Group Counseling Operates On The Same Level As Individual 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.

Upon observing this group, I noticed the group to be homogeneous, and in addition, there were also clients who attended who did not appear appropriate based on the functioning level of the group. According to Maguire (2002), “Group members must be at similar levels of ego strength or functionality.” The is based on the idea of group membership for a group for function properly. Maguire states, “A person who is literally too abnormal or who deviates

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

Group leaders are essential to the success of accomplishing the mutual goals of group counseling. The role that group leaders play is vital for establishing a group environment in which members feel safe, engaged, and encouraged. Characteristics and functions of effective group leaders are good listening skills, good observations skills but more importantly, remain impartial, therefore, the group leader does not give her or his opinions about topics because of consequences that can bring to the group. Additionally, group leaders are culturally sensitive to differences in power and privilege among groups from different ethnic backgrounds. Encouraging participation from members who are hesitant to speak up as well as ensuring that all ground rules are enforced are responsibilities of an effective group leader. However, also being aware that not every member is as comfortable in sharing as others are key for group leaders to be

Since the environment among a school is not that of a clinic or an outside counseling practice, certain planning needs to occur while forming groups. Rather than client’s willingly signing up or seeking out a group, a survey would be completed by faculty and staff to identify potential group members. Students would also participate in the survey process, giving perception of their needs. These surveys would be a form of data collection necessary in addressing needs that could otherwise be unknown. Following this, a meeting with potential group members would take place individually. The students would be informed about the group and what they may gain from it. Expectations, participation and confidentially would also be discussed. From these meetings, the counselor would then be able to determine the student’s interest level and seriousness of need or participation. With careful evaluation, this screening leads to group selection. Informed consent would be introduced and could have been completes prior to the screening. Although minors need parental consent, it is still essential for all students participating to sign and understand the informed consent. Prior to the group meeting, it is the counselor’s

When services are being rendered in both settings, it is imperative that whomever is rendering the services, is aware of these ethics and follows them accordingly to ensure that the individuals who are engaging in the session, receive the appropriate services and their rights are not infringed upon. The counselor has the responsibility of ensuring that the therapeutic experience is one that is beneficial regardless of the setting(Stewart,2012). Similarities There are numerous similarities that exist between group and individual counseling. Some of the similarities that exists between the two types of counseling includes the role of the counselor. The counselor is responsible for ensuring that all information is kept confidential and that all ethics standards are adhered to when services are rendered.

Sometime a school counselor will come across a child who needs more one on one attention and this is when the small group counseling effect might work best. This small group setting can be different depending on the grade level. For a high school students, a small group might look like a counselor giving the student advice on where to go to college or what possible career choice will best suit them in college is not in the picture. This small group setting will also help the students open up more and have those lines of communication open, this can be very beneficial when a crisis is occurring and the student knows they can turn to their school counselor. Making sure the student knows they can come to the school counselor with anything that

As a counselor, it is important to conduct pre-group assessments to determine if the client will benefit from the group. Considering the client's are high school students, one should consult the parent(s) and obtain consent before beginning. Because this group is psychoeducational, it is important to present the client with information about the material related to the group. Additionally, it is essential to discuss the dynamics, and goals of the group with the client, to determine whether one stands to benefit from group counseling. Subsequent notice of client rights and responsibilities are provided, along with the consent. Boundaries and anonymity are crucial to communication; therefore client's will be encouraged to keep group discussions

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.

We can include, encourage, and counsel persons who may not be considered of equal value in society during a group counseling setting by respecting the individual, acknowledging and respecting the diversity that an individual contributes to a group, empowering the individual, and providing validation to the individual’s ideas and feelings. A group counseling setting should be an environment created to allow individuals within the group to feel safe, comfortable, accepted while also encouraging participation of each member in a supporting

Yalom inserted that the primary agenda of group leaders should be to cultivate a therapeutic group climate (Kivlighan & Tarrant, 2001). The role of the individual group members is to directly light the fuse for the therapeutic factors; whereas the group leader shall maintain a more discreet and indirect function which can be described as creating the group climate which refers to interactional dimension (Kivlighan & Tarrant, 2001). The literature reveals that the outcome of clients is strongly related to the attitudes and actions of their counselors. To elaborate, client outcomes seemingly skyrocket with the use of more positive interventions; conversely, clients can actually be harmed as the conduct of counselors becomes actively negative (Kivlighan &Tarrant,

Counseling groups have the abilities to experience change, growth, confrontation, and acceptance in a completely different way than individual counseling. With the compilation of several different worldviews, life experiences, and situations, the group offers a powerful setting for exploration and knowledge, as well as support and learning opportunities. However, it is impossible to create a perfect group, and the consistent search for the ideal group could limit powerful interactions. Kealy, Ogrodnicuzk , Piper, and Sierra-Hernandez (2016) discussed the need to take “calculated risks in developing lively and productive groups,” (p. 313). They also discussed the caveat of excluding individuals who may add

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