Reflections on a Thirty Five Year Experience with Adolescent Group Psychotherapy

Abstract

The adolescent therapist must possess certain personality characteristics that are important in treating adolescents so that the teenagers will experience therapy in a meaningful and constructive manner, and thus be less resistant to participating actively in the treatment modality. These factors are particularly important when leading an adolescent therapy group because of the therapeutic impact of helping teenage patients share and work toward resolving the conflicts which they are experiencing. The differences in input of the therapist treating adolescents and the therapist treating adults are addressed. Vignettes of interesting clinical cases are presented.