Small Group Counseling Research Paper

I feel that group therapy is one of the most effective tools for addressing issues among diverse groups. Group therapy can benefit almost everyone. Like individual counselling, group therapy can benefit almost anyone.  It can be especially useful for people who want to explore their style of relating to others and enhance their approach to relationships in areas such as trust, intimacy, anger, conflict, assertiveness, risk-taking, self esteem, issues of depression, anxiety, and alcohol

The Effects of Psychoeducational Group Therapy on Symptoms of PTSD, Anxiety and Depression Among Incarcerated Women

The American Counseling Association (ACA) offers memberships for Mental Health professionals ranging from students and private practice to the retired professional who wants to remain connected with other professionals. The price of membership is $96 for the student, recently graduated, and retired and $171 for regular members, agency counselors, private practice, and counseling educators. Some of the benefits the ACA has to offer are several types of insurance, ranging from liability insurance to protect you in your practice whether it is for a private practice or if you are working at an agency for someone else. The ACA can also help you with insurance for your home, auto, dental, long term care, and disability insurance. There are also several other services where as a member you can obtain a member discount rates on some medical procedures such as labs, and imaging services, having prescriptions filled, hotels, travel, rental cars just to list as few. The best perk yet is the networking circle you have become a part of, get to know others in the counseling

The American Counseling Association (ACA) is a professional organization that was established after a series of independent associations coming together and establishing the American Personnel and Guidance Association (APGA) that eventually became the American Counseling Association (ACA) in 1992. The ACA has 20 divisions that represent specialty areas within the counseling profession. After research the ACA and its division, I have concluded that I would like to join the Association for Child and Adolescent Counseling (ACAC).

One type of counseling group that would be one of my strengths, is psychoeducational group counseling. At the start of the session, the members are presented with an educational topic that portrays to drug and alcohol with the combination of counseling. An example would be an addiction facility exploring the information and research on relapse prevention. Usually, these types of meetings are conducted at inpatient drug and alcohol interventions and typically have an educational component to their meetings that help the clients learn more about their addiction and ways to stop (Brooks & McHenry, 2015). Why I believe this intervention is one of my strengths is due to enjoying teaching and talking amongst others about the education on abuse and

Corey& Corey (2010) said that group counseling is especially suitable because adolescents can identify and experience their conflicting feelings, learn to communicate with peers and adults, learn from the modeling provided by the leader, and learn how to accept what others offer and give of themselves in return. (Corey& Corey p. 330)

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

On a Tuesday night group counseling session, one female client disclosed that she has been staying at the founder (Dr. Martin) of the Naaman Centers residents for a couple months. After this information was announced, I believed it was an unethical decision by the founder of the facility. When the group therapy was over, I confronted the counselor about the client’s living arrangements and she believed it was unethical too. It is a counselor’s responsibility to help the client explore their issues and become aware of their emotions and thoughts (Meier and Davis, 2011, p. 29). In regards to this client’s situation, Dr. Martin seems to be more sympathetic towards the client. Sympathy is when the professional look down or feels sorry for the client

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

I faced a dilemma about confidentiality. My client, 80 years old male, who had been experiencing martial problems for the past 17 years, admitted that his close girlfriend just enrolled the treatment. The company policy generally prohibits family and friends to attend the same group therapy because dating and other relationships between or among group members could be harmful. The relationships could distract other group members, make them feel left out, or uncomfortable and embarrassed if the couple discusses their relationship problems, argues or breaks up. Additionally, being in a relationship with a member of the same group may draw patient’s focus away from the group and the purpose for being there. Group therapy is for people who want to work on their individual problems within a group, not couple or family

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

Depression in late life is very common, particularly in older adults who are moving in to a different phase of their lives. They may experience a loss of a job, death of a spouse, empty nest, or a move that has taken them away from their social network. Geriatric depression is expensive for everyone involved, from the seniors who suffer not only mentally but physically from its effects to the increased use of health services such as emergency room visits. Suicide is also a consequence of depression in seniors. Sometimes depression is not diagnosed properly because its physical symptoms can mimic other illnesses. Many women, ages 55 and up, experience feelings of loneliness, isolation and do not know what to do now that they are in this new stage in their life; not working etc. Is the women’s group effective in helping members overcome feelings of depression and isolation?

Group counseling not only allows for members to learn from their therapist, it also allows for them to learn from personal experiences of other members and to gain insights and ideas on the issues they are confronting. Group counseling also helps in improving social skills among the members as they are able to interact freely in and out of the group. This way members can be more confident and open to interactions during the sessions. Group therapy influences growth and change to those involved. Also, it increases their self-awareness and enables them to gain sustenance from each other. Group counseling is also favorable to the therapist as they are able to gain faster and more efficient results for their members by counseling them simultaneously rather than one at a time. Jacobs, Mason, Harvill and Schimmel (2012) describe group counseling

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.

Small groups can be seen everywhere. Their initial purpose can range from a family deciding what to have for dinner to the President and his staff deciding whether to go to war or not. At first when I was asked what small groups I had been, or are currently apart of the only group I could think of was my family. They were the first group I was ever apart of and the longest group I will ever be in. After hearing other examples of small groups I realized that I was a part of many more than just one small group. I have been a part of countless small groups throughout my life without even realizing it. My skill level has of course, varied depending on the purpose of the group and how long I had been a member. In general I believe that I am a very