The three R's of group: resistance, rebellion, and refusal.

Full Abstract

I describe three constellations of group life and group process:
resistance, rebellion, and refusal. In resistance, an individual or group remains antagonistic to conscious but not unconscious thinking, the latter manifested in derivatives, including symbol and symptom formation, transference-countertransference, and enactment. Rebellion functions on the level of conscious thinking, manifested in challenge, defiance, and the possibility of sociopolitical action. The basic premises and values of the group and/or leader are at the center of the controversy, to be addressed on that level. Refusal establishes a mental boundary between what is considered appropriate and inappropriate. Unconscious as well as conscious processes of feeling, thinking, and meaning making are refused entry, left undeveloped, rejected, or obstructed. Working with refusal requires appreciating how and why the mind and its thinking operations are being suspended. The theoretical framework is applied to a case example.

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Author information

Author/s: Billow, Richard M (RM);

Affiliation: Postdoctoral Program in Group Psychotherapy, Derner Institute, Adelphi University, Garden City, New York, USA. RMBillow(-atsign-)hotmail.com

Journal and publication information

Publication Type: Journal Article

Journal: International journal of group psychotherapy (Int J Group Psychother), published in United States. (Language: eng)

Reference: 2006-Jul; vol 56 (issue 3) : pp 259-84

Dates: Created 2006/07/06; Completed 2006/08/10;

PMID: 16822176, status: MEDLINE (last retrieval date: 12/26/2008)

Sourced from the National Library of Medicine. Abstract text and other information may be subject to copyright.

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