Cultic Studies Journal, Vol. 9, No. 2, 1992, Page 6
than is characteristic among individual therapy clients. Outside contacts between group
members that provide emotional and practical support can be very beneficial. They can also
lead to coalitions, subgrouping, and romances that confound the privacy and central
emphases of therapeutic involvement (Lakin, 1986). Therapists sometimes have clients in
both individual and group therapy at the same time, raising questions of which information
disclosed in each setting will be used in the other.
In the groups under study, by contrast, relationships with multiple dimensions are not only
tolerated but sanctioned and pursued. The group is viewed as a new family, providing for all
the clients‟ social and personal needs (Boland, 1989 Hart, 1972 Singer, 1979 Span, 1988
Temerlin &Temerlin, 1986). This intensified involvement is often perpetuated by ensuring
that when clients finish therapy or “graduate,” they are promoted into staff or therapist
positions within the group (Conason &McGarrahan, 1986 Hassan, 1988 Mithers, 1988). In
some groups, therapists and staff are not excluded from the requirement that they continue
to receive therapy (Ayella, 1985 Boland, 1989 Conason &McGarrahan, 1986 Hennican,
1988).
In these environments, therapists take on numerous roles in their clients‟ lives including
employer, business partner, financial advisor, spiritual leader, and lover (Temerlin &Temerlin,
1982, 1986). In particular, sexual involvement of the therapist with clients can create an
incestuous dynamic in which the client feels a need to protect the therapist from exposure or
scrutiny (Pope &Bouhoutsos, 1986 Schoener, Milgrom, Gonsiorek, Luepler, &Conroe, 1990
Temerlin &Temerlin, 1986). This intensifies the role reversal where the therapist is now
depending on the client to meet personal needs.
In these groups, clients are typically encouraged to take on a new identity (Ayella, 1985
Hochman, 1984 Temerlin &Temerlin, 1982). Ayella (1985) describes the emphasis in one
group on open expression of feelings that became taxing and disruptive of members‟ outside
relationships. This commonly leads to what Bainbridge (1978) described as a transition to a
“culture of narcissism” and a concomitant alienation from previous relationships. This collapse
of the client‟s social network and outside relationships is facilitated indirectly by the intensity
of the new relationships and the new standards clients are encouraged to impose on
themselves and on all of their relationships.
Other authors have written of the ways that clients in these groups are encouraged to end
other relationships (Boland, 1989 Conason &McGarrahan, 1986 Hochman, 1984 Ofshe,
1976). Several observers reported the imposition of periods of time in which clients have
been prevented from communicating with outsiders (Ayella, 1985 Hochman, 1984 Mithers,
1988 Temerlin &Temerlin, 1986). This is different from therapeutic encouragement to
terminate dysfunctional relationships because the only criterion that is utilized to determine
who is or is not acceptable is whether they are or are not members of the group. This
enmeshed quality in relationships within the group readily leads to social isolation, which
potentiates the development of internal relationships characterized as “psychological incest”
(Temerlin &Temerlin, 1986) and “group think” (Janis, 1982).
Informed Consent
Therapists are now expected to provide prospective clients with accurate information about
the goals, content, procedures, and risks of therapy so they can decide freely whether to
become involved (APA, 1989 ASGW, 1983 NASW, 1990). Barriers that can impair the clarity
and freedom of this judgment include the urgency clients normally feel to get on with doing
something about their problems (Lakin, 1986) and the prevalence of psychotherapy jargon
that clients do not understand (Temerlin &Temerlin, 1986). Careless or unethical group
therapists can violate this standard by failing to provide adequate information and unbiased
opportunities for clients to ask questions and weigh their alternatives. They can continue the
than is characteristic among individual therapy clients. Outside contacts between group
members that provide emotional and practical support can be very beneficial. They can also
lead to coalitions, subgrouping, and romances that confound the privacy and central
emphases of therapeutic involvement (Lakin, 1986). Therapists sometimes have clients in
both individual and group therapy at the same time, raising questions of which information
disclosed in each setting will be used in the other.
In the groups under study, by contrast, relationships with multiple dimensions are not only
tolerated but sanctioned and pursued. The group is viewed as a new family, providing for all
the clients‟ social and personal needs (Boland, 1989 Hart, 1972 Singer, 1979 Span, 1988
Temerlin &Temerlin, 1986). This intensified involvement is often perpetuated by ensuring
that when clients finish therapy or “graduate,” they are promoted into staff or therapist
positions within the group (Conason &McGarrahan, 1986 Hassan, 1988 Mithers, 1988). In
some groups, therapists and staff are not excluded from the requirement that they continue
to receive therapy (Ayella, 1985 Boland, 1989 Conason &McGarrahan, 1986 Hennican,
1988).
In these environments, therapists take on numerous roles in their clients‟ lives including
employer, business partner, financial advisor, spiritual leader, and lover (Temerlin &Temerlin,
1982, 1986). In particular, sexual involvement of the therapist with clients can create an
incestuous dynamic in which the client feels a need to protect the therapist from exposure or
scrutiny (Pope &Bouhoutsos, 1986 Schoener, Milgrom, Gonsiorek, Luepler, &Conroe, 1990
Temerlin &Temerlin, 1986). This intensifies the role reversal where the therapist is now
depending on the client to meet personal needs.
In these groups, clients are typically encouraged to take on a new identity (Ayella, 1985
Hochman, 1984 Temerlin &Temerlin, 1982). Ayella (1985) describes the emphasis in one
group on open expression of feelings that became taxing and disruptive of members‟ outside
relationships. This commonly leads to what Bainbridge (1978) described as a transition to a
“culture of narcissism” and a concomitant alienation from previous relationships. This collapse
of the client‟s social network and outside relationships is facilitated indirectly by the intensity
of the new relationships and the new standards clients are encouraged to impose on
themselves and on all of their relationships.
Other authors have written of the ways that clients in these groups are encouraged to end
other relationships (Boland, 1989 Conason &McGarrahan, 1986 Hochman, 1984 Ofshe,
1976). Several observers reported the imposition of periods of time in which clients have
been prevented from communicating with outsiders (Ayella, 1985 Hochman, 1984 Mithers,
1988 Temerlin &Temerlin, 1986). This is different from therapeutic encouragement to
terminate dysfunctional relationships because the only criterion that is utilized to determine
who is or is not acceptable is whether they are or are not members of the group. This
enmeshed quality in relationships within the group readily leads to social isolation, which
potentiates the development of internal relationships characterized as “psychological incest”
(Temerlin &Temerlin, 1986) and “group think” (Janis, 1982).
Informed Consent
Therapists are now expected to provide prospective clients with accurate information about
the goals, content, procedures, and risks of therapy so they can decide freely whether to
become involved (APA, 1989 ASGW, 1983 NASW, 1990). Barriers that can impair the clarity
and freedom of this judgment include the urgency clients normally feel to get on with doing
something about their problems (Lakin, 1986) and the prevalence of psychotherapy jargon
that clients do not understand (Temerlin &Temerlin, 1986). Careless or unethical group
therapists can violate this standard by failing to provide adequate information and unbiased
opportunities for clients to ask questions and weigh their alternatives. They can continue the
