Support Group Therapy

Saturday, May 26, 2012

Support Group Therapy at Center of Revitalizing Psychiatry in Sarasota, FL

The Center of Revitalizing Psychiatry has announced a Grand Opening of the Sarasota, FL branch office on Apr 16, 2012, where we'll serve adult and geriatric population providing psychiatric evaluation, medication management, individual and group psychotherapy.

The Center’s providers accept most of the insurance programs including Medicare (except Medicaid).

To schedule an appointment please call 941-677-3366 or click here for more information.

To learn more about our services and the Center please click on the following links:

Thursday, November 16, 2006

Group Psychotherapy at the Center of Revitalizing Psychiatry

RevitalizingPsychiatry.com: " The Center of Revitalizing Psychiatry provides multilingual psychotherapy for the following groups:

Weight Control Support Group - for people who need help dealing with weight control issues , who want to share their experiences, pain, frustration and success stories, and in this way help others.

Support group for parents of kids with developmental disorders - for parents and relatives of children with developmental disorders (Autism, Asperger syndrome, childhood bipolar disorder, AD/HD, learning disabilities, dyslexia, Tourette, epilepsy, etc.). Katya Chizhova, MSW, LCSW - a licensed psychotherapist - takes special interest in helping families raise children diagnosed with Autistic Spectrum disorders. As a mother of such child, Mrs. Chizhova can relate to emotional, educational and social challenges of these children and their parents. If you have kids with Autistic or other developmental disorders, she invites you to her support group.

Group Therapy for Adolescents (ages 13-18) - for teenagers experiencing difficulties with parental and peer pressure, teen issues; problems communicating their needs at home, in school and social surroundings; inability to find a middle ground with people around them; struggling to maintain balanced relationship with parents and siblings as a result of miscommunication, mixed messages and lack of coping strategies and communication skills to be used in such relationships.

Support Groups for Family Caregivers - for people who is involved in a difficult task of caring for a sick, disabled or aging family member. We believe that sharing one's experience and pain to other people with similar issues within a Family Caregivers Support Group can have a tremendous mutual beneficial effect and can help in quality of caring as well as ease the caregivers' pain and frustration.

Support Group for Caregivers / Relatives of mentally ill (Alzheimer's disease , Schizophrenia ,
Bipolar disorder, etc.).

Professionals Support Group - for professionals dealing with everyday stress, pressure and frustration at work, who are willing to learn how to decrease the stress level, deal with frustration and channel them into constructive activities.

Medical Conditions Support Group - for people having chronic medical conditions (Diabetes, Heart diseases, etc.) or recovering from severe illnesses or surgeries (Breast Cancer, Gastric Bypass, etc.).

Group Therapy for Children - for Children in need of increased social skills, anger control, gratification-delaying techniques, self-esteem, self-control, courage, ego-strength, confidence and a sense of their own capabilities. Play and Art Therapies can be used to teach children in support group settings how to better verbalize their feelings and channel them into adaptive outlets, how to deal with emotions and feelings during difficult events in their lives, such as divorce or after losing a loved one.

Women Support Group - for women willing to improve quality of their lives, interpersonal relationship inside and outside their families and work on mental and other health issues including adjustment to life changes, dealing with all kind of abuses.

Anger Management - for people willing to decrease level of anger in their relationships, learn how to manage their anger and channel it into constructive activities.

Interpersonal Relationships - for people willing to have authentic human relations, learning the skills for building them and the ability to make the compromises necessary to live intimately with others.

Memory Enhancement Group - for people willing to enhance their memory abilities and slow down memory deterioration caused by aging or mental illness (Alzheimer's disease, Vascular Dementia, etc.).

Support Group for Elderly - for people willing to learn coping mechanisms for their adjustment to aging.

Support Group for Young Adults - for young people willing to learn how to mature and become adults avoiding common mistakes.

Support Group for Aging 'Baby Boomers' - for people willing to learn how to cope with life time transitions (approaching retirement, aging, family relationships, losses, divorce, etc).

Substance Abuse Prevention - for people willing to learn how to overcome addictions and maintain sobriety.

Russian Women Support Group - for Russian speaking women willing to improve quality of their lives, interpersonal relationship inside and outside their families and work on mental and other health issues."

Sunday, July 10, 2005

Group Psychotherapy - Introduction

group-psychotherapy.com: "

WHO CAN BENEFIT FROM GROUP PSYCHOTHERAPY?

Group psychotherapy is suitable for a large variety of problems and difficulties, beginning with people who would like to develop their interpersonal skills and ending with people with emotional problems like anxiety, depression, etc. There are support groups for people in the same situation or crisis (e.g. groups for bereaved parents, groups for sexually abused women), but usually the recommendation for the therapeutic group is to be as heterogeneous as possible and represent a micro-cosmos. For that reason in building the group, the leader will try to include men and women, young and old people, married and singles, etc. The group is especially effective for people with interpersonal difficulties and problems in relations. Whether these difficulties are in social, working, couple or even sexual relations, the participant can benefit a lot in these areas.
Groups are ideally suited to people who are struggling with relationship issues like intimacy, trust, self-esteem. The group interactions help the participants to identify, get feedback, and change the patterns that are sabotaging the relations. The great advantage of group psychotherapy is working on these patterns in the 'here and now' - in a group situation more similar to reality and close to the interpersonal events.

WHAT ARE THE DIFFERENT TYPES OF GROUPS?

