Early 20th-century
- vocational guidance groups for boys in schools
- Groups for soldiers during WWI
- Moral development groups
1920s
Adler-implementing Freud in to group work
-role of family and family constellation
-collective counseling: early form of group
-family councils: means to get input from all members of the family on how to resolve problems and improve family relations
1930s
-Group guidance and educational publications and practices increase
-AA was founded-thought peers helping each other would work better than professionals
-Al-Anon-for people who have significant others with drinking problems
-more group guidance in school
1940s
Kurt Lewin-(U of Michigan)-social psychologist
-studied what went on in groups-group dynamics and leadership
-field theory-emphasizes the interaction between individuals and their environments. Based on Gestalt psychology-the group is a hole that is diffe
40s and 50s
T-Groups (training groups)-business/institutions would take the weekends off and go on a retreat. Helps group become aware of how they function together.
1950s
-Further modifying group or to family work
-John Bell: treated families as if all members were strangers using Adler\'s techniques for family counseling.
-Group vocabulary developed
-Japanese \"total quality group\"-focus on problem solving related to con
60s and 70s
A lot of people doing groups (and drugs...)
-People were feeling alone in society
-focus on personal awareness and connectedness
-\"couples retreat\"
Marathon groups: fatigue leads to a breakdown of defenses and increased truthfulness, resulting in self g
Early 70s
-Concerned about people running groups and lack of training
-only experience they had was their own experience in groups
-groupthink- emphasizes the detrimental power that groups may exert over their members to conform.
1970s
-Began to get more of a handle on groups, Journal created.
-Association for Specialists in Group Work (AS GW) created
-Psychoeducational groups with kids in schools
-Yalom-curative factors within groups and leadership styles
1980s
-Family systems theory was introduced
-developmental group counseling-teaches basic life skills
1990s
-More focused group in theoretical areas
-more emphasis on specialty groups (bulimia, sexual abuse, depression)
-more sophistication
-community setting
-Romano and Sullivan (1998 and 2000) simulated groups
2000s
-More support groups (specific, GLBT, online)
-social justice
-encounter groups-Rogers approach to group work. Encounter groups are often known as personal growth groups because the emphasis of these groups is on personal development. Emphasis is placed o
Who is Kurt Lewin and what are his contributions to group work?
-Commonly identified as the founder of the movement to study groups scientifically. He coined the term group dynamics to describe the way groups and individuals act and react to changing circumstances. Group dynamics can be defined as a field of inquiry d
Explain one of the three types of leadership styles Kurt Lewin identified
Authoritarian leaders:
-envision themselves as experts and believe they understand the dynamics and are best able to explain group and individual behavior
-interpret, give advice, and generally direct the movement of the group. In group work, most often r
Explain one of the three types of leadership styles Kurt Lewin identified
Democratic group leaders:
-more groups centered and less directive
-trust group members to develop their own potential and that of other group members
-facilitators rather than directors
-cooperate, collaborate, and share responsibilities with the group
-
Explain one of the three types of leadership styles Kurt Lewin identified
Laissez-faire leaders:
-leaders in name only
-do not provide any structure or direction, so members are left with the responsibility of leading
-group centered perspective
-disadvantages: group may be slow to develop agendas and achieve goals
-may be the
Group dynamics
Forces within the group
Group norms
Our expectations about the group members behaviors that should or should not take place. Norms should be clear and constructive from both the expectations of the members of the group and the explicit and implicit directions of the leader and more influent
Group norming
Is the feeling of \"we-Ness\", identity, groupNess, or cohesiveness at times when individuals feel they belong to an association or organization larger than themselves.
Group roles
A role is a dynamic structure within an individual (based on needs, cognitions, and values), which usually come to life under the influence of social stimuli or defined positions. Group members may primarily function in one of three types of roles: facili
Group content
Is the actual words, ideas and information exchanged within a group as well as the purpose of the group.
Group process
Is interactions and relationships among members within the group. Group content in group process make up the dynamics of a group, and the two need to be balanced.
Meta-communication
Communicating about communicating
Advantages of a coleader model of group facilitation/leadership
-Ease of handling the group in difficult situations
-uses of modeling (relating to others, etc.)
