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GROUPS IN COUNSELING:Major benefits, Traditional & Historical Groups

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Theory and Practice of Counseling - PSY632
VU
Lesson 38
GROUPS IN COUNSELING
Specialties in the Practice of Counseling
This lecture and the next ones are linked with the fourth part of the course: Specialties in the practice of
counseling. Professional counselors work in many different settings and ways. Because of interest,
background, and educational qualifications, many counselors choose to focus on specific populations. Some
counselors have more general domains and they see clients who have a wide range of problems. Before
starting the first lecture in this part of the course, we will see how different counselors with behavioral,
cognitive behavioral, and transactional analysis background will deal with Farzana's (case described earlier)
problems, and which techniques will be employed:
Case of Farzana
Behavioral Perspective/Techniques
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Relaxation training
·
Behavioral rehearsal and role playing
·
Sensible eating habits
·
Homework assignments
·
Imagery
·
Psycho-educational adjuncts
REBT Perspective/Techniques
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Dispute her irrational "musts".
·
Do RE Imagery
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Do some shame attacking exercises
·
Acceptance from the counselor
·
Role playing
·
Create rational coping statements
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Theory and Practice of Counseling - PSY632
VU
Transactional Analysis Perspective
Figure 1
Farzana's Egogram
100
90
80
70
60
50
40
30
20
10
0
CP
NP
A
FC
AC
The diagram illustrated above indicates that Farzana is very low in free child, and is very high in adapted
child. Similarly, she is low in critical parent, while is average in nurturing parent and adult. The treatment
will focus on enhancing her adult ego state.
SPECIALTIES IN THE PRACTICE OF COUNSELING
GROUPS IN COUNSELING
The Place of Groups in Counseling
Everyone typically spends some time in group activities each day. Counselors who limit their competencies
to individual counseling limit their options for helping.
·
A group is defined as two or more people interacting together to achieve a goal for their mutual
benefits.
·
Groups differ in purpose, composition and length but they all involve "work".
Work is described as "the dynamic interaction between collections of individuals for
o
prevention or remediation of difficulties or for the enhancement of personal
growth/enrichment" (Gadza, 1989).
·
When, where, and with whom to use groups?
Groups are not effective with diverse groups in status and seniority. It is wise to take
o
groups with common concerns.
It is appropriate to conduct groups in a quiet uninterrupted setting. A safe environment is
o
required to express emotion and sufficient engagement and feedback for reality testing,
which refers to examining incident with other members, recognizing inappropriate
interpersonal feelings/behaviors and facilitation of the individual's ability to interact with
others more honestly and deeply.
Groups can be effectively used with students, women, people with physical health
o
problems, adolescents, drug addicts, etc.
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Theory and Practice of Counseling - PSY632
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Major benefits
Major benefits include economy, time consumption, support and encouragement, new outlooks, insight
from others.
·
Group approach attempts to change maladaptive beliefs and behaviors through feedback from
others; interpersonal nature can offer social skills.
·
Major advantage is economy, and less time consumption especially in time limited group
treatments. For therapist group therapy is second option of treatment but it takes less time for
many similar clients.
Limitations
·
People sometime find it difficult to self-disclose in groups, hence they may not be suitable for
everyone. In case of personal problems, sometime there is an issue of self-disclosure.
·
Sometime groupthink, in which stereotypical, defensive and stale thought process can become the
norm, can exert bad effects on group interactions.
·
Those who have not gone through developmental stages properly may be involved in scapegoating,
projecting, etc.
·
It is difficult to find appropriate time for all participants
.
A Brief History
Group methods have now achieved considerably more visibility and respectability, but in early 20th century
this was not the case.
·
J.L.Moreno was pioneer in Vienna in early 1900s and in 1925 introduced psychodrama to U.S.A.
and used the term group therapy.
·
After World War II group methods became popular developed to deal with overload of work.
Role of the Counselor
·
Creation and maintenance of the group: patient selection is the key. Interpersonally oriented intake
interview can help in selection of the group. The counselor needs to think whether a heterogeneous
or homogeneous group will be taken.
·
Culture Building: The therapist must establish norms that will guide the interaction of the group.
Use techniques that are maximally conducive to interactions.
·
Activating and processing the here-and-now: The primary task of the counselor is to help members attend
to and discuss interpersonal dynamics as they occur in the group. It consists on two parts:
Experiencing: members live in the here and now; immediate behaviors and experiences are
o
addressed.
Illumination of Process: the group must recognize, examine and understand the nature of the
o
relationship between interacting individuals. The role of the counselor is to help members
reflect back on and learn from interactions they have in the group.
·
The counselor examines the group interaction, how was a comment delivered, what was the timing of
the remark, or context of discussion when the comment was made? The counselor also observes
individual patients and the group as a whole.
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Theory and Practice of Counseling - PSY632
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Types of Groups
A number of group models are appropriate for a wide variety of situations
·
Guidance/ Psycho-educational groups:
These groups are usually effective for potential threats like AIDS, a developmental life event (such
as growing old), or an immediate life-crisis. They are often employed in educational setting. In
schools puppets and stories are used, whereas in adults, age-appropriate means are adopted for
effective outcomes.
·
Counseling/Interpersonal problem-solving groups:
Resolve the usual yet often difficult problems of living.
·
Psychotherapy/ Personality reconstruction groups
To help remediate in-depth psychological problems.
·
Task/ Work groups
To improve practices
o
To accomplish identified work goals, like task forces, committees, discussion groups, and
o
study circles.
