1st Edition
Advances in Group Psychotherapy Living in the Passionate Bad Fit
Advances in Group Psychotherapy presents an exploration of the work of Stewart Aledort in group psychotherapy.
The book covers key areas of Aledort’s work in group psychotherapy, including theory and working with shame, anger, and aggression in the group. It includes theoretical and clinical cases from Aledort’s work throughout, as well as new interviews which explore his most well-known theories. The book also explores Aledort’s retirement from practice, with interviews exploring how he ended his group work after more than five decades.
Advances in Group Psychotherapy will be of great interest to all group psychotherapy and group analysis practitioners in practice and in training.
Note from the editor
Acknowledgements
Theory
1. Introduction to the Concepts of the Omnipotent Child and the Passionate Bad Fit
2. The Stages of the Developmental Model
3. The Omnipotent Child Syndrome: The Role of Passionately Held Bad Fits in the Formation of Identity
4. How the Passionate Bad Fit and Omnipotent Child Develop
Shame
5. Concepts of Shame and the Excitement in Shame
6. Shame and Narcissism
7. Healthy Desire and Aliveness: The Group’s Power to Work Through the Passion in Shame
Anger and Aggression
8. Anger in Groups
9. Aggression
10. Case Examples of Fighting in Groups
11. Clinical Cases
12. The Risks in the Work
Related Topics
13. Coming in from the Cold: “Conversation with a Stone”
14. Character Change and Narcissism
15.Impasse
16. It Takes Courage to Live in a Good Fit
17. Excitement: A Crucial Marker for Group Psychotherapy
18. Sexuality in Group
19. Sitting in the Hot Seat
Retirement: The Final Chapter
20. Retiring After Over 50 Years in Practice
21. Retirement, and Ending the Groups: Stewart and Lee Talk
References
Index
Biography
Stewart L. Aledort is a psychiatrist and group analyst based in Washington DC. He is a faculty member of the American Group Psychotherapy Association (AGPA).
Lee Kassan is a psychoanalyst based in New York City. He is a Life Fellow of AGPA.
“The best psychotherapy is deeply interpersonal and intersubjective for both patients and their therapists. Their relationships become saturated with reciprocal and complementary feelings and thoughts, especially their hopes and disappointments. As a devoted maverick, Dr. Stewart Aledort shares his clinical experience with patients who are “difficult” and “hard to reach.” He uses his own flawed self in the service of helping others heal their wounds of neglect and indifference. This exceedingly honest report is liberating, empowering and constructively provocative.” - Earl Hopper, Ph.D., Series Editor
“With the tenacity of a bulldog and the warmth of a loving and available mother, Dr. Stewart Aledort, in his new book, treats his readers to a fresh, stimulating, and provocative account of his unique work with early-life emotional deprivation, trauma, and disappointment. He has the unique gift of working with misplaced loyalty, archaic grandiosity, somatic feelings, hidden excitement, and the deep and inconsolable parts of his patients. He does so with courage, boldness, creativity, respect, honesty, and, most of all, acceptance and kindness. Stewart provides his readers with an abundance of clinical examples and wisdom culled from his 50+ years of clinical experience. Readers will return to their groups with renewed curiosity, understanding, and courage.” - Jerome S. Gans, MD, Distinguished Life Fellow, American Group Psychotherapy Association and American Psychiatric Association
“In this very interesting book, Stewart Aledort details his unique understanding of how group therapy is best practiced. Deeply influenced by the work of Melanie Klein and Margaret Mahler, Dr. Aledort begins with the premise that for therapy to proceed, the patients must meet and accept the deeply, preverbal unconscious parts of themselves. Using interviews, case examples, and theoretical presentations, Aledort lets us see why he does what he does. At the end, we are given a touching view of the man as he approaches retirement.” - J. Scott Rutan, PhD, Past President, AGPA; Retired, Harvard Medical School; Massachusetts General Hospital Department of Psychiatry
“This book is the story of a theory and the man behind that theory who single-handedly developed controversial ideas and practiced them. In an admirable and vulnerable way, Aledort candidly admits his belief the therapist is the most important person in the group, the group cannot be trusted initially, and the preverbal wish for fireworks animates every group patient. Blended with his personal story, including a backstage look at his retirement following the death of his wife, he explores themes of sexuality, shame, narcissism, and aggression through use of rich case examples. These are absolutely new ideas offered in an absorbing way.” - Joseph Shay, PhD, CGP, AGPA-LF, Lecturer on Psychiatry, Department of Psychiatry, Part-time, Harvard Medical School; Editorial Board, International Journal of Group Psychotherapy
“The author of this book is practically a legend to many members of the American Group Psychotherapy Association. During the last thirty years, Dr. Stewart Aledort’s annual training presentations, along with his live group therapy demonstrations, have always been well received and enthusiastically attended by admiring colleagues and students from all over the world, eager to learn more about Stewart’s instinctive and innovative approach to group psychotherapy. An introduction to Dr. Aledort’s uniquely creative style, along with his brash, extemporaneous attitude toward group dynamics, usually results in group members discovering unique theoretical perspectives and innovative explanations, like the Omnipotent Child and the Passionate Bad Fit. Buy this book, read it thoroughly, and prepare yourself for an exciting journey through Stewart’s unique theoretical model of group treatment. Chances are you will be surprised when you discover yourself eagerly ending up metaphorically on the container of Stewart’s lap.” - Philip J. Flores, PhD, ABPP, AGPA-F, CGP; author, Addiction as an Attachment Disorder and Group Psychotherapy with Addiction Populations
