Chapter 13 - Groups in Counselling (TWO) Flashcards
Define/explain: Psychodrama (Type of Group)
- invented by Jacob L Moreno, Viennese psychiatrist
- used for years with mental patients at St. Elizabeth’s Hospital in DC
- members enact unrehearsed role-plays
- group leader is director, other group members are actors in the protagonist’s play and give feedback
- used by behaviorists, Gestaltists, and affective-oriented group leaders
Define/explain: T-Groups/Training Groups (Type of Group)
- first used at National Training Laboratories (NTL) in Bethel, Maine in 1946
- predates group counseling or group psychotherapy.
- Kurt Lewin – formed the basis for the original group
- based on his group dynamics
- focus is on task accomplishment or on interpersonal relationship
- goal: members learn from experience how their and others behaviors influence others in the group
Define/explain: Encounter Groups (Type of Group)
- emerged from T-groups to focus on growth of individual group members rather than the group
- for normal functioning individuals who want to grow. change and develop
- group’s focus is on individual expression and recognition of affect (mood/emotion)
Define/explain: Group Marathons (Type of Group)
- 24 hour minimum group session that breaks down defensive barriers
- pioneered by Frederick Stoller and George Bach in 1960s
- useful with substance abusers in rehab, as well as normal functioning people in other group settings
- used by labor and peace negotiations
Define/explain: Self-Help Groups (Type of Group)
- grown in popularity since 1970s
- centers on single topic
- led by layperson
- short or long term
- help members gain greater control of their lives
- usually no fee
- people go voluntarily
How many people are involved in the over 500,000 self-help groups in the US?
-over 10 million people are involved in around 500,000 US groups
Define/explain: Support Groups (Type of Groups)
- focus on particular concern or problem
- established by professional helping organization or person. ex. AA
- may charge fees
- group leaders may be laypeople or trained professional
- center around topics that are physical, emotional, or social
Similarities between support groups and self-help groups.
- might meet in churches, recreation centers, schools, or other community centers
- healthy and complementary to other health services
- help people realize that they don’t exist in isolation, members create a network and find hope/validation through other members
Define: layperson
- person who lacks expertise through professional training
- power comes from experience with common event of members
Prevalent myths about groups:
- they are artificial and unreal
- they are second-rate structures for dealing with problems
- they force people to lose identity by breaking down psychological defenses
- they require people to become emotional and disclose sensitive information
- they are touchy-feely, confrontational, hostile and brainwashing
Define: group
- two or more people interacting together to achieve a goal
- all involve work/the dynamic interaction between collections of individuals
- for prevention/remediation of difficulties or the enhancement of personal growth/enrichment
Benefits of groups in counselling: (List 6)
-economical and effective means of helping people who share similar problems
-propels person forward and help him/her recognize needs or wants
-instillation of hope – You will get through this.
-universality – You’re not alone
-imparting of information – how to cope
-altruism – helping each other, feeling worthwhile
-corrective recap of the primary family group – reviewing previous conflicts and resolving them
-development of socializing techniques – learning social skills
-imitative behavior – imitating positive behavior of other
member
-interpersonal learning – insight; working through past issues
-groups cohesiveness – bonding with others
-catharsis – being able to express emotions
-existential factors – taking responsibility; determining choices
Examples of groups that benefit from group counselling:
- help 9th and 10th graders learn social problem solving to help with career decisions
- promote career development and useful in vocational planning
- can help women improve functioning and subjective well-being
- help heart attack victims deal with stressors better
- increase maturation processes of adolescent offenders
Drawbacks of Groups in Counselling:
- some clients’ problems and personalities are not suited for groups
- some problems need more individual attention
- group pressure may force client to take action like self-disclose before s/he is ready
- groupthink; defensive thinking as a group without problem solving
- individuals may not be able to generalize skills outside of the group, group may not represent a normal interaction
- may not resolve conflicts or development
- may become regressive and unproductive or even destructive, such as scapegoating, narcissistic, and project
Define/explain: Psychoeducational Groups/Guidance groups or educational groups (Type of Group)
-preventive and instructional
-purpose: to teach group members how to deal with
potential threat, developmental event, or crisis
-can be found in schools, hospitals, mental health centers, social service agencies, and universities
-one of most important parts: discussion of how
members will personalize the information presented in
the group
Examples of psychoeducational group found in schools, adult settings, and college settings:
- schools use instruction materials, such as: unfinished stories, puppet plays, films, audio interviews, and guest speakers
- adult setting: written materials or guest lecturers.
- college setting: control of anger, dating, study skills
Define/explain: Counselling Groups (Type of Group)
what:
-interpersonal problem-solving groups
-help resolve problems of living through interpersonal
support and problem solving, ex. social anxiety
-help members develop existing interpersonal problemsolving competencies in order to better handle future problems
-attempt made to modify attitudes and behaviors, more emphasis on emotional involvement of members
how:
-smaller and in a more intimate setting
-members get “airtime” to speak
-more interaction and personalizing of information
Define/explain: Psychotherapy Groups (Type of Group)
-personality reconstruction groups
-help members correct in-depth psychological
problems
-usually in inpatient facilities, psychiatric hospitals residential units
-types of problems: depression, incessant talking,
paranoia, schizoid and sociopathic personalities, suicidal,
and extreme narcissists
-easier to recognize those who should be excluded.
-more common in America
Define/explain: Task Work Groups (Type of Groups)
- help members apply principles and processes of group dynamics to improve practices and accomplish a goal
- useful for task forces, committees, planning groups, community organizations, discussion groups, study circles, learning groups
define: quality circle
-employee-run group of workers who meet weekly to examine the processes they are using in their jobs; devise ways to improve them
Examples of a task work group:
- team in athletics, art, and employment settings
- student project groups
Characteristics of a good task work group:
- clear purpose
- dynamics and information are balanced
- time needed for culture building and learning about each other
- conflict resolution
- feedback between members
- here-and-now addressed
- reflection on group
5 Stages in Groups:
- Forming
- foundation and expectation are laid out
- members show anxiety, dependency, and talk about non-problematic issues - Storming
- turmoil and conflict occur; members seek to establish selves in hierarchy of the group - Norming
- group generates enthusiasm and cohesion and decides on goals and ways of working together - Performing/working
- group is productive; members are involved with each other and individual and collective goals - Mourning/termination
- group comes to an end, members say good-bye to one another and the group experience
- members feel fulfilled or bitter
9 Issues in Groups:
- selection and preparation of group members
- pre-group training and pre-group interview are helpful to formation of the group - Group size and duration
- determined by purpose and preference - Open-ended vs. closed groups
- open-ended groups admit new members after having started and closed do not - Confidentiality
- what has been said within group setting will not be revealed outside - Physical structure
- room or setting in which group is assembled - Co-leaders
- two leaders may be beneficial to some groups - Self-disclosure
- dependent on trust between members - Feedback
- members respond to verbal messages and nonverbal behaviors of others - Follow-up
- keeping in touch with members after the group has terminated
Leadership Qualities of Effective Group Leaders
- Caring – the more the better
- Meaning attribution – clarifying, explaining, providing cognitive framework for change
- Emotional stimulation – activity, challenging, risk taking, self-disclosure
- Executive function – developing norms, structuring, suggesting procedures
define/explain: heterogeneous groups vs homogeneous groups
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