The Theory and Practice of Group Psychotherapy by Irvin D. Yalom

The Theory and Practice of Group Psychotherapy Reviews

• 
  Julia

  Yalom came into my life just as I started serving as the sole therapist for two groups of child sex offenders. To put it mildly, some sage advice on being a group therapist was sorely needed. This volume is a must-read (yes, all bajillion pages of it) for anyone doing group work, which is the majority of folks in doctoral psychology programs. Yalom's tone is approachable, his sense of humor much appreciated, and his clinical wisdom boundless. I tend to think of books this hefty as in need of good editing, but in this case, there's just a lot to be said on an endlessly interesting subject.
• 
  Meerkat!

  Definitely a must have for any budding counselor. I can't argue with Yalom's ideas and thoughts on the subject. What I can't stand is Yalom's extreme narcissism that shines right through despite the fact that this is somewhat of a textbook. References to his other works come off as advertisements, and what warmth he created for group therapy (a wonderful thing in and of itself) he degrades with his own unintentional tone. But many people disagree.
• 
  Ashley

  THE group therapy book. There is really nothing else to say but this laid the groundwork for the basics while support my clinical experience in the group setting. Yalom's stages of group development work with all sorts of groups, not just therapy groups. So after reading this book and applying it in a clinical setting I feel more equip to run therapy and report on group activity!
• 
  Lauren

  Although Yalom is the guru of group therapy, I did not find the book to be particularly helpful. It comes from a very psychodynamic orientation, and although the author mentions other orientations or discusses how certain concepts are understood across the different orientations, readers should be aware that the book addresses how to conduct process group therapy. So if that is your aim, this is the book for you. However, I found it far less applicable for use in more structured groups (e.g., substance abuse, DBT). Additionally, I found the author to be quite verbose and to reference literature and plays for no real reason other than to demonstrate his superior intelligence. One thing I will give him is that he tries to give readers a "heads up" about parts of his book they may wish to skip and recommends just reading summaries and to not read the research he cites. However, I can't imagine anyone other than a psychology student/psychologist would read this book, and they should be reading the research, not just reading chapter summaries. All in all he does give good recommendations, but they could all easily fit in a book that is merely 50-100 pages in length.
• 
  Anthony Cleveland

  Required reading during graduate school. Didn't really care for it then and still don't but it does serve as an excellent source for facilitating my students' awareness of Dr. Yalom's existential approach to groups. Probably quite a bit longer than it needs to be to adequately address the topic.
• 
  Steff En

  the issue i always had with self-help books were the infinite amount of platitudes and anecdotes. i read this book because i wanted to learn more about interpersonal relationships not from some dudebro who just came back from a """""spiritual""""" vacation or some survivorship bias girlboss, but rather, an established professor of psychotherapy.
  
  the book can be sloggish and at times, dry as one can expect from a textbook. with human psychology being an ever complex and changing field, that can be forgiven. the authors did succeed in emphasizing the values of self and interpersonal emotions and the value of hot processing emotions. what really stood out to me was the psychotherapeutic approach of working through one's issue instead of working around. this doesnt mean going on an emotional binge, but rather, process ones own emotion and explore any biases as to why one feels such a way and to correct any distortions that may have resulted from previous negative experiences. this book is intended for an academic audience, however, i feel many can benefit from a summary or brief overview of why group therapy is so rich and how it offers many aspects that individual psychotherapy may not.
  
  tl;dr: thick book but with the purpose of self and interpersonal exploration.
• 
  Sofia Wren

  For school
• 
  Audrey Francoeur

  Un des livres les plus complets sur la thérapie de groupe à mon avis. Bien que Yalom soit humaniste, se livre se veut d’approche intégrative, ce qui en soit est très pertinent!
• 
  Katt Smith

  I genuinely enjoyed reading this for my Group Therapy class, so much so that I bought the newest edition for myself to keep. It’s a wonderful feeling and probably a good sign for my career that this book has inspired me to read more literature on the subject of therapy, and has reignited the excitement in me to begin this line of work. Yay therapy!
• 
  John G.

  I used this book when I was a graduate student in the counseling psychology program back in the day, I have the third edition. Bar none, the best text book/ case book about group therapy ever written. I would read this book, out of personal interest and pleasure, regardless of whether it was part of a curriculum. Yalom is a humble and incredibly articulate man, he doesn't act omnipotent and writes in plain and understandable language. Do believe he's a Professor Emeritus from Stanford. He is open and warm and sharing. This book goes outside of the realm of simply group therapy, it touches upon the human condition and a possible remedy. He's also a fine writer of fiction, without question my favorite psychotherapist out there.
• 
  Seawitch

  1/2023-5/2023
  Updating as I’m reading the 6th Edition:
  
  
  
  REVIEW FROM 1/2022 5th Edition:
  This is my second time reading this book. I read it almost 10 years ago as a graduate student in a Psychiatric Mental Health Nursing program.
  
