Activity Group Therapy

for [Music] [Music] e [Music] to [Music] merging growing its development a question mark in our modern world a child and its vulnerable ego are all too soon placed in the crossfire of conflicting stresses and strains reflected at the youngster from the harsh surface of his adult contacts in our headlong race through life a child's needs for adult acceptance and ego fostering are not always properly met the child is sometimes lost in the Labyrinth of our confused existence his conflicts too often left unsolved unnoticed the resultant emotional maladjustment made be expressed aggressively violently right in the home between rivaling siblings or the aggression may be directed toward the wider world the maladjustment may also be displayed in Arrested Development an older boy fears children his age and plays with smaller younger children a boy whose sister is preferred May emulate her by being feminine and playing with girls a seriously withdrawn youngster unable to bring himself to join in play mopes alone and unhappy isolate these types of maladjustments require guidance and treatment this may take several forms one of which is activity group therapy here each child acts out his problems and finds his own corrective interest with the therapist remaining as passive as possible after the intake interview each child is discussed in conference if accepted he is grouped with others according to a specific problems and with an eye toward achieving a group balance under discussion at the moment is the case of Bob Bob aged 9 and a half was referred to the agency by his school principal and I am recommending him for exclusive group therapy Bob is in a class for gifted children where he's a disturbing element frequently clowning and talking out of turn Bob occasionally wets his bed has temper tantom and cannot accept limitations he's an unhappy child and is avoided by other children Bob slept in the parental bedroom until the birth of a younger sibling when he was five at which time he began to neglect his appearance and refused to bathe according to his mother the boy has always been restless and extremely hyperactive the mother is an over anxious inconsistent inadequate person who has invested a great deal in the boy School achievement the father's warm but has a quick temper Bob likes his father uh Bob seems to be reacting to his mother's basic rejection of him for the younger sibling is that right uh yes the mother impressed me as a person who felt deeply inadequate as a wife and as a mother we will accept Bob for exclusive group therapy the unconditional acceptance by and the relationship with the therapist together with free acting out of his impulses and aggressions in a permissive environment should serve to counteract the boy's feelings of insecurity and stabilize his behavior however little can be done for this child in my opinion without enlisting the cooperation of the mother and she should be referred for treatment as well as the conferences progress other cases are discussed the group in which Bob is placed and which we're going to follow consists only of boys girls are treated in separate groups Bob's group includes Albert who is suspected of being a latent schizophrenic Albert was referred for exclusive group therapy he resists going to school is afraid of the dark of animals and of children he insists on helping with the hous work and with the cooking he plays only with little girls because he says boys games are too rough he has severe temper outbursts pretends he's a gangster shadow boxes with and shoots at his own image in the mirror he peeps when his mother is dressed dressing and bursts into the bedroom when his parents are alone his mother's disappointed in Albert she prefers his sister 5 years younger when Albert developed cysts on his breast the age of 2 years the mother feared that he would turn into a girl the father is passive self-centered resents Albert's effeminacy and beats him at time in addition to other personality problems Albert has a character disorder the value of the group to such a boy is that he will be able to establish masculine identifications sublimate his uh masturbatory drives through work with his hands and freely Express his hostilities but Albert will need special support and encouragement from the group therapist other boys are gradually assigned to this particular group to create a group balance included are Mortimer agent 11 immature fearful stutters diagnosis psychon Neurosis with conduct disorder Robert age 11 gifted but provocative diagnosis mixed psychon Neurosis with depression possible organ Neurosis Morton age 11 sensitive clumsy sucks his thumb has nightmares David aged 10 insecure disruptive provocative varied in doubtful diagnosis a severe case and now M Mr shinger I think you have another case for us for today yes and a somewhat difficult one Henry an only child aged 10 and a half was brought to the agency recently by his mother she complained of the boy being shy and his fear of children and adults Henry avoids all children he even crosses the street when he sees them at play he is extremely dependent and attached to his mother and rarely leaves her since about a year ago he complains of headaches and pains in the leg no organic basis for these has been found he also has diffuse fears of being hurt and attacked however Henry does crave friends once when he met a boy he ran to his mother announcing that he now had a friend let's accept them for group therapy but uh a psychiatric conference to clarify the diagnosis and the psychodynamics is desirable in this case the psychiatrist Dr Van upen reviewed Henry's case and arrived at a