ks as a unit but each member has his or her own job that he or she must perform in order for the team to function. When one person changes how he or she does their job, the rest of the team has to adjust accordingly even when the change is a good one. In family therapy, the therapist may moderate how the family interacts and help the family to change maladaptive ways of interacting while trying to maintain the balance within the family. Sometimes, when a family first comes to therapy, one person has been identified as the "patient." Even though one person is the patient, the entire family may learn how the rest of the their actions, feelings, and beliefs contribute to that person 's problems. They may also learn how the family works as a whole. Sometimes families meet with other families and a therapist for group therapy. This type of therapy allows families to learn and get support from other families with similar circumstances.Group therapy involves a group moderator and other people who share a common interest or problem. The group moderator is either a professional therapist or someone with similar issues as the rest of the group and who has been chosen by them to lead the group. The group could have different therapeutic approaches such as cognitive, interpersonal, or psychodynamic. In a helpful group, the moderator guides the discussion in productive directions and makes sure that conversations are meaningful for everyone. A good group moderator will not force individuals to speak or share personal information if they do not want to. Many moderators will not even request that silent participants speak, although silent participants usually find themselves becoming more involved as time progresses. The moderator of a group is different than a mediator in couples or family therapy. A group moderator poses questions and encourages involvement of group members. A therapy mediator acts as a communication facilitator to the couple or fa...
