Rating: 
Summary: Elite Group Therapy
Review: Although I still have one-third of the Book left to read--- I was curious as to what other's opinions are of it....which is why I am here... For myself, I wonder how different the 'dynamics' of the Group might have been, if more *average* people were represented.For example---would there be totally different "problems"(and group Dynamics) if a client were from poor family (and was still relatively poor?) Or....do *we* all basically "suffer" from the SAME type problems NO MATTER WHAT are childhood/lifestyles were? I would have liked to have seen/read about a more diverse Group---with poor, white/non-white paticipants mixed -in.... (But---then again, arguably some of *neediest* clients can not afford his $175 rate (per group meeting!) And so-- I get the point that the "elite" have just as many problems as the "less-advantaged"....but still--it would have been nice to see the relationships evolve between the two 'classes'. (and what pre-concieved ideas ideas each 'class' has/d about the other....) Other than that limitation, I find it to be a good read.
Rating: 
Summary: A moving and credible portrait of group therapy.
Review: As a practicing group therapist, active group member and teacher of group therapy, I was delighted to read Paul Solotaroff's account of one group's experience in therapy. Initially, I expected little, but within minutes I was transported. Mr. Solotaroff has provided the interested reader with a fascinating portrait of the guts of group therapy. He has a keen eye for detail, a sure grasp of language and a great feeling for the drama of group life. Vividly depicting his subject's self-destructive impasses and the group's healing power, Solotaroff should be commended for his contribution to the very small literature of what group therapy actually "looks like." To be sure this is not everybody's group therapy experience. There are many approaches and styles of doing group. But this book captures something beyond theraputic ideology. It gets at the root forces which move people to seek groups as pathways to growth and change. For that alone, this book deserves five stars.
Rating:
Summary: A moving and credible portrait of group therapy.
Review: As a practicing group therapist, active group member and teacher of group therapy, I was delighted to read Paul Solotaroff's account of one group's experience in therapy. Initially, I expected little, but within minutes I was transported. Mr. Solotaroff has provided the interested reader with a fascinating portrait of the guts of group therapy. He has a keen eye for detail, a sure grasp of language and a great feeling for the drama of group life. Vividly depicting his subject's self-destructive impasses and the group's healing power, Solotaroff should be commended for his contribution to the very small literature of what group therapy actually "looks like." To be sure this is not everybody's group therapy experience. There are many approaches and styles of doing group. But this book captures something beyond theraputic ideology. It gets at the root forces which move people to seek groups as pathways to growth and change. For that alone, this book deserves five stars.
Rating:
Summary: an honest, page-turning account...of flawed group therapy
Review: book's strong points: 1) obviously very honest as to what happened 2) a good sense of drama and suspense, as there is no better drama than the real-life drama that takes place when therapy goes below the surface � and this therapy clearly does. 3) beautifully written, wonderful turns of phrase, good use of dialogue...really, quite a readable book. and (uht-oh!) weaknesses: 1) a flawed therapist, which not only became more clear as the book went on, but seriously limited the growth of the group members. This therapist obviously did not protect certain group members from the wrath and prejudice of other members, and this I found unpardonable. Rex became the group's scapegoat, and it didn't take a six million dollar therapist to see it. And not only that, the therapist PARTICIPATED in scapegoating Rex, thereby taking the focus off other group members' (and his own) inadequacies, pain and insecurity. In short, although this therapist was obviously talented and had some insight into the important knowledge that the real source of adult pain lies in childhood, I felt he was a fraud, and not because of his flaws, but because of his pompous denial that he had any - and his nerve to so "diligently" attack the flaws of other group members. (uh, isn't this called projection?) I also felt he was the kind of therapist that wants to "patch people up" and get them happy � at the expense of having them get REAL, which I see as the true goal of therapy. Thus, he's pressuring the patients to jump into relationships, answer personal ads, marry millionaires, take questionable psychotropic medication, join new 12-step groups, have kids... 2) But more important than this was the fact that the author himself was seriously in denial of the therapist's flaws. When these flaws started coming to light the author had trouble making any clear sense of them, because he was still so obviously in awe of his former therapist - idealizing him. It's natural to idealize a therapist (or parent) and to rationalize his or her flaws, which is why therapy (and childhood...) is so dangerous. The patient/child has difficulty seeing beyond the flaws of the one nurturing him or her, and so internalizes those flaws him or herself. I felt I had some evidence for this in that the author wrote in almost the same style in which the fancy therapist talked (grandiose, wordy, ultra-confident...and ultimately non-questioning); the author is constantly making references to meeting people for drinks - such as the other patients, the therapist, etc. � very questionable. And then there�s the classic line in the book, which the author can't seem to make sense of, but which I