Group Counselling Flashcards
What is the difference between individual and group counselling?
Individual: Private & confidential, flexible, more time dedicated to individual issues, may be more appropriate depending on disorder (i.e. Personality disorders).
Group: Positive peer support, feedback & modelling, less shame, cost effective, social support system, sense of belonging/purpose.
What are the 5 models for group counselling?
1) Psychoeducational group
2) Skills development group
3) Cognitive-behavioural group
4) Support group
5) Psychotherapeutic group
What is a Psychoeducational group?
Educating people about substance abuse (or other challenges).
Participant experience and knowledge is encouraged to be shared.
Facilitator imparts knowledge.
What is a skills development group?
Helping members learn skills needed to change their behaviour.
i.e. Anger management group, parenting skills.
What is a cognitive-behavioural group?
Help members learn to alter thoughts, feelings, actions that lead to behaviour that reduce the quality of life.
What is a support group?
Provides an opportunity to share information and feelings that can lead to or maintain alterations in behaviour.
What is a psychotherapeutic group?
Provides an environment in one can examine historical and interpersonal issues that lead to or maintain problematic thinking, feeling, and behaviour.
More intense and long-term.
What is the difference between open and closed groups?
Closed: Development of cohesion and interpersonal trust.
Open: May be easier to maintain a “critical mass”. May have logistical issues (members can enter at different times).
What are personal growth groups?
Closed group.
Focus on personal growth.
Assist members with developing self-esteem, self-awareness, build confidence, and help through a life transition.
I.e. Stress for adolescent girls, women who’ve experienced IPV.
What is the difference between homogeneous vs heterogeneous group?
Homo: Everyone is the same.
Hetero: All different
What are some things to consider when developing a homogeneous vs heterogeneous group?
- Stages of change
- Level of abstinence
- Common purpose
- Comparable goals
- Modeling for group members in different stage of change
What are the 4 types of interventions for psychoeducational groups?
1) Educational Interventions
2) Affective Interventions
3) Behavioural Interventions
4) Cognitive Interventions
What are educational interventions?
Teach, inform, and educate group members. Correct misinformation and “myth busting”.
What are affective interventions?
Identify and name feelings. Learn how to explain intense emotions. Use active listening and paraphrasing skills.
Most of the time, fear underlies anger.
What are behavioural interventions?
Changing specific negative behaviours into more positive ones. Could include developing assertiveness skills or new ways to manage one’s anger.
What are cognitive interventions?
Confused thoughts, irrational beliefs, and negative self-talk in their minds. Changing these perceptions of themselves.
How can the Stages of Change model be applied for group counselling?
- Focus on motivation enhancement, motivation for change.
- Elicit change talk (desire, ability)
- Motivational vs. confrontational approach
- Motivation can be influenced, it is not a stable personality characteristic/trait
- Motivation is “fluid”, influenced by time & strategic interventions
- Group leaders should be empathetic and non-judgmental
What are the Stages of Change?
1) Pre-Contemplation
2) Contemplation
3) Preparation
4) Action
5) Maintenance
6) Relapse
Most often, ethical problems occur as a result of:
- Leaders not being competent
- Dual relationships
- Confidentiality
- Informing members about group
What are the 8 steps to making an ethical decision?
1) Acknowledge the problem/dilemma
2) Identify all the stakeholders
3) Identify relevant legal issues
4) Determine the values as stake
5) Review the Code of Ethics
6) Identify courses of action
7) Consult a supervisor
8) Decide on a course of action
What are some examples of mandated groups?
Court ordered
Correctional institutions
Residential treatment centres
Schools
What does therapeutic process refer to?
Includes the stage of the group, group dynamics, and therapeutic forces at play.
What does therapeutic content refer to?
Logically, the purpose or task(s) of the group.
What can happen if there’s too much emphasis on process?
Result in getting little accomplished.
What can happen if there’s too much emphasis on content?
Can result in lost opportunities for personal growth, and development of relationships and support between group members.
What are some examples of research methods?
- Surveys
- Personal interviews
- Community meetings/focus groups
- Analysis of records
- Observation
What is a psychoeducational group?
- Led by a trained group facilitator
- Structured sessions
- Group goals are clear
- Participants share & learn from each other
- Teach coping skills & self-awareness
What is an intervention?
