The American Group Psychotherapy Association (AGPA) is a not-for-profit multi-disciplinary organization dedicated to enhancing the practice, theory and research of

group psychotherapy Group psychotherapy or group therapy is a form of psychotherapy in which one or more therapists treat a small group of clients together as a group. The term can legitimately refer to any form of psychotherapy when delivered in a group format, ...

Membership

American Group Psychotherapy Association is a national organization with over 2000 members internationally and 31 affiliate societies. Members come from disciplines such as

psychology Psychology is the scientific study of mind and behavior. Psychology includes the study of conscious and unconscious phenomena, including feelings and thoughts. It is an academic discipline of immense scope, crossing the boundaries betwe ...

, creative art therapy,

psychiatry Psychiatry is the specialty (medicine), medical specialty devoted to the diagnosis, prevention, and treatment of mental disorders. These include various maladaptations related to mood, behaviour, cognition, and perceptions. See glossary of psych ...

nursing Nursing is a profession within the health care sector focused on the care of individuals, families, and communities so they may attain, maintain, or recover optimal health and quality of life. Nurses may be differentiated from other health ...

, social work, professional counseling, addictions, and marriage and family therapy. AGPA's annual meeting attracts approximately 1000 attendees.

History

The inception of the American Group Psychotherapy Association began in 1942 with the actual decision to found the organization being made in February 1943 during a meeting of the American Orthopsychiatric Association in New York City. The organization was first named the American Group Therapy Association. In 1952, the name was officially changed to the American Group Psychotherapy Association. Samuel R. Slavson was one of the founders and served as the first president of the AGPA.

Certification

The International Board for Certification of Group Psychotherapists is a not-for-profit corporation formed to function autonomously from AGPA. The International Board for Certification of Group Psychotherapists (IBCGP) awards group therapists certification after they have presented documentation demonstrating the completion of a significant amount of training through coursework, experience, and supervision. A Certified Group Psychotherapist (CGP) is also required to continue lifelong learning by obtaining continuing education credits (CEU's) in effective leadership of psychotherapy groups.

Organizational involvement

The diversity of AGPA membership has been actively involved in the promotion of group therapy as an alternative treatment to the public and private sectors. The development of ethical and practice standards. AGPA membership has also responded to the nation's disasters; for example, September 11 and Hurricane Katrina. AGPA has also developed a set of standards of practice for group therapy for use by practitioners. This resource assists the clinician in the development of

evidence-based Evidence-based practice (EBP) is the idea that occupational practices ought to be based on scientific evidence. While seemingly obviously desirable, the proposal has been controversial, with some arguing that results may not specialize to indiv ...

and best practices.

References

Official website
Scheidlinger, S., Schamess, G (1992)''Fifty Years of AGPA 1942-1992: An Overview''. MacKenzie, R. (Ed). Classics in Group Psychotherapy. New York: Guilford Press.

{{Authority control Psychology organizations based in the United States Group psychotherapy Counseling organizations Organizations established in 1943 Mental health organizations in New York (state)