ABSTRACT
Among the most common presenting difficulties in group therapy are depression and anxiety. Although these are diagnosable psychiatric disorders, many times the behaviors that enable and maintain these painful feelings serve important but undiscovered functions. Addressing these enabling behaviors may bring to the fore their role, and facilitate alternative choices. In the group meeting, it is often the case that the topic of anxiety and depression lead members to engage in a robust discussion of the symptoms themselves. The intervention described is used in a psychodynamically oriented therapy group and has three steps such as preparation, comment, and process. Many times, a therapy group can be caught in a dilemma. If this causes the group interaction to take on a stereotypic pattern or move toward a passive stance, it is important for the therapist to facilitate the group's development toward personal exploration and interpersonal support.
