Group therapy

In the new television sitcom “Go On,” with Matthew Perry, the main characters – all of whom are suffering in some way — connect with each other in group therapy. Feelings and stories are shared, compassion heightens, and each week, members of the group seem less alone and a bit more empowered as they confront life’s difficulties.

Group therapy has been around for quite a while and has expanded to take shape in a number of ways: from support groups to relaxation technique work… to anger management, group dance, and music therapy.

Dan Gottlieb and his guests psychologists April Fallon and Dennis Kivlighan, Jr. help us understand group therapy, in its many forms, as a catalyst for personal growth.

April Fallon, Ph.D., is a psychologist practicing in Bala Cynwyd. She’s a clinical associate professor in the Department of Psychiatry at the Drexel University College of Medicine.

Dennis Kivlighan, Jr., Ph.D., is a Professor and former Chair of the Department of Counseling and Personnel Services at the University of Maryland. He’s a Fellow in both the Society of Counseling Psychology and the Society of Group Psychology and Group Psychotherapy of the American Psychological Association. He has co-authored “Research Design in Counseling,” now in its third edition. His main areas of interest are group dynamics at play in psychotherapy and intergroup dialogue groups.