This book focuses on relatively hard-core alcoholics: clients who have not responded to the usual educational treatment programs. “Our objective is to provide a different approach to helping those clients who are not easily convinced, the authors state. Rather than attempt to persuade these clients toward sobriety, the approach developed in this book attempts to help clients convince themselves.
Arranged in two parts, the first examines outpatient groups: why and how they form, the basic problem of motivation, and the different kinds of groups, such as groups for chronic alcoholics, groups that meet for single or short-term sessions, and long-term counseling groups. The second part looks at inpatient services, first outlining their objectives and then exploring in depth their five elements: entrance, the inpatient program, pre-discharge services, post-discharge services, and family services. Complete with study questions for each chapter and a full bibliography, Group Therapy with Alcoholics will interest all administrators of alcoholism programs, counselors and clients in alcoholism programs, and students and professionals involved in the self-help approach to human services.
A highly readable and resourceful book. Should be required reading in schools of social work and alcoholism treatment training programs everywhere.
–Health and Social Work
The book provides a conceptual framework for alcoholism control programs, describing both in and outpatient approaches. Motivation development and program objectives are described both for work with alcoholics and for services to families. The book provides valuable perspectives for program development.
–Journal of the Institute of Health
practical information for all groups… . Heartening to see a brief, but thoughtful chapter on groups for the families of alcoholic patients… . Excellent with clear list of important principles, bold type to emphasize important points, and study questions at the end of each chapter… . Would highly recommend this book to any therapist embarking on group therapy with alcoholics… . Community alcohol teams should possess a copy… . Easily accessible general account of the healing process and group dynamics of interpersonal group therapy.
–Group Analysis