EXPRESSIVE GROUP-PSYCHOTHERAPY WITH THE AGING

Expressive psychotherapy has several characteristics. It is neither didactic nor heavily structured, nor is it a social gathering where food and drink are served. The boundaries of the group are maintained, with new members being added in a systematic rather than random fashion. The therapists assume a nontransparent stance, which implies minimal social contact with members of the group outside the sessions. The purpose of this paper is to review the literature and report on the authors' expressive work with patients aged 70 to 99.