Group counseling strategies and skills chapter 5

The Beginning The first and second sessions of any group are often the most important and usually are the most difficult to lead.. Make sure the first session is more than warm-up and in

Chapter 5

Getting Started:

The Beginning Stage and

Beginning Phase

The Beginning

The first and second sessions of any group are

often the most important and usually are the

most difficult to lead Plan these sessions well

Make sure the first session is more than warm-up and introductions—introduce the content and

make the sessions interesting

Options for the First Session

Make a brief statement about the group; then

conduct an introduction exercise

Start with a more detailed opening statement

about group and its purpose; then conduct an

introduction exercise

Start with an opening statement; then get right

into the content of the group.

How to Begin the Group

continued

Start with a brief statement about the group; then have members fill out a short

sentence-completion form

Start with an introduction exercise

Start with an unusual opening—one that grabs

the members

in a First Session

1. How to Begin the group

2. Helping Members Get Acquainted

• Name round

• Name tags

• Dyads

3. Setting a Positive Tone

• Do not focus on negative members or issues

4. Clarifying the Purpose of the Group

19 Things to Consider

continued

5. Explaining the Leader’s Role

6. Explaining How the Group Will be Conducted

7. Helping Members Verbalize Expectations

Remember, sometimes members have no

expectations

8. Drawing Out Members

continued

9. Using Exercises

• Rounds

• Dyads

• Sentence completion

10.Checking Out the Comfort Levels of the

Members

11.Explaining Group Roles

12.Explaining Any Special Terms that Will be Used

13.Assessing Members’ Interaction Styles

19 Things to Consider

continued

14.Being Sensitive to Multicultural issues

15.Cutting Off members

16.Focusing on the Content

17.Addressing Questions

18.Getting Members to Look at Other Members

when talking

19.Closing the First Session

– Evaluation of the First Session

The Second Session

Opening the Second Session

–Introducing New Members

–Depends on Success of the First Session

Planning For the Potential Letdown

Ending the Second Session

The Beginning Phase of Subsequent

Sessions

Every session has a beginning or warm-up

phase and leaders should always consider

how they are going to open each session

The purpose of the beginning phase is to

allow members to get focused, check-in, and for the leader to get a read on the members’

energy for the session.

The length of the warm-up phase varies

according to the kind of group

Opening the Beginning Phase

Use rounds regarding how the week has

been

Ask members for progress reports

Ask members if they have something they

want to discuss in group that day

Creative Beginnings

Mistakes During the Beginning Phase

too long

purpose of the group and get into

irrelevant topics