
doi: 10.1007/bf01458228
Over the years, the use of cotherapy groups has generated considerable debate, pro and con (Adler & Berman, 1960; Benjamin, 1972; Dreikurs, 1950; Gans, 1962; McMahon & Links, 1984; Rabin, 1967; Roller & Nelson, 1991; Russell & Russell, 1979; Slavson, 1960). Coleading therapy groups for training has generated less debate, though it has not been without controversy (Galinsky & Schopler, 1980; Lunden & Aronov, 1952; MacLennan, 1965; Middleman, 1980; Rutan & Alonso, 1980; Rutan & Stone, 1984; Yalom, 1975). I have co-led groups and supervised many, especially those co-led by therapists in training. When supervising, I have seen cotherapists work and learn well together, and I have seen others have fruitless and difficult struggles at considerable cost to the group members. With the latter leaders, their relationship consumed most of the supervision. Despite the controversy, this method of training continues. The limited research done to date suggests that most therapists in training find it a valuable way to learn. For instance, Dies (1974) found that leading with a qualified therapist was the preferred method of learning, and cotherapy with a peer was ranked fourth. Paulson et al. (1976) discovered that 67.86% of the students they surveyed found coleading a positive learning experience. A survey by Roller and Nelson (1991, p. 37) found that 70 of 80 therapists would colead with someone in training with them or under their supervision. One exception was a survey by Dies (1980), which showed that only 27 of 100 group supervisors recommended cotherapy for training. Clearly, the value of cotherapy or colearning (Roller & Nelson, 1991) for group therapy training remains unresolved. Only two of the studies noted address the learning experience of the students directly. So, when invited to present a paper on peer cotherapy and training at the Annual AGPA conference, I asked group psychotherapy students about the nature and learning value of their peer cotherapy experience. These students learned group psychotherapy as part of a general psychodynamic psychotherapy training program I headed for 11 years at the Boston Institute for Psychotherapy. This paper discusses the results of that survey and outlines several questions raised by the survey that require additional research.
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