-feedback doubles
-may avoid burnout
-shared specialized knowledge
-pragmatic considerations (missing due to illness)
Disadvantages of a coleader model of group facilitation/leadership
-Lack of coordinated efforts
-2 leader/too leader focused (not enough attention on group members)
-competition
-collusion between a leader and group members against the other leader
How might you increase the chances of developing a good working relationship with a co facilitator/leader
-Strong relationship (supportive feedback, mutual trust and respect)
-consistency
-non-competitiveness
communication and planning
What goes into pre-group planning?
in the pre-group stage, leaders plan what type of group to conduct, in what setting it should be held, how long it will last, who should be included and how it will be evaluated. If leaders aren\'t sure of the type of experiences they want to set up and f
Steps in the forming stage (p. 85 Gladding)
1. Developing a rationale for the group
2. Deciding on a theoretical format
3. Weighting practical considerations
4. Publicizing the group
5. Screening in pretraining
6. Selecting group members
7. Selecting a group leader
What is the purpose of a pre-group interview?
Maturity, readiness and composition of membership play a major role in determining the success of a group which is why potential group members need to be screened (interviewed individually or in a group first meeting in regard to suitability for the group
What might you ask a prospective group member during a pre-group interview?
Leader asks many open-ended questions that elicit personal responses and interpersonal styles such as: what has been your past experience with groups? What has led you to want to be part of this group? What can you contribute to this group? How do you exp
According to Couch (1995) there are a number of interdependent steps necessary for conducting an effective pre-group screening interview:
1. Identify needs, expectations, and commitment: finding out why this particular group and not others
2. Challenging myths and misconceptions: asking how they perceive the group developing and their concerns about being a member of it
3. Convey informatio
From Romano\'s pre-group interview lecture notes:
-Discussed the type of group-begin to set norms
-assess appropriateness of the group for a member, member also assesses appropriateness, do members goals fit the goals of the group?
-Assess persons commitment to the group, if they want to just come and se
Pre-training
Is used as a tool to orient group members on what to expect of the group before it ever meets. It enhances the functioning of the group, speed its work, reduces dropout and increases positive outcomes. Positively associated with cohesion, member satisfact
Yalom\'s therapeutic factors
1. Hope-expectations about receiving help and therefore therapy is successful because one expects it to be
2. Universality-others share the problem
3. Imparting information-suggesting information and not advising
4. Altruism-benefits are received when mem
Social microcosm
Yalom refers to the fact that the group develops its own norms and influences the way the members behave not just in the group but how they transferred their learnings out of the group setting. The group develops its own social psychology and feedback tha
Advantages of using group exercises:
-Building relationships between members
-structure
-moves discussion
-builds confidence
-unites members
-(p. 220) seven reasons:
1. Increase comfort level
2. Provide leader with useful info
3. Generate discussion and focus the group
4. Shift the focus
5.
Disadvantages of using group exercises:
-Make people feel vulnerable
-increased discomfort
-too much structure?
-Too much power for leader (group dependent on leader)
-breed resistance
-hokey if it doesn\'t fit the purpose
-may fail if not enough preparation
-not enough processing
3 parts to conducting a group exercise:
1. Purpose: set up the exercise
2. Implementation: materials and time limits
3. Process: dialogue about what was learned, feelings, applications, etc.
-did this change the group in any way for you?
Type of exercises (p. 223):
1. Arts and crafts
2. Trust falls
3. Moral dilemmas
4. Touching exercises
5.
How does group facilitation/leadership differ from individual counseling?
Group facilitation is different because it is an interactive system where attention to one group member/topic will have an impact on all group members/processes.
Group leadership skills unique to leading groups:
-Facilitating: help open up communication among members (e.g. Ryan, how do you want to respond to Kyle).
-Protecting: safeguard members from unnecessary attacks by a group (e.g., struggles controlling her anger-leader tries to make sure she doesn\'t recei
Leadership styles identified by Lieberman, Yalom, and Miles
-Facilitator functions:
-emotional stimulation: confronting members, challenging, highly encouraging of risk-taking and self disclosure to an extreme, charismatic, authoritarian
-caring: emotional empathy, support, affection, person centered, Rogerian
-me
The major stages of a group and the characteristics associated with each stage:
1. Forming: orientation/characteristics: anxiety, acceptance, approval, commitment, norms, pleasantness, meaning, trust.
Leaders way to handle stage: joining-the process by which members connect with one another. Linking: process of connecting persons wit
What may determine whether or not you decide to offer a group to the people you serve?(p. 91)
-Serves an existing need
-enough time to work with members
-high efficiency
-perceived commonality of experience (grief, loneliness, etc.)
-choosing people who would likely benefit from a group
-motivated individuals?
