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European Psychiatric/Mental Health Nursing in the 21st Century pp 269–282Cite as

Group Work in Psychiatric/Mental Health Nursing: The Case for Psychoeducation as a Means to Therapeutic Ends

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Part of the book series: Principles of Specialty Nursing ((PSN))

Abstract

This chapter focuses on the psychotherapeutic benefits of psychoeducational group work in mental health settings and its relevance and application to contemporary psychiatric/mental health (P/MH) nursing practice. The authors propose that P/MH nurses who deliver psychoedicational groups that are embedded within pluralistic approaches can contribute to a postmodern paradigm shift, arguably realigning themselves with their core functions of therapeutic engagement and person-centred care. The authors examine the evidence base for psychoeducational groups in mental health care and explore documented theoretical and practical/clinical issues. Different approaches to organising and running psychoeducational groups are considered before the authors then turn their attention to group dynamics, group processes and group development. The chapter considers the roles of group leaders, members and group evaluation before conclduing with two contemporary practice examples of psychoeducational groups, one involving service users and one with carers.

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Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. School of Nursing and Human Sciences, Dublin City University, Dublin 9, Ireland

    Evelyn Gordon

  2. Principal Clinical Psychologist, St Vincent’s Hospital, Fairview, Dublin 3, Ireland

    Maeve Kenny

Authors
  1. Evelyn Gordon
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  2. Maeve Kenny
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Correspondence to Evelyn Gordon .

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. Escola Superior de Enfermagem de Coimbra, Nursing School of Coimbra, Coimbra, Portugal

    José Carlos Santos

  2. Cutcliffe Consulting, Kingston, Canada

    John R. Cutcliffe

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Gordon, E., Kenny, M. (2018). Group Work in Psychiatric/Mental Health Nursing: The Case for Psychoeducation as a Means to Therapeutic Ends. In: Santos, J., Cutcliffe, J. (eds) European Psychiatric/Mental Health Nursing in the 21st Century. Principles of Specialty Nursing. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-31772-4_21

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-31772-4_21

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  • Publisher Name: Springer, Cham

  • Print ISBN: 978-3-319-31771-7

  • Online ISBN: 978-3-319-31772-4

  • eBook Packages: MedicineMedicine (R0)

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