The world of the Counselor An introduction to the counseling profession 5e chapter 7

 1920s and 1930s:▪ Adler’s influence: birth order and social connectedness ▪ First non psychoanalytically oriented groups ▪ More group guidance in the schools  Emergence of Modern-Day

Group Work

 Can be viewed from systemic and cybernetics perspective

 Dynamic interaction of its members

 Hierarchies

 Groups have become much more popular

 But, why choose a group over individual counseling?

 See advantages and disadvantages, Table 7.1, p 227

 Prior to 1900:

 Functional and pragmatic groups (e.g., daily living skills)

▪ Often moralistic in nature

 Jane Addams and Mary Richmond community groups to make systemic change

 Turn of century:

 Vocational and moral guidance in schools

 Dr Henry Pratt: Physician groups with tuberculosis patients

▪ Started with a lecture

▪ Then had patients tell personal stories about their illness

 Around 1900: Psychoanalytic principles explained

groups behavior

▪ Primal urges, instincts, parental influences

▪ Herb instincts

▪ Mob instincts

▪ Recapitulation of family issues

 1914: Moreno started “psychodrama” and coined the

phrase “group psychotherapy”

 1920s and 1930s:

▪ Adler’s influence: birth order and social connectedness

▪ First non psychoanalytically oriented groups

▪ More group guidance in the schools

 Emergence of Modern-Day Groups

 1947, Kurt Lewin and others: NTL

 1940s: Rogers worked with returning GIs from WWII– led to first encounter groups

 1960s: Groups reflect freedom and love

 Esalen, Michael Murphy, and encounter Groups emerge

 Encounter Group Leaders: Rogers, Maslow, Perls, Schutz

 Read quote, bottom of p 230

 Soon, other groups arise: marathon groups, confrontational

groups, gestalt groups

 APA publishes “Guidelines for Psychologists Conducting Growth Groups” (1973)

 1960s and 1970s: books on group counseling flourish

 1973: ASGW

 Groups become alternative to individual counseling

 Decline of more “outrageous” groups

 Common-theme, task groups, and time-limited (brief groups) become popular

 Rise in self-help groups

 ASGW:

 Best Practice Guidelines

 Professional Standards for the Training of Group Workers

 CACREP requires group work

 Almost all programs now include group work

 Five Categories of Groups:

 Group dynamics and group process occur in all groups

 Group dynamics: internal dynamics

 Group process: how group unravels over time

 Around for more than 50 years

 Particularly popular for last 30 years

 Purpose: education, affirmation, and enhancement of

strengths

 No paid leader, usually

 Sometimes, no leader

 Leader is not trained in group process, usually

 Leader does help “organize” group

 Nominal fee

 Focus on specific issues, usually (AA, eating disorders)

 See Box 7.1, p 233

Focus on conscious behaviors and group dynamics

 National Training Laboratory (NTL) first group to do this

 Task group specialists usually enter a system and help to

analyze and diagnose problems

 Task group leaders help facilitate changes in system

 Often focuses on differences among people in a system and how to help people get a long

 See Box 7.2, p 234

 Formerly: “Guidance Groups”

 Focus: Disseminate mental health education to promote

personal group and empowerment

 Found in many settings

 Designated, well-trained group leader

 Focuses on preventive education

 Often begins with didactic presentation and then leaders to discussion that may included limited self-disclosure

 See Box 7.3, p 235

Usually, focused on prevention and wellness, enhancement, increased insight, self-actualization

self- Focus more on conscious than unconscious

 Usually, not dealing with severe pathology

 Often, focuses on issues related tonormal human

development

 Usually, 4-12 members

 Well trained leader

 See Box 7.3, p 235

 Focus on deep-seated, long-term issues

 Focus on remediation of severe pathology and personality

reconstruction

 Well-trained leader

 Usually 4-12 members

 Usually, meets for a minimum of 8 sessions

 Usually, meet at least once a week for 1-3 hours

 Leader facilitates deep expression of feelings and helps

clients work on change

 See Box 7.4

See Figure 7.1, p 237

Comparison of Psychoeducational, Counseling, and Therapy Groups

 Theory in reference to group work allows one to

1. Can show efficacy

2. Have a comprehensive approach

3. Help us understand client

4. Help us decide on techniques

5. Help us predict course of treatment

6. Is researchable—we can see its efficacy

Most theories can be applied to group work Use their basic tenets along with a systems framework

 Theories that have been successfully applied include:

 Securing Appropriate Space

 Group Leadership Style

Pregroup Stage (Forming a Group)

 Initial Stage (Forming)

 Members anxious, apprehensive, and want to get started

 Focus on others, not self

 There and then conversation, not “here and now”

 Resistance exhibited

 Leader task: define ground rules and build trust

 Structure, empathy, and positive regard important

 Leaders: genuine and only slightly self-disclosing

 Leaders: watch for scapegoating

 Transition Stage (Storming than Norming)

 Beginning to feel comfortable with technical issues and ground rules– but still some anxiety initially

 Members positioning themselves in groups

 May project onto leader and have transference to leader

 As stage continues, attacking and scapegoating may occur

 Leader must deal with attacks and scapegoating

 Slowly, trust builds and resistance diminishes

 Ownership of feelings occurs

 Here and now focus begins

 Identification of problems and goals happens

 Work Stage (Performing)

 Trust occurs, conflict lessens, cohesion occurs

 Can give and hear feedback

 Work on identified behavioral change

 Gain in self-esteem from positive feedback and sense of accomplishment

 Use of advanced counseling skills by leader

 Systemically: A system has been developed– but make sure the system continues to encourage change and forward movement

 Closure (Adjourning)

 Increased sense of accomplishment

 Saying good-bye

 Share what has been learned

 Express feelings about one another

 Summarize with use of empathy

 Consider who might want follow-up in counseling

 Evaluation of group?

 Principles for Diversity-Competent Group Workers (ASGW)

 Social Justice in Group Work:

 Can help “privileged” clients see their privilege

 Prejudice and the Group as Microcosm of Society

 Groups can mimic what happens in society

 Cultural Differences between a Group Member and the Group

Ethical Issues

 Ethical code of ACA and Best Practices Statement of ASGW

 Informed Consent and Confidentiality (see p 249)

▪ Can you ensure confidentiality?

 Professional Associations: A number exist ASGW is division

 Allowing Groups to Unfold Naturally

 “Push a group to open up to quickly, and it will push back”

 Thus, your ability at facilitating growth in a group is the key mark to allowing the group process to occur