On what basis would you make the decision to offer a group compared to counseling people individually?
yes:
-When a client can benefit from the feedback of different people
-focus on growing inter-personally
-commonality of experience (normalizing)
-Yalom\'s therapeutic factors
no:
-people unwilling/unable to express feelings or tolerate anxiety
What frequent mistakes to leaders make in planning groups? (p. 86-87 Jacobs)
1. Not planning-group leaders often comment that they now realized group problems stemmed from lack of planning.
2. Planning too much-often results in superficial coverage of several important topics. It is important to focus on topics long enough so new
Rounds and their purposes:
A variation on member summarization except in this every group member comments briefly about highlights of the group session. A round tin and a group on a positive note, complete loose ends, and ensure that each member feels involved in the group. Everybo
In the film, how did Yalom respond to group resistance? What did you observe in terms of the developing of trust and cohesion in the group? (Refer to group leadership skills handout)
-Called people out who were not actively engaging themselves
-girl who would zone out
-try to change the perspective of the person
-redirect conversation to create agendas/goals
-making direct suggestions and seeing how the members think about it
-goal se
How might a group leader use it contact and nonverbal behaviors of members?
Eye contact: can be used in a number of different ways.
1. To draw out a member, group members are often more likely to speak if the group leader is making eye contact with them. Can also break eye contact with members who have been talking to long in ord
Similarities/differences of open/closed groups:
Open groups:
-admit new members at any time
-the group may not evolve through the stages because members are at different stages
-often, time is wasted trying to introduce new members
closed groups:
-do not admit new members after the first session
-can b
What cultural issues might you consider if you were to conduct a group exercise that involved physical contact? (p. 244 Jacobs)
Any leader who will be using any group exercise that involves touching should consider the appropriateness of the activity and the comfort of the individual members. Mainly, be aware that for personal, cultural, etc. reasons some members will not want to
What is the difference between questions that are vertical and those that are horizontal?
Vertical: content-oriented questions (what happened? Who? When? Where? Facts about the issues/events)
horizontal: process-oriented questions (how do you feel? Thoughts/feelings around the issues/events)
What is meant by individual counseling in a group setting?
Attending to the individuals issues and goals versus attending the group issues and goals
What are the advantages/disadvantages of individual counseling in a group setting?
Advantages:
-multiple perspectives on individual issues
-members learning from one another\'s processing
-belonging, cohesion, trust
disadvantages:
-other members may feel left out (attrition)
-vulnerability (involves self-disclosure to many people, etc.)
How do developmental stages of children and adolescents apply to the practice of group work?
Therapists need to consider:
-attention span; keep sessions shorter
-kids are naturally in groups as opposed to adults
-children tend to respond better to nonverbal therapy because of limited vocabulary
-teachable moments: specific times when children are
Developmental and non-developmental factors determine what types of groups are set up for children
Developmental factors: include variables such as age, gender, and maturity level of those involved
nondevelopmental factors: encompass less predictable qualities, such as the nature of the problem, the suddenness of its appearance, its severity, and the p
Examples of groups are
Crisis center groups: formed due to an emergency situation
problems centered groups: set up to focus on one particular concern, e.g. coping with stress
growth centered groups: focus on the personal and social development of students
AS GW principles for diversity-competent workers
Awareness of self:
awareness of group members worldview:
diversity-appropriate intervention strategies:
psychoanalytic groups
advantages: focus on past experiences, focus on unconscious and ego, acknowledges defense mechanisms
disadvantages: needs developed verbal skills, needs developed awareness, long process, little focus on present, gender bias
Person centered group
Advantages: developing the whole person, emphasis on the facilitator, improving communication skills, made groups acceptable for normal people
disadvantages: those with severe disabilities need more structure, no rules for selection of members, may not le
CBT
Advantages: focus on how cognition influences a person\'s emotions and actions, can be taught quickly, good environment for those leaving individual therapy, versatility, emphasizes action as well as talk
disadvantages: traditionally focuses on the indivi
Existential groups
Advantages: deal with ultimate issues in life, present focused, provided a framework for other groups, holistic focus, versatility and applicability to a wide range of cultures
disadvantages: needs developed verbal skills, limited applicability outside of
Behavioral groups
Advantages: targets problematic behavior, versatility, emphasizes action as well as talk, can be taught quickly, present focused