Traditional & Historical Groups
These were developed before groups were classified as they are today.
·
T-Groups
T refers to training. First T-group was conducted at the National Training Laboratories in Bethel,
Maine, in 1947. Kurt Lewin' ideas about group dynamics formed the basis of T-groups. The
primary focus is on task accomplishments to enhacing interpersonal interactions. These groups are
similar to family system approach.
·
Encounter Groups:
Encounter groups focus on growth of the individual group members rather than the group itself.
Primary emphasis is on individual expression and recognition of affect.
·
Group Marathon:
The concept of marathon group was developed by Stoller and Batch in 1960. It is an extended one-
session group experience to reduce defenses. They have been used effectively with substance
abused people. Its duration can be to 24 hour.
·
Psychodrama:
Its role playing was developed by Moreno (1946, 1959). Moreno argued that it is far more
therapeutic by bringing about a degree of emotional relief (catharsis) and self-understanding. It
basically involves the client as actor, counselor as director, auxiliary egos (other patients) and
audience (other counselors or other people present there).s
·
Self-help/ Support Groups:
Self help groups have grown in prominence since the 1970s. The primary focus is on a single
problem; usually is led by a layperson who has little formal group training but who has experienced
stress. Support group is similar to self help group but is organized by a professional helping
organization, like Alcoholics Anonymous, Weight Watchers, etc. Some support groups charge fees
some do not.
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Table of Contents:
  1. INTRODUCTION:Counseling Journals, Definitions of Counseling
  2. HISTORICAL BACKGROUND COUNSELING & PSYCHOTHERAPY
  3. HISTORICAL BACKGROUND 1900-1909:Frank Parson, Psychopathic Hospitals
  4. HISTORICAL BACKGROUND:Recent Trends in Counseling
  5. GOALS & ACTIVITIES GOALS OF COUNSELING:Facilitating Behavior Change
  6. ETHICAL & LEGAL ISSUES IN COUNSELING:Development of Codes
  7. ETHICAL & LEGAL ISSUES IN COUNSELING:Keeping Relationships Professional
  8. EFFECTIVE COUNSELOR:Personal Characteristics Model
  9. EFFECTIVE COUNSELOR:Humanism, People Orientation, Intellectual Curiosity
  10. EFFECTIVE COUNSELOR:Cultural Bias in Theory and Practice, Stress and Burnout
  11. COUNSELING SKILLS:Microskills, Body Language & Movement, Paralinguistics
  12. COUNSELING SKILLS COUNSELOR’S NONVERBAL COMMUNICATION:Use of Space
  13. COUNSELING SKILLS HINTS TO MAINTAIN CONGRUENCE:
  14. LISTENING & UNDERSTANDING SKILLS:Barriers to an Accepting Attitude
  15. LISTENING & UNDERSTANDING SKILLS:Suggestive Questions,
  16. LISTENING & UNDERSTANDING SKILLS:Tips for Paraphrasing, Summarizing Skills
  17. INFLUENCING SKILLS:Basic Listening Sequence (BLS), Interpretation/ Reframing
  18. FOCUSING & CHALLENGING SKILLS:Focused and Selective Attention, Family focus
  19. COUNSELING PROCESS:Link to the Previous Lecture
  20. COUNSELING PROCESS:The Initial Session, Counselor-initiated, Advice Giving
  21. COUNSELING PROCESS:Transference & Counter-transference
  22. THEORY IN THE PRACTICE OF COUNSELING:Timing of Termination
  23. PSYCHOANALYTIC APPROACHES TO COUNSELING:View of Human Nature
  24. CLASSICAL PSYCHOANALYTIC APPROACH:Psychic Determination, Anxiety
  25. NEO-FREUDIANS:Strengths, Weaknesses, NEO-FREUDIANS, Family Constellation
  26. NEO-FREUDIANS:Task setting, Composition of Personality, The Shadow
  27. NEO-FREUDIANS:Ten Neurotic Needs, Modes of Experiencing
  28. CLIENT-CENTERED APPROACH:Background of his approach, Techniques
  29. GESTALT THERAPY:Fritz Perls, Causes of Human Difficulties
  30. GESTALT THERAPY:Role of the Counselor, Assessment
  31. EXISTENTIAL THERAPY:Rollo May, Role of Counselor, Logotherapy
  32. COGNITIVE APPROACHES TO COUNSELING:Stress-Inoculation Therapy
  33. COGNITIVE APPROACHES TO COUNSELING:Role of the Counselor
  34. TRANSACTIONAL ANALYSIS:Eric Berne, The child ego state, Transactional Analysis
  35. BEHAVIORAL APPROACHES:Respondent Learning, Social Learning Theory
  36. BEHAVIORAL APPROACHES:Use of reinforcers, Maintenance, Extinction
  37. REALITY THERAPY:Role of the Counselor, Strengths, Limitations
  38. GROUPS IN COUNSELING:Major benefits, Traditional & Historical Groups
  39. GROUPS IN COUNSELING:Humanistic Groups, Gestalt Groups
  40. MARRIAGE & FAMILY COUNSELING:Systems Theory, Postwar changes
  41. MARRIAGE & FAMILY COUNSELING:Concepts Related to Circular Causality
  42. CAREER COUNSELING:Situational Approaches, Decision Theory
  43. COMMUNITY COUNSELING & CONSULTING:Community Counseling
  44. DIAGNOSIS & ASSESSMENT:Assessment Techniques, Observation
  45. FINAL OVERVIEW:Ethical issues, Influencing skills, Counseling Approaches