ABSTRACT
Psychotherapy groups for older adults present the therapist with a dilemma-more exactly, with a contradiction. Older adults often suffer from social isolation; often they are attracted to group therapy because this is a modality, which relieves isolation (MacLennan, Saul & Weiner, 1988; Saiger, 2001; Leszcz, 1977). Juxtaposed against this reality is the position that group therapy is best conducted when the boundaries are firm; i.e., outside socialization is discouraged if not banned outright. There is good reason for this, even with older adult groups: outside contact allows for acting out rather than talking, partial resolution of issues that are then not brought back into group, and establishing subgroups that are shielded from therapeutic inquiry (Fehr, 2003; Rutan & Stone, 2001).
