Quick Guide for Clinicians - SAMHSA Store - Substance Abuse and ...

44 Substance Abuse Treatment: Group TherapyResponding to Disruptive BehaviorClients who cannot stop talking. When a clienttalks on and on, he or she may not know what isexpected in a therapy group. The group leadermight ask, “Bob, what are you hoping the groupwill learn from what you have been sharing?” IfBob's answer is, “Well, nothing really,” it might betime to ask more experienced group members togive Bob a sense of how the group works.If group members exhibit no interest in stopping aperpetually filibustering client, it may be appropriateto examine this silent cooperation, as well.The group may be all too willing to allow the talkerto ramble on in order to avoid examining their ownpast. When this motive is suspected, the leadershould explore what group members have andhave not done to signal the speaker that it is timeto yield the floor.Clients who interrupt. Interruptions disrupt theflow of discussion in the group, with frustratingresults. The client who interrupts is often someonenew to the group and not yet accustomed toits norms and rhythms. The leader may invite thegroup to comment on the interruption as a form ofintervention.