Experiences in Group Psychotherapy with the Obese

V> ( URRENTLY, there is an increased inter-est and attention being devoted to the treat-ment of individuals in a group setting. The case for the group approach is first constructed on the basis of an emergency measure because time and individual therapists of all profes-sions are at a premium. Originally a "time-saver, " the group approach was discovered to possess something that yielded fundamental and lasting satisfactions, over and beyond in-dividual attention. Group psychotherapists became fascinated by this something. They devoted a tremendous amount of energy to study it carefully, and to evolve around it various aims and goals. In a general sense, the group approach is not new. It has thrived as long as recorded his-tory. The whole acculturation process as it is practiced in religious groups, social informal gatherings, and. organizational groups, such as the scouts, masonic orders, professional asso-ciations, can in some ways be called thera-peutic in effect, although not in intent. Cer-tain changes in attitudes may be brought about through the influence of such groups. However, these groups consist of a collection of emotionally unrelated individuals who are motivated not by illness and whose goals are not the alleviation of illness. Despite the multiplicity and variety of groups, there still remains a large number of individuals who desire acceptance by others but have an aversion to joining a group. The