Reflection And Reflection Of Group Counseling

Jacobs, E. E., Masson, R. L., Harvill, R. L., & Schimmel, C. J. (2012). Group counseling: Strategies and skills (7th ed.). Belmont, CA: Brooks/Cole.

I learned two significant things about group counseling in this course. The first thing that I learned is the importance of setting up a treatment plan. The intention is to follow the client from their entrance into the program until the client is discharged. In this process the clients’ problems are identified through various assessments and as each problem is addressed, it is checked off of the list. Once all of the problems are checked off of the list, the client is considered as having completed the plan. This plan is especially important because it evokes thoughtful conversation between the client and the counselor and is the best method to gain information from the client regarding the help they want to receive. The second most significant thing that I learned about group counseling is how to design a group from start to finish. From pre group design, planning the goals of the group and determining the members to setting up the environment and structuring the sessions, each step adds its own important components to designing group counseling.

The process of running a group therapy session is a unique time to tests a person’s skills abilities when it comes to facilitating that group. This paper will mainly look at ways when it comes to my learning's of this class that I took ways; I will also show examples and skills to run a good group therapy session. This whole paper is a reflection of the many things that I took was on being an active group counselor facilitator.

Purpose of the group counseling varies from group to group. It can be therapeutic, educational, or helping people to make fundamental changes in their way of thinking, feeling and behaving (Corey, 2004, p. 7). Group counseling/therapy has the advantage of being more effective than individual therapy because, it more closely stimulates social interactions and interpersonal communication patterns than does individual counseling (Kottler, 2004, p. 260). The techniques and strategies use in group counseling are to help resolve members’ interpersonal conflict, promote greater self-awareness and insight, and help them work to eliminate their self-defeating

The first time I personally experienced attending a group therapy was part of my course. Through this experience i can say that group therapy can be very powerful in healing a person emotionally and since the members were from the same class, where we all have similar goals. Group therapy helped all of us to establish meaningful and intimate relationship and we also recognised commanality of members needs and problems and to develop a sense of bonding and we became very close and we could also be there for each other during emotionally trying times.It also helped me to increase self-growth, self acceptance and self –confidence among oneself and group members. Group therapy is a powerful venue for growth and change. It also helped me in expressing my emotions in a healthy way.

Upon taking this course I have learned that group therapy consist of psychotherapy treatment that allows individuals to come in contact with each other. As members approach one another they are strangers at this point. They begin to communicate with each other about their issues in an interpersonal setting. In group therapy, I have also learned and seen from experiences that some members would like to be the dominant one in the group who enjoys taking over the group sessions, be demeaning and manipulative towards others members and the therapist. The statement that was verbalized by the group member towards the other client transitioned to the storming stage. This stage consist of conflict, dominance and rebellion (Yalom 314). The member voiced his/her statement with anger towards the highly educated group member. As the group leader the intervention that I will implement to facilitate a corrective emotional experience will be as discussed in chapter 5, relates to culture building. Yalom states that an unwritten code of behavioral rules or norms should be implemented to remind the clients of the expectancy in the group (Yalom 120). Implementing or practicing the eleven factors for a conducive interpersonal session should include: instillation of hope, universality, altruism, development of socializing techniques and interpersonal learning just to name a few.

During this session I referred to the stages of change and evaluated the client resources, desires, and willingness to change. Further, I tried to assess using knowledge of person in environment and assessing biological, developmental, psychological, social, cultural, and spiritual impacts on the client’s recovery. The client discussed difficulties in relating to others in group therapy sessions, as he does not see himself as having an addiction. The client has stable family environment that provides significant support; however, also limits his desires to make additional changes such as employment.