  This time I reading it as it is assigned reading for a course I’m teaching about Group Therapy Skills.
  
  It’s amazing that this, the 5th edition, was published in 2005. It still offers page after page of wisdom about forming groups, leading groups and working with content and process.
  
  I’m enjoying the re-read as well as hearing from my students about what they are finding of interest in the reading.
  
  Dr. Yalom has brought so much of value to the field and I’m always inspired by his writing.
• 
  Matt

  Holy crap, I finished this.
  Several things come to mind as I slowly digested this book.
  First, how the heck did he get his patients to stay in groups long enough to deal with all these interpersonal issues? I think most clients would get fed up with "that annoying person in group" and just leave. Second, how the heck does he deal with all the members' issues with authority?
  That being said, I did use a little bit of insight each time in my own work, so it was definitely worth the reading.
• 
  Francesca

  I enjoy Yalom's writing style and the personal examples and stories he includes. This book is an essential resource to any therapist who wants to lead therapeutic groups. A therapeutic group acts as a social microcosm and can lead to individual change as group members relate and challenge one another. Yalom's book delves into the topic of groups as well as ways to structure, lead and troubleshoot these therapeutic communities.
• 
  Paula

  A classic. Before reading this book, the idea of group therapy was deeply unappealing to me. Now, I am intrigued by (if not completely sold on) the potential of groups to provide insights and healing that one-on-one therapy alone can't. Readers will also learn some basic things about group dynamics that can apply to all collective/communal experiences. Yalom is not only an insightful clinician, he is a wonderful writer.
• 
  Erin

  Fantastic! Highly recommended as a comprehensive text on the subject. Only complaints: too much on existential psychotherapy (anyway, better to see his other text by the same title), and not enough on characterologically difficult clients.
• 
  Karen

  I had to read this for school. I really liked Yalom's sense of humor. He's a good writer and a gifted clinician.
• 
  Adam

  It’s a good book. But let’s be honest it’s a _dense_ book. I’ve read it twice now approximately 12 years between readings, once as a grad student and once most recently as an adjunct, and the verbosity remains as true today as the day I first picked it up. Despite being published in 2005 the book is still applicable to the field and is a great resource
• 
  Mary

  This is excellent. I actually preferred it to the textbook assigned in my group therapy course. Yalom and Leszcz do a superb job and provide numerous examples. The research is rock solid. Their writing is quite personable and enjoyable. Not only is it a benefit for group therapy, but I also learned a lot about therapy in general.
• 
  Analie

  Excellent, very thorough, and surprisingly fun reading for a textbook. Rather than just discourse about technique, the author illustrates the "how" of group therapy with fascinating real-life conversations from groups he's run. I particularly liked the section about difficult group members, which offers valuable guidance any group leader could apply.
• 
  Robert

  I don't usually review my school/work-related books, but I was just reflecting on this one (read several years back) and thought I would make a note that it really is quite good, and is worth the read for anyone who's vocation requires some adroitness with interpersonal group dynamics.
• 
  Nyssa

  I appreciated this book(: Gotta have patience due to it's length, but I feel so much better equipped to lead groups in part because of this book. Definitely had an attitude change after the first few chapters of my initial dread.
• 
  Alex Giurgea

  O carte excelenta despre terapia de grup, acoperita cu rezultate din cercetari. Contine multe raspunsuri la intrebari tipice pe care un incepator le poate avea in legatura cu organizarea de astfel de grupuri.
• 
  Ypatios Varelas

  Κορυφαίο βιβλίο για ψυχοθεραπευτές και διαχειριστές ομάδων θεραπείας. Απαραίτητο θα έλεγα. Εξειδικευμένο βιβλίο ακατάλληλο για το ευρύ κοινό που απλώς αναζητά λεπτομέρειες για να κατανοήσει την ομαδική ψυχοθεραπεία και πώς γίνεται.
• 
  Susa Schwalbe

  An incredibly comprehensive textbook that reads like a novel. If you're not sold on group therapy, let Yalom convince you it's the best you can do for your clients or for yourself as a client. Glad I bought my own copy instead of renting because I will come back to it.
• 
  Felicia Romano

  Not my favorite content or delivery, but perhaps will be a valuable resource if I lead groups in the future. Watching Yalom work on video is the most artful demonstration of all he tries to communicate in this book--highly recommend his Youtube videos of group therapy sessions.