Research has consistently shown black clients to attend sessions less regularly and to completely drop out of treatment more often than their white counterparts. This study compared use of group, presenting concerns, reactions to other group members, and the service utilization patterns of group members in one all black and one all white women's therapy groups. Group members were female university students participating in either the black (N=7) or the white (N=12) therapy groups. Groups met once a week for 90 minutes and were observed over a 4-month period by a counselor serving as co-leader for both groups. Attendance, problems presented, and group activities were monitored. The results revealed that most black subjects had had no prior contact with the use of psychological services; all white subjects had had prior contact with such services. Black subjects had low and sporadic attendance at sessions; white subjects had high and consistent attendance. White subjects expressed anger less often than did black subjects, and responded more slowly and less often to those members who did express anger. White subjects focused on family or origin; blacks focused on present struggles. There was more similarity among white subjects and greater diversity among black subjects in terms of racial identity levels, socioeconomic backgrounds, past experiences, and values and attitudes. These findings have implications for programming. (NB)