disabilities: doesn\'t acknowledge past, doesn\'t deal with emotions, doesn\'t acknowledge traits
Person centered client versus behavioral client
Person centered: more talkative, introspective, benefit from self exploration
behavioral: very logical, enjoy less introspection, enjoying more hands-on work
Leadership skills needed for group work with the elderly
-Skilled in group dynamics and interpersonal communication responses
-patients and flexibility (pace is slower and goals are more limited)
-inquiring but not intrusive
-ability to overcome preset notions about elderly and how they experience the world
-un
Roles served in psychodrama groups
-Protagonist: subject of this psychodrama enactment, plays many parts, goal is to express thoughts feelings and issues relevant to the role being played, key element is spontaneity
-director: guides the protagonist in use of psycho dramatic methods to hel
6 steps to setting up a psychoeducational group
1) stating the purpose
2) establishing goals
3) setting objectives
4) selecting content
5) designing experiential activities
6) evaluating
utilizing all of these steps will ensure purposeful and meaningful all comes
Ethical considerations group versus individual
-Confidentiality: cannot be guaranteed for group members
-dual relationship of members: especially important in closed systems e.g. schools, workplaces
-dual relationships of group leaders: athletic coach, individual counselor
-relationships outside of gr
4 essential Components of training group counselors
1) academic
2) observation
3) experiential
4) supervision
ACPA reprimands 60 hours in a group
Specific models for group training
-Group-based training: focuses on identifying specific skills used in groups, model those skills, practice those skills in a structured environment, then practice those skills in an unstructured environment
-Group Generalist Model: trainer models leader b
3 parts to conducting a group exercise
1) Purpose: set up the exercise, explain the exercise, tell why it is important or the reasoning behind it, and let group members now it is voluntary
2) Implementation: materials and time limits
3) Process: dialogue about what was learned, feelings, appli
Types of exercises: page 223 Jacobs
1) Written exercises: sentence completion, listing, written responses, diaries
2) movement exercises: changing seats, milling around, values continuing
3) dyads and triads
4) rounds
5) using creative props
6) arts and crafts
7) fantasy exercises
8) common
When to use exercises
When beginning a new group: to help members feel more comfortable and focused
when looking at particular topics: parent/child relationships do sentence completion or a word or phrase around. Leader could then use role-play exercises to imitate communicati
Social microcosm page 46 Gladding
Yalom refers to the fact that the group develops its own norms and influences the way the members behave not just in the group but how they transferred their learnings out of the group setting. The group develops its own social psychology and feedback tha
stages of group
1. Forming
2. Storming
3. Norming
4. Performing
5. Adjourning
Forming
Stage I: orientation/characteristics: anxiety, acceptance, approval, commitment, norms, pleasantness, meaning, trust
Storming
Stage II: conflicts/characteristics: resistance, top/bottom, power, dominance, control, hostility, anger, transference, stability. Conflict & anxiety when groups move from primary tension (awkwardness about being in a strange situation) to secondary tensi
Norming
Stage III: cohesion/characteristics: group identity, near/far, intimacy, productive, group closeness., Close relationships & cohesiveness. Strong sense of group identity. Group has assimilated. Strong set of expectations (norms) regarding member behavior.
Performing
Stage IV: consolidation/characteristics: summarizing, transfer skills, loss/sadness, detaching, distancing, terminating, follow-up, evaluation., By now, group members have formed social bonds, settled power issues, developed norms, and reach the point of
Adjourning
Stage 5: 4-12 week follow-up/characteristics: evaluation, wrap up, referrals. Problems with closing of groups include Denial, acting as if an experience such as a group will never end. Transference, the displacement of affect from one person to another or
Yalom's therapeutic factors
ICU CAGES:
I still hope (installation of hope)
I'm part of information (imparting information): gaining information about healthy living
Imitative behavior: modeling positive behaviors from other members
Interpersonal learning: learning to interact with o
JoHari window/JoHari Awareness Model page 126 Gladding
a model containing four panes that is used to explain the roles that self awareness and self disclosure play in relationships
-Developed by Jo Lutz and Harry Ingrams
-Open Arena (public): things people are willing to share, less threatening e.g. demograph
How Johari's Window relates to groups
-Blind spot: feedback in groups helps make B smaller (and A bigger)
-Fa�ade: self disclosure (in order to obtain cohesion, trust)
-Unknown: transference issues (e.g. recapitulation of family members) can be discussed within the group
Johari window
-Open Arena: known by self, known by others
-Blind spot: unknown by self, known by others
-Fa�ade: known by self, unknown by others
-Unknown: unknown by self, unknown by others
Pre-group interview
Maturity, readiness, and composition of membership play a major role in determining the success of the group.
