I belong to a Mood Disorder group at the hospital which is facilitated by psych nurses and other mental heal practitioners. For the most part we are left to our own in our smaller break away groups when it comes to round table discussion and sharing. They are pretty strict though when it comes to 'dangerous' and unhelpful talk - whether that be to one's person or someone else. Frankly, I am surprised to hear this isn't hapening in your group. The first thing that raised my eyebrows was the participants not observing the ground rules. The facilitators ought to have taken immediate action on this. The second bit that bugs me - and you are correct to be so irked too - is that the facilitators have allowed the member's own problem to direct the energy and direction of the group as a whole. This person should have been taken aside privately and reminded of the group rules and appropriate conduct. If they were having a mental health moment that required addressing it would have been better too to do so off to the side.

Basically input from the table ought to be governed in such a manner that it be of value to the pariticipants, and be an aid to recovery. Anything that takes away from this and is of a hinderance to the group should be dealt with. By not holding the group accountable to the rules and observance of agreed upon (I sure hope this is happening) conduct, the facilitators have essentially lost control.