When individuals are initially acquainting with the group process, many may be unsure of how they are going to be perceived by the group. Specifically, they may have some apprehension surrounding regarding their presenting issues and concerns in relation to the rest of the group. Two specific phenomena result from this dynamic: ambiguity and conflict. Corey, Corey, and Corey (2010) emphatically contend that during the beginning stages of a group, it is a group leader’s responsibility to facilitate the enhancement of trust within the group. In a trusting environment, and through the use of Yalom and Leszcz’s (2005) twelve therapeutic factors, the group can begin to identify

In the past few years, community agencies have increasingly used groups since various groups have become a common feature of today's society. Some of the most common groups in today's society include groups for women, men, parent education, children, HIV/AIDS support, and those for reducing substance abuse. Due to the increased use of groups by communities, there are various approaches that have emerged including group counseling and group psychotherapy. Group counseling is a designed preventive and remedial approach to meet the needs of specific population in the society like women, men, the elderly, adolescents, and children. On the contrary, group psychotherapy is a re-education process of the present and past through conscious and unconscious awareness.

Due to a lack of overall experience as a group facilitator within the counseling field, one of the author’s primary personal goals is development a clearer understanding of the group process. Corey, Corey, and Corey (2010) summarized group process as “how things are happening in the group,” (p. 5). Having had experience as a client in several drug and alcohol groups and group counseling sessions, the author has observed, from a client’s point-of-view, how fluid and ever-changing groups are in a real world setting.

One might say the best teachers are the ones who go over and beyond the call of duty to assist their children. This idea could especially be proven true given the factors that are affecting the social and academic capabilities of the students we teach on a daily basis. One emerging, yet commonly overlooked factor is mental health. Mental health is one of those issues seen to be taboo in schools but is becoming a widespread undiagnosed problem in children all around the world (Crespi,T. 2009). In fact, according to research done by the Carnegie Council on Adolescent Development in 1996, “more than 8 million children are generally identified as needing psychiatric assistance but over half are still not receiving it.” This is why classes like the EPSY 6102 course are so important to those working in the school-district setting whether you are a counselor, educator or even the principal. The goal of the EPSY 6102 course was to give better understanding on how educators and psychologist can better assist the different learning needs of our children and adolescents whether they be social, academic, or emotional by using group counseling. Although it’s only a one-day, eight hour course; through my participation in it, I learned how to effectively establish and run a group using both the different types of group models, the importance of setting a topic of focus for groups, as well as got a chance to

Group counseling may be adverted to as a course of counseling, which takes a group of people coming together under one or more trained therapists, who simultaneously facilitate them and promote them to help one another to overcome their challenges. The group members are usually peers who may not necessarily face the same problem, but their problems may be linked. According to Jacobs, Masson, Harvill and Schimmel (2012), all members in a counseling group wish and desire personal growth. This kind of therapy has been employed over the years and it has produced excellent results in the lives of the group members.

Initial stage of a group talks about the early phases of the counseling group and leads the facilitator through the necessary steps and characteristics.

This article closely examines different ethical, legal, and treatment issues that arise in school group counseling. The author starts by looking at some of the psychological issues that effect school aged children. He also suggest some appropriate topics to offer group counseling on such as a divorce group, a drug and alcohol abuse group, or a physical abuse group. The article goes on to explain several different types of group intervention such as educational guidance groups, counseling groups, and therapy groups. Five different stages of groups; forming stage, storming stage, norming

As Sink, Edwards, & Eppler (2012) state that small counseling groups aimed at diversity help all students with the opportunity for feedback, modeling and be able to be with other students who have similar experiences. Having diverse groups with students that have different histories, abilities, and skills allows students to learn from other students, as well as gain more knowledge an awareness as well as learn to appreciate other student’s differences i.e. subgroup and/or individual (Sink, Edwards, & Eppler, 2012). Diversity does not just mean race (color of skin), different backgrounds, language or ethnicity it also means students with special needs i.e. learning (Sink et al, 2012). Sink et al. (2012) state that students with special needs should be included in group counseling with other students (general education) if it is appropriate in regard to the overall group topic and what other students belong to the group. The reason this is because both sides can learn from each other in a positive manner. If the group focuses on topics that are only for special needs students it is because it would not proper to include them with their peers without special needs because the special needs students would end up being not as productive if their peers were to be included. As research has noted that special needs students can benefit from group counseling