In our managed care era, group therapy, long the domain of traditional psychodynamically oriented therapists, has emerged as the best option for millions of Americans. However, the process can be frustratingly slow, and studies show that patients actually feel worse after months of group treatment than when they began. Can and should "the group" speed a person's progress? Now, in this "must have" book, marriage and family therapist Linda Metcalf persuasively argues that the collaborative nature of group therapy actually lends itself to time-limited treatment. She combines the best elements of group work and the popular solution focused brief therapy approach to create new opportunities for practitioners and patients alike.
Among the topics covered in this valuable guide are:

• how to learn the model
• how to design a group and recruit members
• how to identify exceptions to a group member's self-destructive behaviors and thoughts
• how to help members focus on their successes rather than their failures
• how to keep the group solution focused when therapists or members fall back into old patterns

This unique resource also includes case examples and session transcripts to follow, together with reproducible forms that can be used as they are or tailored to a therapist's needs. Solution Focused Group Therapy is an up-to-the-minute, highly accessible resource for therapists of any orientation. Managed care companies in particular will welcome this model, which deals so effectively and economically with today's biggest problems, including eating disorders, chemical dependencies, grief, depression, anxiety, and sexual abuse.

Terry Hargrave Author of Families and Forgiveness No one has applied solution focused therapy to more diverse settings in such an effective way as Linda Metcalf. This book opens a whole new door to group therapy.
Michael Durrant Author of Creative Strategies for School Problems: Solutions for Psychologists and Teachers Linda Metcalf's book is the logical next step in the solution focused brief therapy literature and, as such, is timely and most welcome....She shows how a therapeutic approach that sets out to be collaboration between clients and therapist is ideally suited to situations where clients in a group can develop therapeutic collaboration as well.
Bill O'Hanlon Author of Even from a Broken Web and Brief Couples Therapy Homework Planner Finally, a book on solution-based and collaborative group therapy. The field has been waiting for this book for a long time, and Linda Metcalf has done it well. She includes solid theoretical underpinnings, as well as practical methods of doing group work in a variety of academic and clinical settings. She tells us how to do group therapy with anxiety, depression, anger, adolescents, parents, relationships, and family-of-origin issues. But more than all this, the book is pervaded by a spirit of hope, respect, creativity and humor.
Michael Durrant Author of Creative Strategies for School Problems: Solutions for Psychologists and Teachers Linda Metcalf's book is the logical next step in the solution focused brief therapy literature and, as such, is timely and most welcome....She shows how a therapeutic approach that sets out to be collaboration between clients and therapist is ideally suited to situations where clients in a group can develop therapeutic collaboration as well.
Terry Hargrave Author of Families and Forgiveness No one has applied solution focused therapy to more diverse settings in such an effective way as Linda Metcalf. This book opens a whole new door to group therapy.
Bill O'Hanlon Author of Even from a Broken Web and Brief Couples Therapy Homework Planner Finally, a book on solution-based and collaborative group therapy. The field has been waiting for this book for a long time, and Linda Metcalf has done it well. She includes solid theoretical underpinnings, as well as practical methods of doing group work in a variety of academic and clinical settings. She tells us how to do group therapy with anxiety, depression, anger, adolescents, parents, relationships, and family-of-origin issues. But more than all this, the book is pervaded by a spirit of hope, respect, creativity and humor.
Brian Cade Author of A Brief Guide to Family Therapy At last! A reliable and comprehensive work to which I can refer the increasing number of professionals, from a wide variety of practice settings, who are asking me, Can these techniques be adapted for groups? It is clear, concise, practical and full of adaptable examples. I...recommend it.

Linda Metcalf, Ph.D., is a marriage and family therapist in private practice in Arlington, Texas. She works extensively with school systems as a consultant in Solution Focused Brief Therapy. Dr. Metcalf is the author of Counseling Toward Solutions and Parenting Toward Solutions.