The pivotal group member: a study of treatment-destructive resistance in group therapy

This article defines the pivotal group member (PGM) and highlights the differences between the PGM and other central figures in group therapy. Whereas central figures adopt predictable roles that serve therapeutic functions, the PGM produces a treatment-destructive atmosphere within the group, one that shrouds the group in feelings of heaviness and hopelessness. The PGM dynamic can only occur in a three-way collusion among the group, the therapist, and one special member. When not properly addressed, this situation can contribute to the stagnation and possible dissolution of the group. Thus, the PGM provides a key to understanding the perils of unrecognized emotional undercurrents and their consequences.