| The London Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy's response to the credit crunch has been to open up a series of spaces for Group Psychotherapy. This is because the fees charged for clients in group work are lower than those for individual therapy. In addition, most therapy groups are 'time-limited'. This means that they run for a specified number of meetings. For instance, some groups run for twelve meetings, once-weekly. This means that persons applying for group therapy can know in advance both the time commitments and the financial commitments involved. In keeping with the London Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy's ethos, there is always an invitation to carry on the work of therapy for as long as the therapy is both useful and necessary. After a particular therapy group has finished, participants may sign up for the next group, or may feel that further work is required in individual therapy. One of the most urgent reasons that we have been contacted is for therapies that address issues of anger, anger management and stress at work. An individual therapy is a correct and useful intervention that looks at the issues causing or underlying the anger. But in the group practice at Lacap it has been felt for a long while that what people were really wanting was a more direct, focussed approach that addressed the interpersonal relations and actual behaviours in social situations. The London Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy has accordingly dedicated at least one working group to address and work with these specific issues. We will keep that under review, and see if this specific area needs further clinical resources made available. A further reason for starting group therapy at the London Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy follows the perception that a client might often require different therapies at different times. For instance, a particular issue might have been worked through in an individual therapy, but a residue or related issue might need group therapy, where interpersonal relations are much more in focus. Again, group therapy work might mean that a particular issue has been identified that would be better addressed in an individual therapy. The London Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy wants the flexibility and clinical resources to enable transition between different therapy options as a part of our commitment to ensuring best client treatment. This flexibility is particularly relevant to work with Couples therapy - where one partner might need group work to support difficult periods or as an additional piece of therapeutic work alongside the 'core' couples therapy where that person can work through a specific issue. If you are interested in finding out more about Group therapy at the London Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy please use the email application form in the "Group Therapy" option in the top menu. |
