Group therapy is an established form of psychotherapy where members of the group meet regularly under the supervision of expert leadership in confidential and supportive environment. The author of the master's thesis has researched experiences of the members who have experienced group therapy because of their stress and anxiety issues as well as the role of the group through the eyes of the therapists who practise group therapy. The first part of the thesis presents the theoretical frame for anxiety and stress as well as their symptomatology and causes. The development of the concepts through history has also been presented and using of the terms in clinical practice. Anxiety and stress delineate from other similar phenomena in the theoretical part. Group therapy has been exposed as one of the efficient psychotherapeutic practices. The historical overview of using group therapies and its development has been presented as well as its usefulness in modern time. Group therapy has been theoretically presented from the point of view of group dynamics and therapeutic factors, which work in it and take the credit for development in a group on the level of individuals and the group itself. In the empirical part, the author has used phenomenological method, which is based on personal perspective of the phenomenon. The author has got the information about the experiences of the group role in the therapeutic process when coping with anxiety and stress with the method of half-structured interviews. She focused mainly on questions in connection with group dynamics and its role. The results of the research have shown how the participants of the therapy and the therapists experience the group role and its dynamics. Predominantly, we have focused on group experiences and how the group supported the participants. With the research, we have concluded that the participants have had a positive experience of group therapeutic approach and its supportive role. The group spirit and the feeling of alliance have developed, which is of crucial meaning for the therapeutic group role.
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