly focused on sufferers of the "disease of the year", or, in the case of "pragmatic", short-term "manual-based" groups which insurance companies favor, assume that all one has to do is give the patient the right recipe and 8 weeks to practice it, and they'll be cured of life-long ingrained pathological behaviors.
Anyone who thinks this book is "out of touch" or demonstrates a lack of empathy by Yalom, probably has a pet style of group therapy, and an axe to grind. Often, seemingly more empathic therapists, run groups in which everyone takes turns getting sympathy, distress is "validated", whereas the patient's contribution to it is ignored, and the premise is that sufferers are misunderstood victims of a neglected disease who are finally in the hands of someone who "gets it". Usually therapists who lead such groups, don't only wish to empathize, but are driven by a wish to feed their own vision of their specialness as the champions of the underdogs.
One of Yalom's greatest contributions is the effectiveness with which he used the group approach to exactly show patients how they cause their own distress--by creating a group atmosphere in which members play out their poor social skills, and get the powerful impact of peer feedback on this. He did so in a way which demonstrated genuine empathy in action: by steering members to identify (and empathize) not only with each others' misery, but with each others' strengths. Sympathy without a kick in the [...], is patronizing, and implies inequality. Sympathy with a kick in the [...] (always best given by peers), is sympathy with belief in your power--this shows respect for all of you, your strengths and your miseries. THIS is empathy. THIS is what empowers group members to overcome their problems. And this truth, will never go out of date.


A Very Simple Review   December 24, 2003
T. Sheppard (Jeffersonville, IN USA)
12 out of 21 found this review helpful

Nobody should do group psychotherapy without reading this book.


It's Yalom--Enough Said!   September 24, 2005
Jennifer K. Paweleck-Bellingrodt, Psy.D. (Phoenix, Arizona)
12 out of 14 found this review helpful

he's done it again...yalom has an amazing insight into human nature and the healing components of therapy of any modality. to fully appreciate this book, as well as his other works, you have to at least be okay with the notions of existentialism, as his conceptualization and methodologies are built on the basic premises of this theory. i have shared his works with intelligent and particularly introspective patients, and they really seem to relate to his notions. thinking outside the box is important to appreciating yalom, in my opinion, as he does not subscribe to standard cognitive-behavioral or psychodynamic notions. these are very important and useful approaches, but existentialism is a horse of a different color and encourages patients to consider themselves and the lives they are living in a different way. this book takes these important concepts and applies them to group therapy in a very practical way.


The 'bible' of group therapy   July 29, 2004
Brandon (Tennessee)
9 out of 12 found this review helpful

I read this book for one of my college courses (group therapy) and cannot express my gratitude for having come across this book. Mr. Yalom dissects and explains nearly all imaginable aspects of group process, from before the first meeting to well after termination. Beyond that, he provides wonderful insight into human behavior. This information is invaluable to me. I agree that it should be required reading for anyone seeking a profession in human services. Yalom is the man!!