title: Understanding content and process: guidelines for group leaders.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To discuss basic concepts of group therapy as a treatment modality.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The psychiatric nurse group leader uses concepts of content and process at his/her disposal as powerful tools of change, adaptation, and recovery.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Group therapy is a common modality in treating mental disorders that is both evidence based and cost-effective. Group therapy is practiced in inpatient, outpatient, partial hospitalization, and residential treatment facilities. Because of their understanding of the bio-psycho-social origin of mental illness, psychiatric nurses are uniquely prepared to assist in many roles as facilitators of change.
authors.affiliation: Ka University of Pittsburgh School of Nursing, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA. krp12@pitt.edu
authors.forename: Kathryn R
authors.initials: KR
authors.lastname: Puskar
authors.forename: Giuliana
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Mazza
authors.forename: Cynthia
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Slivka
authors.forename: Megan
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Westcott
authors.forename: Fran
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Campbell
authors.forename: Tricia
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Giannone McFadden
mesh_terms: D006801:Humans; D001523:Mental Disorders / Q000451:nursing*; D017410:Practice Guidelines as Topic; D011568:Psychiatric Nursing / Q000379:methods*; D013811:Psychotherapeutic Processes; D011615:Psychotherapy, Group / Q000379:methods*