Failures in group psychotherapy: the therapist variable

Failures in group psychotherapy are well-known to practitioners in the field. The author contends that the unresolved, irrational fears of the therapist, in particular the fear of abandonment and the fear of engulfment, are major contributors to failures in group psychotherapy. Clinical vignettes are used to illustrate the impact these fears of the therapist have on patients at the initial, middle, and end phases of therapy. The author suggests ways to recognize the potential for failure and recommends several methods by which therapists can help themselves diminish failure in group psychotherapy.