The detection of shame in group psychotherapy: Uncovering the hidden emotion

Shame, recently so extensively investigated in the individual and family th erapy literature, has remained curiously underexplored in the group literat ure since Alonso and Rutan's noteworthy article on the subject in 1988. Sha me is frequently bypassed because, as a result of its hidden nature, its pr esence is often not detected. This article strives to insure that shame doe s not go unaddressed. We catalogue and discuss six defenses that may sugges t the subterranean workings of shame: (1) focusing on themes that stress si milarities among members, (2) generating feelings of scorn and disdain, (3) avoiding here-and-now material, (4) inducing guilt, (5) transference react ions, and (6) preserving the illusion of the leader's infallibility. The be st antidote for shame's neglect is a heightened readiness to detect it. Suc h detection is important because shame plays some role in many of our patie nts' complaints.