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In the “General Ethical Requirements” section of the Texas Administration Code, it is stated that “(n) The licensee must not knowingly offer or provide counseling to an individual concurrently receiving counseling treatment intervention from another mental health services provider except with that provider's knowledge. If a licensee learns of such concurrent therapy, the licensee must request release from the client to inform the other professional and strive to establish positive and collaborative professional relationships.”

This could be of particular importance when working in a support group scenario because clients could likely be obtaining services from another professional in addition to taking part in your support group. This is a good piece of information to understand so that you are compliant with expectations if this situation should arise.

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The American Counseling Association states the following in section A.2.C. of the Ethical Standards document in regards to Developmental and Cultural Sensitivity:  "Counselors communicate information in ways that are both developmentally and culturally appropriate. Counselors use clear and understandable language when discussing issues related to informed consent. When clients have difficulty understanding the language that counselors use, counselors provide necessary services (e.g., arranging for a qualifed interpreter or translator) to ensure comprehension by clients. In collaboration with clients, counselors consider cultural implications of informed consent procedures and, where possible, counselors adjust their practices accordingly."
This ethical standard is particularly important because it addresses the necessity of making certain that not only is your spoken language accessible to others, but also a reminder to consider a client's culture, background, and developmental capacity when designing therapeutic activities.

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For the purpose of this group, the main therapeutic factor addressed would be Universality, which would be instrumental in processing the ongoing stress of being a lifelong caregiver. Participants could benefit from knowing that others share their fears, concerns, and stressors. Another factor could be Instillation of Hope, as group participants in similar groups often present with feelings of despair and hopelessness. A third factor could be interpersonal learning- participants could benefit from sharing with one another and connecting.

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To build initial trust and rapport, I would likely pull from my own background and lived experience of the situation. For this group of people, being time efficient is critical. I would set up the entire session in a manner to reflect being respectful of their time. I would engage in participative introduction exercises to get to know group members and establish collaborative norms for the group. I would include time spent reviewing the informed consent form, particularly as it relates to confidentiality, and include a group exercise to explore that topic.

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Generally speaking, adults who would seek out my support group have a vast amount of knowledge to share from their own personal journey. They are usually well educated about their situation, have spent years- if not decades- caring and advocating for a disabled child. They have lived with chronic stress in a manner that most people cannot imagine. In short, they are tough as nails, and I don't think that an authoritative mode would be inviting for them. As a leader, I would be participative because it would be the best way to build rapport and trust with this particular demographic. I would also shoot for being inspiring and transformational, and pull from my own similar personal experience to assist with that goal.

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I would likely spend some time in the first group meeting working collaboratively to establish group norms and get contributions from the group members. I feel like this is a valuable exercise to help members feel ownership of the process, and also an activity that can give insight into the group members- what their priorities are, which norms of behavior are important to them, etc.
I did find this reference online that is a good representation of group ground rules as well, and I would utilize something similar.

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Ethical standards are provided by the American Counseling Association regarding informed consent. They state that clients must be made aware of the purpose, goals, techniques, procedures, limitations, potential risks, limits of confidentiality, and expected benefits.

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Since I am working with adults in the general public, my process would look a bit different than interviewing or pre-screening K-12 students.
I would have a conversation/interview with each individual to assure that they meet eligibility criteria (parent of an adult with autism who is between the ages of 17-26, who also displays aggressive behaviors at home. If the basic criteria are met, it would then become a conversation related to expected confidentiality and regarding group expectations.

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To effectively advertise my group, I would do the following:
1. Distribute flyers specifically to the 18+/Transition teachers in my local area, as well as to contacts as TWC, Special Olympics, and post-secondary programs for individuals with disabilities
2. I would contact local ABA clinics who offer services to adults with autism
3. Distribute flyers at group homes in the local area as well as to physicians' offices who specialize in working with autism
4. Advertise with a bulletin at local community centers and churches

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My group is not a K-12 school counseling group, but the following mindsets/behaviors apply to my adult groups as well:
Mindsets-
1. Belief in development of whole self, including a healthy balance of mental, social/emotional and physical well-being
2. Belief in using abilities to their fullest to achieve high-quality results and outcomes
Behaviors-
1. Demonstrate perseverance to achieve long- and short-term goals
2. Demonstrate effective coping skills when faced with a problem
3. Demonstrate empathy
4. Demonstrate advocacy skills and ability to assert self, when necessary

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"Parents of Adults with Autism- Caring for the Caregiver "                   This group is a support group designed for parents of young adults who have autism, particularly those with co-existing aggressive behaviors, to address their need for social contact, coping mechanisms, and generalized mental health support.

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"Parents of Adults with Autism- Caring for the Caregiver "                   This group is a support group designed for parents of young adults who have autism, particularly those with co-existing aggressive behaviors, to address their need for social contact, coping mechanisms, and generalized mental health support.

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To encourage cohesiveness in the group, I would include a discussion/agreement within the group norms about the fact caregiving is hard regardless of other circumstances, and that for the group to be beneficial, it cannot become a competition of whose situation is harder than someone else. Encouraging participants to work together in a spirit of helping one another would be paramount. To get a gauge on how things are progressing, I would likely have a weekly survey that could be completed quickly electronically; checking in for feedback, issues, comments, concerns, etc.

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For closure, I would focus on fostering the relationships that have been created within the group, perhaps with an exercise of team building. I would encourage all who were interested to form a parent group that could continue to meet for peer support, or to plan activities to meet and include their children. I would set up a 'reunion' meeting as well in the future to check in on participants.