Relational-oriented goals in existential group therapy

Purpose. This paper presents the results of a qualitative research of the correlation between the goals of group psychotherapy carried out within the existential approach. The purpose of this article is to explore the relational aspects of psychotherapeutic practices by analyzing clients' reflexive reports about their goals for therapy and the goal assessment dynamics; to expand on the meaningful aspects of the qualitative measures used in the study. Method. Nineteen participants of an existential group therapy "Psychotherapeutic life. Intensive Therapeutic Faith", given by Dr. A.E. Alekseicikas, were asked to complete Goals Form and Goal Assessment Form (Cooper & McLeod, 2011) before the group started and following each therapeutic day. The study implied collecting clients' goals for the therapy and assessments of their goals during the therapeutic process. The forms were analyzed using phenomenological method by Giorgi (1997). Findings. Participants stated their initial goals for the therapy mainly in an abstract manner, only one third of the goals were formulated more specifically with greater focus on the reality and conditions of life. At the initial stage of the therapy the mean value of relevance of a problem/issue (the level of relevance) exceeds clients' expectations to solve it. Although, the level of clients' expectations is higher than the level of clients' tension regarding their relevant issues. The low level of tension probably shows that the clients are capable of dealing with their tension regarding the relevant issues, and even though they hope for therapeutic changes they understand the importance of their personal input in the therapy. Conclusions. Phenomenological interpretation of the data received allows to assume the therapist's goals and the goals of the therapeutic approach relate to the clients' goals as creating the specific therapeutic tension and deficit. This tension probably enables incremental therapeutic process. The use of reflexive forms and the design of a process map were aimed at improving the therapeutic process. The data obtained through these forms can help to describe psychotherapy as space for life in the modalities of relationship and psychotherapy as a process of formation of specific compatibility facilitating/favoring the renewal of life. We assume that the method of relational assessments can be used in a wide range of studying helpful therapeutic processes.

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