Couch's steps for pre-group screening interview page 90 Gladding
1) identifying needs, expectations and commitment: find out why this particular group and not others
2) challenge myths and misconceptions: asking how they perceive the group developing and their concerns about being a member of it
3) convey information:
Early 20th century
-Vocational guidance groups for boys in schools
-Groups for soldiers during World War I
-moral development groups
1920s
-Adler-implementing Freud into group work
-role of family and family constellation
-collective counseling: early form of group
-family councils: means to get input from all members of the family on how to resolve problems and improve family relationships
1930s
-Group guidance and educational publications and practices increase
-AA was founded: thought to yours helping each other would work better than professionals
-Al-Anon: for people who have significant others with drinking problems, more group guidance in s
1940s
Kurt Lewin (U of Michigan): social psychologist, studied what went on in groups-group dynamics and leadership, field theory-emphasizes the interaction between individuals and their environments based on Gestalt psychology-the group is at all that is diffe
40s and 50s
T-groups, businesses/institutions would take weekends off and go on a retreat. Helps group become aware of how they function together.
1950s
Further modifying group work to family work
-John Bell: treated families as if all members were strangers using Adler's techniques for family counseling
-group vocabulary developed
-Japanese "total quality group"-focus on problem solving related to consum
60s and 70s
A lot of people doing groups (and drugs)
-people were feeling alone in society
-focus on personal awareness and connectedness
-couples retreat
-marathon groups: pixie leads to a breakdown of the basses and increased truth fullness, resulting in cell growt
Early 70s
Concern about people running groups and lack of training
-only experience they had was their own experience groups
-groupthink: emphasizes the detrimental power that groups may exert over there members to conform
1970s
-Began to get more of a handle on groups, Journal created Association for Specialists in Group Work
-psychoeducational groups with kids in schools
-Yalom: curative factors within group and leadership styles
1980s
-Family systems theory was introduced
-developmental group counseling-teaches basic life skills
1990s
-More focused group in theoretical areas
-more emphasis on specialty groups
-more sophistication
-community setting
-Romano and Sullivan (1998 and 2000) simulated groups
2000s
-More support groups (specific, GLBT, online)
-social justice
Types of roles
-Facilitative/building role: focuses on helping everyone feel like a part of the group
-maintenance role: contributes to the social-emotional bonding of members and the group's overall well-being.
-blocking role: Essentially anti-group role.
Transformational leader
A person who empowers group members in shares power with them in working toward the renewal of a group: maybe needed it when the group is floundering.
Traditional leader
A person who is controlling and exercises power from the top down as an expert: may be appropriate in running a hierarchical group that is diverse and whose members are physically separated.
leadership
Forsyth-a special form of social interaction: a reciprocal, transactional, and transformational process in which individuals are permitted to influence and motivate others to promote the attaining of group and individual goals
Lewin's styles of leadership
-Authoritarian
-Democratic
-laissez-faire
Lieberman, Yalom, and Miles styles of leadership
-Energizers
-providers
-social engineers
-impersonals
-laissez-faire
-managers
Authoritarian group leaders
Envision themselves as experts and tend to be rigid and conventional in their beliefs. Interpret, give advice, and generally direct the movement of the group much as parents control the actions of a child. Frequently structured groups using the wheel mode
Democratic group leaders
More groups centered in less directives than authoritarian leaders. E.g. Carl Rogers. Facilitators of the group process and not directors of it. Theory Y leaders.
Laissez-faire group leaders
Leaders in name only. They do not provide any structure or direction for their groups so members are left with the responsibility of leading. As a result the group operates from a group centered perspective focusing on members and interpersonal processes.
Theory Z
Stresses that a group will manage itself through the participation of its members
Common group member problem behaviors and how to address them
-Speak to member privately, allow group to provide feedback, pair up with problematic member in a dyad, kicking member out (last resort)
-chronic talker (nervous, rambling habits)
-dominator (tries to control the group): speak to member privately and ask
Core mechanisms of group leadership
-Emotional stimulation
-caring
-meaning attribution
-executive function
Meaning attribution
Leaders ability to explain to group members in a cognitive way what is happening in the group. Leaders need to be able to identify the reasons behind the behavior of group members. Clarifying, interpreting
Emotional stimulation
Leaders must promote sharing on an effective as well as emotional level. Need to inspire members to open up and share their own emotions in order for the group to be a success. challenging, confronting, emphasizing the disclosing of feelings
Executive functioning
How well the leader manages the group as a social system that allows for the group and its members to achieve specific goals. setting rules, limits, norms
Caring
Leaders must show they care about members through openness and honesty. My show they have a genuine concern for others to allow for positive outcomes in group. Offering support, encouragement, and protection