A specific form of analytic therapy devised by SH Foulkes. Foulkes was originally a psychoanalyst and group analytic theory comprises psychoanalytic theory, social theory and systems theory in a unified approach to understand ourselves as individuals and relational persons in a group, social, organisational or other interpersonal contexts.

Dr Az Hakeem trained in both Individual Psychoanalytic Psychotherapy and also separately as a Group Analyst and offers both forms of psychotherapy to patients as well as being able to advise which form may be better suited to your needs or if a different form of therapeutic intervention may be indicated.

Many people have reservations about being a patient in a group setting. But here are the reasons why an analytic group is often a more powerful therapeutic medium than the individual setting:

No it is not just a diluted form of therapy and no it does not involve waiting your turn in the group for some therapy. Neither is it a AA/NA type of therapy group or support group or ‘drop in’ type of group.

An analytic group typically has 8 patients and myself as the group analyst. I typically offer a number of individual sessions with myself prior to joining the group so that a new member will have me as a familiar face when they join the group.  The group will have the same members each week (not a drop in) and apologies need to be given if a member is unable to attend and this will be passed on to the group. Patients may remain as members of the group for differing lengths of time. It is expected that at least a one year commitment is made but initially a shorter period may be easier to contemplate for new members at the outset. New members are introduced when spaces become available, or when an existing member leaves.

Group members have no contact with each other outside of the 90 minute weekly group sessions. As with other forms of therapy the content of the group sessions are highly confidential and members are all bound by this confidentially.

In individual analytic therapy material to be considered is brought in from the patient’s life outside of the therapy and also the therapeutic / transference relationship between the patient and therapist is considered. In group analysis in addition to the material the patients bring from their lives outside the group, there will be material arising from within the group sessions which will also be usefully considered and interpreted. Analysis is of the individual members and of the group as a whole and is performed by all members of the group, including the group analyst. Any of the group may comment, challenge or interpret at any point to anyone in the group. Patterns of interpersonal relating within the group will reflect patterns of interpersonal relating of the members outside of the group. As such, the controlled conditions of the therapeutic micro-society provide a useful medium of analysing how we think, feel, relate and function interpersonally.