diagnosis of anxiety hysteria now with regard to the treatment I am in favor of trying groups of Psychotherapy as you suggested I do feel that the boy will probably form an attachment to the leader very soon and under this protective influence will relate to the other boys with much less anxiety so Henry also joins the [Music] group [Music] [Music] [Music] [Applause] [Music] you [Music] the setting for this type of therapy is always simple the room is devoid of all adornment and is designed to encourage children's free and spontaneous activity all cabinets and worktables are made of ordinary planks of wood [Music] at the first few sessions the therapist sets out the materials on a table before the children arrive placing the materials on the table and exposing the tools and games provides visual stimulation and suggestion for activity hello [Music] when the boys arrive the therapist introduces them to one another he does not however suggest projects or occupations at the first session the boys attach themselves to the therapist and follow him about after a period of acclimatization contact is made among the boys this is the beginning step in breaking down isolation [Music] after a file if left alone each finds something that interests him this is Henry the boy who has an inordinate fear of children note the anxious sucking movements of his lips the therapist attempts to make him feel at ease he introduces Henry to the other boys but this makes Henry even more uncomfortable sensing this the therapist leaves him and returns to helping one of the boys this is good for Henry for he sees the therapist as a helpful positive person the boy who is running is Bob the free atmosphere of the group encourages him to act out his hyperactivity and distractability two of the main problems for which he was referred I'm trying to make a big you going to help us the therapist now withdraws completely from the activity letting the group take over Henry withdraws into isolation aimlessly working a dry paintbrush back and forth school you know what happened what it was a fun day this stooping posture is characteristic of the boy and his anxiety is reflected in the movement of his lips in these groups all types of behavior are tolerated and Henry's isolation does not evoke comment or derision ps76 it's the most modern in 7 for some 45 minutes Henry remains rooted to this spot but gradually he steals more and longer glances at the other boys reflecting his awareness of their presence the technique of leaving materials exposed proves its effective when Henry picks up the table tennis ball and paddle Henry divides his attention between watching the activities in the room and playing with the ball what time is [Music] it we have plenty time to work till 5:30 what time just as expected in these groups an overt struggle suddenly breaks out I mean I take it back I need a heavy one I [Music] my be when I get through again hour the struggle is resolved and the adult did not interfere the heat from the flood lights is affecting Robert he yells bring on the women and demonstrates his Brute Force Henry continues to move about as he gains security he tests his skill by sending the ball higher and higher this draws him into a position closer to the other boys but he is not spoken a word yet Albert the eminate boy arrives late the therapist welcomes him Albert is cautious though seemingly not too frightened here another r I'm note how Albert delicately Pats his hair and adjusts his collar his movements are not characteristic of a real boy put it back Albert moves about the room and investigates it this is the warm- up or period of acclimatization [Music] Henry is absent from the scene he has again withdrawn this time he has hidden himself in a large packing case which is out of range of the concealed cameras have you got any dinner um hey the is nearly Qui already all right boys let clean up Albert's feminine characteristics are even more in evidence when he addresses another boy sometime later the therapist begins to clear away and by suggestion indicates that the cleanup phase of the session has been reached Preparatory to refreshments but the boys ignore the suggestion in this way they express their Disobedience and also test the therapist when one of the boys asks for help on his ashtray the therapist assists him he thus passes the test he is not a prohibitor but a sanction with the ruler yeah he what's this what's this thing over here that's a Ben Stu stoping a piece you know that you want to work on stiff at early sessions the therapist sets the stage for Refreshments it's expected the boys will assume this responsibility later on typically the passive boys are first to take seats at the table but at a distance away from the therapist after 50 minutes inside the packing case Henry now emerges tempted by the refreshments fearfully Henry takes a roundabout way and sneaks up to the table as it were note The increased twitching of his lips which accompanies his mounting anxiety take a look I know miror after a while the more resistive youngsters are won over by the food and by the therapist's permissive attitude look I know and the other when it's time to end the session the therapist does not tell the boys to leave instead he has put on his coat as a form of suggestion most of the boys soon leave including Henry who has not spoken a single word during the entire 2hour session Bob Robert stay on dawling passively defying the therapist and again testing him the therapist lets the boys take their time once more passing the test holy it's out out I'll see you next Tuesday oh I'll come back later I'll see you next Tuesday all right want to leave