There are many kinds of groups in the group-psychotherapy field. The techniques used in group therapy can be verbal, expressive, psychodramatic etc. The approaches can vary from psychoanalytic to behavioral, Gestalt or encounter groups. Groups vary from classic psychotherapy groups, where process is emphasized, to psychoeducational, which are closer to a class. Psychoeducational groups usually focus on the most common areas of concern, notably relationships, anger, stress-management etc. They are frequently more time-limited (10 to 15 sessions) and thus very appealing in a managed care environment. Each approach has its advantages and drawbacks, and the participant should consult the expert which technique matches her/his unique personality.

HOW TO CHOOSE A GROUP-PSYCHOTHERAPIST

When choosing a group psychotherapist you should look for a well-trained, reliable, and ethical professional. If you are in individual therapy you should consult your therapist and be sure that your group and individual therapists can collaborate. Reputable group psychotherapists usually belong to professional associations. In the U.S.A, for example, membership in AGPA (the American Group Psychotherapy Association), and certification as a Group Psychotherapist by AGPA assures some degree of expertise. An experienced group therapist will usually interview you before your entering the group and will answer your questions about the group and his/her experience without being uneasy. You can also ask the prospective therapist how many years experience (s)he has in the particular modality and as a therapist generally. Make sure you clarify fees (including costs for missed sessions). Above all, trust your feelings: If you do not feel you can trust the therapist, find another.

WHAT IS EXPECTED OF THE PARTICIPANT?

The participant in the group is expected to be present each week and come on time. It is required that the information brought up by members of the group and their names be kept confidential by all the group members. In some groups, the participant is asked to commit for a specified length of time at the beginning of the group. The usual commitment is between 3 to 6 months. This facilitates getting a sense of how the group works. When participating in a group, you will not be required to talk, or reveal intimate issues when you do not want to. However, it is clear that the more you can participate, be open and talk about yourself, your feelings and thoughts - the more you can gain from this experience. "

Wednesday, July 06, 2005

Group Therapy Virtual Brochure

rutgers.edu: "

What is group therapy?

In group therapy, five to ten people meet face-to-face with one or more trained group therapists and talk about what is troubling them. Members also give feedback to each other by expressing their own feelings about what someone says or does. This interaction gives group members an opportunity to try out new ways of behaving and to learn more about the way they interact with others. What makes the situation unique is that it is a closed and safe system. The content of the group sessions is confidential; what members talk about or disclose is not discussed outside the group.
The first few sessions of a group usually focus on the establishment of trust. During this time, members work to establish a level of trust that allows them to talk personally and honestly. Group trust is achieved when all members make a commitment to the group.

Why does group therapy work?

When people come into a group and interact freely with other group members, they usually recreate those difficulties that brought them to group therapy in the first place. Under the skilled direction of a group therapist, the group is able to give support, offer alternatives, or gently confront the person. In this way the difficulty becomes resolved, alternative behaviors are learned, and the person develops new social techniques or ways of relating to people. During group therapy, people begin to see that they are not alone. Many people feel they are unique because of their problems, and it is encouraging to hear that other people have similar difficulties. In the climate of trust provided by the group, people feel free to care about and help each other.

Some of the many benefits of group therapy:

Exploring issues in an interpersonal context more accurately reflects real life.
Group therapy provides an opportunity to observe and reflect on your own and others' interpersonal skills.
Group therapy provides an opportunity to benefit both through active participation and through observation.
Group therapy offers an opportunity to give and get immediate feedback about concerns, issues and problems affecting one's life.
Group therapy members benefit by working through personal issues in a supportive, confidential atmosphere and by helping others to work through theirs. "

Saturday, March 19, 2005

Information about Group Psychotherapy

American Group Psychotherapy Association: "

How is group therapy different from support groups and self-help groups?

Group therapy focuses on interpersonal relationships and helps individuals learn how to get along better with other people under the guidance of a professional. Group psychotherapy also provides a support network for specific problems or challenges. The psychotherapy group is different from support and self-help groups in that it not only helps people cope with their problems, but also provides for change and growth. Support groups, which are generally led by professionals, help people cope with difficult situations at various times but are usually geared toward alleviating symptoms. Self-help groups usually focus on a particular shared symptom or situation and are usually not led by a trained therapist.

If someone is in a group, do they also need individual therapy?

It depends on the individual. Sometimes group therapy is used as the main or only treatment approach. Sometimes it�s used along with individual therapy. Often people find that working simultaneously in both group and individual therapy stimulates growth in mutually complementary ways. And clients may see two different therapists for individual and group therapies. In such cases, it�s generally considered important for the two therapists to communicate with each other periodically for the client�s benefit. Ask your therapist about the type of therapy that will best meet your needs.

What kinds of people should participate in group therapy?

Group therapy can benefit many different people, from those having difficulties with interpersonal relationships to those dealing with specific problems such as depression, anxiety, serious medical illness, loss, addictive disorders or behavioral problems. With adolescents, for example, group therapy teaches socialization skills needed to help function in environments outside the home.

Will there be people with similar problems in my group?

The therapist's role is to evaluate each member's problems prior to forming the group. Usually there is a mix of members who can learn from each other. While some members will have similar circumstances, it's not necessary for all to be dealing with exactly the same problem. In fact, people with different strengths and difficulties are often in the best position to help one another."

Thursday, March 17, 2005

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