feel I have a handle on: on page 338, he writes: "how could [the therapist] be acute with others and blind to himself is a matter I can't work out." Well, here's the answer, as I see it, in a nutshell: both parts of that sentence are flawed - both parts have their strengths and both their weaknesses. First off, this therapist is NOT so blind to himself. I think he has a lot of insight into himself, which is why he has so much insight into human nature - the human nature of his patients. But that said, yes, he is clearly extremely blind to parts of himself, which suggests to me...that he is not actually as "acute with others" as this author might hope he is. What this all boils down to for me is basically the author's denial of the extent of his own emotional health. He is actually probably very similar to this therapist in some ways�their denial overlapping in parts. I myself did not find this therapist so omnipotently insightful...which is probably why I was not so surprised when his flaws came out into the light. 3) I also caught on to the therapist�s BS in his long brilliant speeches to his patients throughout the book�and I started skimming them. As I write now, I think what the therapist was really doing was�trying to convince himself of his point�and talk himself back to health. Clearly he failed. 4) The whole set-up of this book, though clever, is suspect: a past patient comes back and "silently" sits in on a "real" group. It is never ONCE mentioned that his presence in the group might be having a serious and detrimental effect on the group itself, preventing its open interchange and preventing its bonding (and both therapist and author noted the poor bonding). And not just is he sitting in to observe...but to write a book on it! One only imagines how that must effect the emotional spontaneity of the members...knowing they - and their deepest foibles - are going to be immortalized in a book! I sure wouldn't want to be in that group. But I can see why some of the members might very well want to - it's a massive grandiose ego stroke, knowing that you're going to take your emotional clothes off in front of the general reading public. Ultimately, however, I felt both the author's presence in and purpose for being in this group were its pink elephants in the living room.
Rating: 
Summary: A Valuable Read
Review: For those of us who sometimes need to be reminded that even glamorous New Yorkers don't have it all figured out, this book was excellent. While I realize that Solitarfoff has his own biases, it was helpful to see that even he was able to continue learning and growing as the book progresses, particularly in his relationship with the therapist. A fine read for those interested in the growth of everyday human beings.
Rating:
Summary: thumbs up
Review: I really enjoyed this book. It is written in an easily readible style that compels you to keep reading. I started to feel as if I knew the characters. I was happy for the successes and disappointed in the failures. I was especially disheartened when the therapist proved to be "human" as well. A must read for anyone interested in discovering themselves or in the psychotherapy profession!
Rating:
Summary: thumbs up
Review: I really enjoyed this book. It is written in an easily readible style that compels you to keep reading. I started to feel as if I knew the characters. I was happy for the successes and disappointed in the failures. I was especially disheartened when the therapist proved to be "human" as well. A must read for anyone interested in discovering themselves or in the psychotherapy profession!
Rating: 
Summary: Interesting, but disappointing
Review: the cover of 'group' reads like dominick dunne goes to psychotherapy. what the book actually does is move beyond the superficial 'fabulousness' of this hand-picked group and explore those very human pains that cause these 3-dimensional people to do irrational and destructive things. as the members 'take on' their lives, their experience becomes a universal experience. solotaroff gives us the opportunity to feel compassion for all seven of the people (therapist included)even though you as the reader, and perhaps solotaroff himself, might not even like them. and he transforms the idea of group therapy from the arena of psychobabble self-absorption to a place that answers a primitive, human need to express oneself and to care for others. i felt like a participant in the group and found myself rooting for each member as they attempted to reactivate. it read like a 'whodunit' but it was more like a 'who's going to "just do it".' it was very enjoyable.
Rating:
Summary: a guilty pleasure that resounds with humanity
Review: the cover of 'group' reads like dominick dunne goes to psychotherapy. what the book actually does is move beyond the superficial 'fabulousness' of this hand-picked group and explore those very human pains that cause these 3-dimensional people to do irrational and destructive things. as the members 'take on' their lives, their experience becomes a universal experience. solotaroff gives us the opportunity to feel compassion for all seven of the people (therapist included)even though you as the reader, and perhaps solotaroff himself, might not even like them. and he transforms the idea of group therapy from the arena of psychobabble self-absorption to a place that answers a primitive, human need to express oneself and to care for others. i felt like a participant in the group and found myself rooting for each member as they attempted to reactivate. it read like a 'whodunit' but it was more like a 'who's going to "just do it".' it was very enjoyable.
Rating:
Summary: no gods, even among therapists
Review: The final four pages are profound beyond belief. The author stuns the reader, in ten paragraphs, with an undeniable truth of our existence: There are no gods among men. Never were, never will be.
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