To change how group member’s behave within the group and their personal lives.
What are the 4 types of interventions?
1) Educational interventions
2) Affective interventions
3) Behavioural interventions
4) Cognitive interventions
What is an educational intervention?
Teach, inform, and educate group members. Correct misinformation & myth busting.
What is an affective intervention?
Identify and name feelings. Learn how to explain intense emotions.
What is a behavioural intervention?
Changing specific negative behaviours into more positive ones. Could include developing assertiveness skills or new ways to manage one’s anger.
What is a cognitive intervention?
Confused thoughts, irrational beliefs, and negative self talk in their minds. Changing member’s perceptions of themselves.
How can you tailor an educational intervention to an auditory learner? A visual learner? A kinesthetic learner?
Auditory: Music is a great tool to use!
Visual: Videos, diagrams, role plays, good at reading facial expressions.
Kinesthetic: Exercises, role plays, physical activities (field trips).
What must facilitators avoid when conducting an affective intervention?
- Emotion withdrawing
- Giving advice
- Shifting topics
- Inappropriate self-disclosure
- Rescuing techniques
What are some examples of affective interventions?
- Face charts
- Journaling
- Letting go of balloons
- Fear in the hat
- Alter-ego
- Empty chair
How do you OPEN an MI addictions group?
Open with the purpose of the group
Personal choice is emphasized
Environment is one of respect and encouragement
Non-confrontational nature of the group
How can you use MI to handle reluctance?
- Use empathic reflecting
- Focus on statements consistent with the direction of the group
- Validate personal choice
- When dealing with a negative comment from a group member, emphasize the positive part or reframe it
- Follow up with diplomatic, empathic reminder of group rules
- Use “differential reinforcement”
- Create a group decisional balance (reasons to change vs. reasons not to change)
- Teach reflective listening skills
When are behavioural interventions most effective?
When used with group members with the following characteristics:
- Motivated by achieving goals
- Have a specific goal in mind
- Willing to actively engage in the change process
- Members trust and respect each other
What are the types of behavioural interventions?
1) Social Modelling
2) Behavioural Rehearsal
3) Reinforcements
4) Contracting
What is social modelling?
Observing & imitating behaviours of others.
What are the 2 types of social modelling?
Symbolic modelling: Group facilitators use an actor/video/story to demonstrate behaviour
Covert modelling: Group members visualize themselves or others demonstrating the desired behaviour
What is behavioural rehearsal?
Rehearsing the desired change, often done by role playing.
Members learn from observation & each others’ feedback.
What are the advantages for behavioural rehearsal?
- The modelling takes place in a safe & supportive environment.
- Facilitators can coach or prompt the desired behaviour.
- Direct feedback.
- Helps develop assertive language.
- Ensures other members stay engaged.
What is the behavioural intervention “reinforcements”?
Can include: Words, gestures, tokens, or an item of value to the group members.
Strengthens or changes a desired behaviour.
In order to bring long term change, positive self talk!!
What is shaping vs. extinction?
Shaping: Reinforce the small steps to change a behaviour. Do not wait for “perfection”.
Extinction: Terminate the undesirable behaviour by withdrawing from all types of reinforcement. Note that the negative behaviour may increase before it decreases.
What is contracting?
Can be shared or self-managed.
Should be SMART.
To make it more “official”, it should be signed by all parties.
When are cognitive interventions most helpful?
When group discussions focus on managing anger, reducing anxiety/stress, enhancing self-esteem, alleviating depression, and overcoming phobias & sexual dysfunction.
What is the ABCD analysis of cognitive interventions?
Activating the event
Belief about the activating event
Consequence of our belief
Disputing/dispelling the beliefs that are causing negative responses
Be aware of absolute words such as NEVER, ALWAYS, MUST
What is cognitive restructuring?
The process of helping group members to change perspectives, thoughts, & attitudes from negative & harmful to positive & constructive.
What does cognitive restructuring consist of?
- Provide correct information
- Change negative self-statements to positive
- Coping thoughts
- Reframing/relabelling
- Thought stopping
What are injunctions?
The messages we receive as children from our parents or other significant adults in our lives.
I.e. Boys don’t cry
