Group Psychoeducation and Cognitive Behavioural Therapy for Bipolar Disorder

There is good evidence for delivery of psychological interventions for those with a diagnosis of bipolar disorder in group formats and this includes both psychoeducation groups and group Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT). In this chapter, we briefly consider these two different types of groups, their content and their efficacy. The chapter provides an overview of the therapeutic factors that can be helpful within groups and gives an example of a specific group-based intervention for bipolar disorder: The Mood on Track Programme. We illustrate this with case material and service user narrative. Following this, we highlight some specific considerations for clinicians when running groups with those with a diagnosis of bipolar disorder. These include, for example, assessment of service users before groups, process issues and risk management within group settings.