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Article 1: Seager, M. & Thummel, U. (September 2009). ‘Chocolates and Flowers? You Must Be Joking!’ Of Men and Tenderness in Group Therapy. Group analysis, 42(3), 250-271

Abstract: Men’s therapy groups can play an important role, long neglected, in facilitating emotional development in males. Society has long turned a blind eye to male psychology and has colluded with male emotional self-neglect by failing to create gender-specific services for men. ‘Male-only’ group therapy is particularly suited to the male psyche, and can help to counteract traditional masculine defences of shame and guilt. It is argued that the absence of women in a group therapy context can play a vital role in enabling males to access hidden parts of their personalities. We describe our experience of facilitating a men’s group in the NHS and outline our approach. Case examples are used to illustrate how, through the group process, destructive relationships are gradually transformed into something more tender. In psychoanalytical terms, split off ‘softer’ emotional aspects of men in group therapy are thus re-integrated into a new masculine identity whilst over-inflated cruel aspects can be attenuated.

Questions that apply to this article:

1. Can you think of any instances where it might be a better idea to include both women and men in group therapy as opposed to just men?
2. The article mentions that all the men in this study were heterosexual. Do you think the results might have been different if they were all homosexual? What about both heterosexual and homosexual? Why or why not?
3. The book mentions some issues with group therapy. Which issues could you see being a problem in this specific group and which issues would be alleviated by a same sex group?
    

Article 2: Paniagua, F.A. (April 1996). Cross-Cultural Guidelines in Family Therapy Practice. The family journal, 4(2), 127-138

Abstract: This article provides a description of four cross-cultural issues and specific guidelines for dealing with these issues during the family therapy process with families from the African American, American Indian, Asian, and Hispanic communities. These issues include (a) the extended family, (b) acculturation, (c) the therapist-family race similarity versus dissimilarity in assessment and treatment, and (d) the problem of biased tests and guidelines to deal with these tests. The article also summarizes key cross-cultural variables suggested in the literature to enhance the therapist-family relationship during the first family therapy session and subsequent sessions with families from these culturally diverse groups.

Questions that apply to this article:

1. Think about your own family. Does your family dynamic differ in any way from those discussed in the article? How so?
2. How might family therapy differ if there are different cultures and ethnic backgrounds among the members in the family?
3. If you were a clinician working with a family of a different culture than you, what are some important things you would need to consider?