A MODERN PSYCHOANALYTIC APPROACH TO CAREGIVER SUPPORT GROUPS

Caregiver support groups traditionally focus on education, reduction o f social isolation and supportive sharing. However, the support group literature has increasingly reflected an interest in the emotional eff ects of caregiving. While some authors promote the therapeutic value o f supporting defenses against painful feelings, others have documented the value of encouraging their expression in groups. This paper is ba sed on the author's experience in co-leading an Alzheimer's family sup port group, using a modem psychoanalytic approach which encourages the full expression of the caregivers' emotional experience. Using emotio nal communication to explore resistances to intimacy and aggression in groups, the author demonstrates how the interplay of co-leadership an d Modem Psychoanalytic theory and techniques promotes group cohesion a nd encourages maturational growth in group members. This model is also prescribed as an antidote to leader ''burnout,'' a not uncommon pheno menon for leaders of such emotionally charged groups.