Abstract

In a hospital setting, a combination of various factors - especially when it comes to an inexperienced therapist or a therapist leading a group in a hospital (institutional) context for the first time, a novice therapist whose approach to the group may be more authoritarian or insecure, the selection process and characteristics of group members, the therapist’s status and their relationship with the institution, as well as patient transference toward the clinic and therapist – can hinder and slow down the formation of a group as a whole when compared to non-hospital settings. The aim of this paper is to draw attention to the aforementioned elements and elaborate on the difficulties that may arise, because awareness of all factors affecting the group is important when dealing with them, and it serves as a foundation for the personal growth of the therapist and, consequently, the growth of the group as well.