An account of a time-limited therapeutic group in an NHS setting for women with a history of incest

Group therapy may be a useful treatment modality for women who have been sexually abused as children. The group described here involved patients referred to the British NHS psychiatric service. This closed time-limited group was run by male and female cotherapists. Reasons are advanced for advocating a mixed-sex cotherapy team. The progress of the group is described. Issues of selection, preparatory individual therapy, further individual therapy following the group, and stress on the therapists are discussed. It is suggested that the mode of referral influences the severity of presenting problems and the level of additional support likely to be required by group members. The participants' views concerning the most helpful components of therapy are recorded and self-report measures are considered alongside the assessments of the therapists.