Groupwork in occupational therapy: constructing facts, experiences and history

Abstract

This paper presents the process of development of a therapeutic group for psychotic outpatients. The work has taken place at the Schizophrenia Group (PROESQ), one ofthe services at the psychiatric outpatient clinic of Escola Paulista de Medicina da Universidade Federal de São Paulo EPM/UNIFESP. The group, created in April, 1994, was planned to meet the needs of young patients with short illness story, few hospitalization experiences, ifso. It has been coordinated by Occupational Therapists, trainees at the Curso de Especialização em Terapia Ocupacional em Saúde Mental, do Departemento de Psiquiatria da EPM/UNIFESP. The article approaches the history of the group, focusing at the main aspects of the therapeutic process: 1) promotion, integration and sharing of personal experiences among the members of the group; 2) experimentation with diverse media and activities, bringing learning opportunities and enlargement of cultural repertoires; 3) an intervention based on the individual needs and difficulties, leading to group processes of problem solving and insight; 4) development ofother therapeutic groups and interventions as a consequence of this group experience, resulting in enlargement of therapeutic resources of PROESQ.