Alexithymia is a disorder of affection-regulation. In tackling this theme, the author present a literary and a clinical case which show that group psychotherapy, as opposed to the individual psychotherapy, can produce positive effects. Indeed group-therapy can allow alexithyimia sufferers to re-build mental functions not yet fully developed, through group specific phenomena. As mental functions have a neural correlate, the author examines the possible causes of this malfunctioning, both through the recent acquisitions of neuroscience and by referring to the theories of Bion and other authors.
Keywords: Alexithymia, group therapy, affection regulation, emotions, alpha function, mirroring.