final Flashcards
Transition Stage Characteristics
anxiety
preoccupation with dominance, control, power
control hierarchy or ‘pecking’ order emerges
testing safety and trust within group
defensiveness
resistance
control issues
inter-member conflict
challenges to or conflict with the leader
when trust is present..
risk taking, allow themselves to be ‘known’ actively engaged in group process, focus on themselves, support and challenge others
resistance
an emotional strategy to prevent/block potentially threatening material into one’s conscious awareness.
A form of repressing or denying material from exploration of painful conflicts/feelings (a better word for resistance would be reluctance to decrease the negative connotation)
needs to be honored, respected, and understood
exploration of members’ resistance
can be misunderstood/mislabeled
labeling can be problematic/narrowing/judgmental
change label from resistant to reluctance
insight about interpersonal style of relating to others
reluctance is a way of protecting themselves
a way to maintain safety from vulnerability to others
handing resistant behaviors therapeutically
describe behaviors based on what leader is observing w/in group
source of resistance from ineffective leadership or members fears
explore common fears that present during transition stage (appearing foolish, rejection, emptiness, losing control ‘pandora’s box’, self-disclosure)
control issues during transition phase
inherent
competition, rivalry, jockeying for position, jealousies, challenges toward leadership
leader must remain open and non0defensive when dealing with control issues
conflict in transition stage
inevitable
unexplored conflict manifests in avoidance, defensive behaviors, hostility, passive-aggressiveness, lack of trust/group cohesion
cohesion within group increases after group conflict is expressed and worked through
confrontation during transition stage
increases deeper level of self exploration/awareness
honest look at oneself
essential component w/in group work
useful if expressed in caring, nonjudgmental way
confrontation=form of corrective feedback
timing important
cultural background needs to be respected
leader’s reactions to resistance in transition stage
be aware of your emotional reactions and thoughts regarding member resistance
you the leader serve as a role model to members
model how to effectively deal with defensive, resistant behavior
share with members your thoughts, feelings, and observations
do not blame criticize, rather express in non defensive open honest manner
focus on actual behavior rather than labels
re-conceptualize resistant behaviors as serving important self-protecting function
effective group leaders in transition stage
balance support and challenge
do not personalize members’ statements
do not meet their needs within group context
block/discourage judgments, evaluations, criticism, labels
are tentative
educate members about group process
monitor their own internal reactions to members
efectively manage conflict
demystify the group process
problem behaviors in transition stage
silence and lack of participation monopolistic behavior storytelling questioning giving advice bandaiding hostile behavior subgrouping
silence and lack of participation
problem behavior in transition stage
less disruptive than monopolist but equally challenging
encourage silent members to find their voice
ask silent members to discuss their silence
nonparticipating behaviors need to be discussed
silent members rarely benefit from group
silence is never silent
to be silent is a behavior and has meaning regarding how the members functions socially and in the here-and-now (being silence and wanting to disappear actually does the opposite and calls attention to that member)
meaning/significance for silence?
other members will project/formulate assumptions onto them if they remain silence
many reasons for silence (dread self-disclosure, threatened in group, afraid of displaying weakness, engage in silence to punish others or to force the group to attend to them)
Monopolistic behavior
problem behavior in transition stage
self-centeredness, speak to control others, fear of being influenced by others, overvalue own ideas
need to incessantly engage in chatter (compulsive speech); all thoughts nee dot be immediately expressed
constantly identifying with others “I’m like that too” respond to every statement a member makes
anxious if sit in silence
persist in describing every detail
ensure focus on themselves through interrogating and puzzling other members
present major life upheavals that demand urgency and lengthy attention
EFFECTS ON GROUP
members become frustrated and angered
unresolved tension- detrimental influence on group’s cohesion
indirect fighting, passive aggressiveness, absenteeism, dropouts and subgrouping
often when monopolist is confronted- explosive brutal manner
monopolistic behavior
therapeutic considerations
leader- interrupt behavioral pattern of monopolist
intervene to prevent monopolist from committing social suicide
why the group has allowed monopolist to carry burden of entire group?
why the group has assumed little responsibility for therapeutic goals
despite compulsive chatter- hold group at arms length
help monopolist to engage more fully in group
goal is not to silence to monopolist member
encourage monopolist to explore interpersonal difficulties (loneliness, not being listened to, being shunned)
timing is everything
lack ability to understand how others perceive them
lack capacity or desire to empathy with others
as leader- encourage grow pro provide monopolist with constant feedback
goal is not to shut down the monopolizer. goal is to help person understand how he or she is being perceived by the group
story telling
problem behavior in transition stage
pseudodisclosure
here-and-now feelings and thoughts are avoided
storytelling- avoidance of talking about oneself (listen for pronouns ‘he’ ‘she’ ‘my professor’ but rarely hear ‘i’
questioning
problem behavior in transition stage
interrogation
a way to hide
often distracting and encourages members to think rather than feel (go to cognitive, intellectual place, instead of a feeling, emotional place)
giving advice
problem behavior in transition stage
increase dependency
telling people what and how to feel and behave
help members understand what they gain and what needs are being met by giving advice
bandaiding
problem behavior in transition stage
form of pseudo support
maneuver to help bring comfort to the one who is supporting
approach to sooth e motional pain- supporting person’s needs are being met at expense of person who is attempting to express problems
contain cathartic expressions (too painful or intense)
hostile behavior
problem behavior in transition stage
inevitable toward therapist
magical unrealistic expectations of therapist
graudally hostility dissipates once leader limitations are accepted and leader is viewed as a human being
favorite child resentment- members have fantasy that therapist is his/her own therapist
leaders who withstand hostility and group attack demonstrate that aggression can be understood and processed in the group
subgrouping
problem behavior in transition stage
fractionalization ‘splitting off of smaller units’ inherent in every social system
2 or more members believe they can benefit more and derive gratification from a relationship with each other rather than from the group
can be helpful, harmful, disruptive, transient, enduring, and if understood, further therapeutic work
extra group socializing first stage of sup grouping
subgrouping alone is not destructive to the life of a group, what is destructive is the conspiracy of silence that usually accompanies extra group socializing
therapist should encourage open discussion of extra group contacts
members responsibility to share extra group contacts with entire group
Working Stage characteristics
exploration of significant personal problems
authenticity
leader less directive less structured
member to member communication
‘our group’
interpersonal feedback (genuine and appropriate)
more risk taking
self disclosure (meaningful, appropriate for group’s stage, relevant, here and now)
working stage norms
facilitative behaviors understood and clearly defined
unspoken implicit norms made explicit
support and challenge balanced
leader employs interventions to encourage experimentation of new behaviors
less dependence on leader- members function autonomously
further exploration of issues pertaining to power, control, conflict
healing capacity develops- personal facades or ‘public selves’ transition into display of ‘private selves’
self acceptance
action oriented behaviors valued
feedback exchange, here and now discussions, confrontation, challenges, self disclosure
imitative behaviors- modeling another’s coping style
differentiate between a working and non working group
task of working stage
responsibility of leader and members to assess group’s productivity and effectiveness
groups ebb and flow
group process can regress to earlier developmental phase
not static entity
issues of trust during working stage
issues of trust reappear an resurface
members might:
withdraw, retreat, feel threatened, question validity of group experience, fear cathartic expression of members, anticipate ending phase of group experience