This season’s list offers a collection of articles and texts which address psychoeducational groups. We are committed to supporting our community members who are working in this important domain.

Group Related:

As we referenced in our most recent newsletter, Dr. Nina Brown launched our program this year with a Conversation about Group Leadership with our TIGS team. Dr. Brown has written and taught extensively about psychoeducational groups, and the following 4 references highlight some of her more recent texts:

Brown, N. (2023) Creative activities for group therapy. (2nd ed.) New York: Taylor & Francis/Routledge.

Brown, N. (2022/3) Virtual psychoeducational groups in Practicing online group therapy. Eds. H. Weinburg, A. Rolnick, & A. Leighton. New York: Routledge.

Brown, N. (2019). Conducting effective psychoeducational groups. New York: Taylor & Francis/Routledge.

Brown, N. (2018). Psychoeducational groups (4th ed.) New York: Taylor & Francis/Routledge. Terras-Carillo, E. et al (2023).

Telehealth Psychoeducational Groups with Latinx College Students: Findings From Focus Groups. International Journal of Group Psychotherapy, Vol. 73- Issue 2
This is a timely article that examines the efficacy of virtual psychoeducational groups during the COVID 19 pandemic. Both the advantages and disadvantages of online psychoeducational groups are explored.

Rogiers, R. et al (2022). A Psychoeducational CBT based Interventions ("Drop It") for Repetitive Negative Thinking: Theoretical Concepts and Treatment Processes. International Journal of Group Psychotherapy, Vol. 72 - Issue 3
This article describes a psychoeducational CBT group intervention from a theoretical and clinical application lens. It highlights the use of group structure and process to maximize the effectives of CBT based psychoeducation groups.

Giorgio Tasca, the Director of the Psychotherapy Practice Research Network (PPRNet), recommended a chapter by Gary Burlingame and Bernhard Strauss in the Handbook of Psychotherapy and Behavior Change (2021). Burlingame and Strauss’s chapter, Efficacy of Small Group Treatments: Foundation for Evidence-Based Practice, offers a comprehensive review of group research, with references to research using psychoeducation in groups for various conditions.

McKay, M., Wood, J.C., Brantley, J. (2019). The Dialectical Behavior Therapy Skills Workbook: Practical DBT Exercises for learning mindfulness, interpersonal effectiveness, emotion regulation & distress tolerance. Oakland, CA: New Harbinger Publications, Inc.
This workbook is an accessible, user friendly resource for group facilitators and their clients.

Cook. W.G., et al (2015). Brief Heterogeneous Inpatient Psychotherapy Groups: A Process-Oriented Psychoeducational (POP) Model. International Journal of Group Psychotherapy, Vol 64-Issue 2
A process oriented psychoeducational (POP) group treatment model is theoretically outlined for use in inpatient groups. Psychoeducational topics addressed include identification of symptoms, triggers and coping strategies. The integration of psychoeducational content and group process is explored.

Burlingame, G.M. et al (2007). Psychoeducational Group Treatment for the Severely and Persistently Mentally Ill: How Much Leader Training is Necessary? International Journal of Group Psychotherapy, Vol 57-Issue 2.
This study addresses the importance of group training for clinicians leading psychoeducational groups. Three on-the-job group training methods for learning the basic group skills and knowledge required to lead effective psychoeducational groups are tested.

Lukens, E. P., & McFarlane, W. R. (2004). Psychoeducation as evidence-based practice: Considerations for practice, research, and policy. Brief Treatment and Crisis Intervention, 4(3), 205–225. This paper describes psychoeducation and its applications for mental health and health professions across system levels and in different contexts (including group therapy) by reviewing the range of applications that have appeared in the literature. The theoretical foundations of clinically based psychoeducation are reviewed, and the common elements of practice are identified. Examples of well-defined psychoeducational interventions are presented.

The following article examines the challenges associated with balancing content and process in the group setting: Ettin, M.F.,Vaughan, E. & Fiedler, N. (1987). Managing group process in non-process groups: Working with the theme-centered psychoeducational group. Group 11, 177-192
In a psychoeducational group focusing on stress management skills, Ettin et al. draw distinctions between psychotherapeutic and theme-centered psychoeducational process management. Many group processes can be predicted and brought to the attention of group members given the group's natural developmental stages; Other ongoing group processes arise spontaneously. A working dialogue between the presented content and the emerging process helps personalize the material and can help members see how their behaviour emerges in the here and now.

Of Interest:

Parker, P. (2020). The Art of Gathering: How We Meet and Why it Matters.  Riverhead Books.
Priya Parker has written and spoken extensively about The Art of Gathering. She talks about and uses examples from all types of gatherings – from board meetings to dinner parties to corporate events to any type of group. Her work highlights the importance of defining a purpose for every gathering, spending time structuring and preparing, as well as designing for connection between participants. The text is full of creative ideas and thoughtful questions to consider when planning any gathering.    

December 2023