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San Marcos Survivors of Suicide is a support group for adults from 25-35 years old who have attempted or lost a loved one to suicide. This group serves as a safe space for members to navigate grief together, express their feelings, and find hope and healing in the comfort of community.

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Participants who complete this group will be able to:

-talk about their feelings

-build a list of community members and resources they can reach out to when they need or want support

-identify tools and practices they can use to help them navigate grief

-reduce somatic reactions and feelings of traumatic grief

-increase their overall wellbeing

References

Griffin E, O'Connell S, Ruane-McAteer E, Corcoran P, Arensman E. (March 29, 2022). Psychosocial outcomes of individuals attending a suicide bereavement peer support group: a follow-up study. Int J Environ Res Public Health. https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC8998629/#sec3-ijerph-19-04076.

HUGG. (2025). What is a HUGG suicide bereavement support group? HUGG. https://hugg.ie/what-is-a-hugg-support-group/

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What Is a HUGG Suicide Bereavement Support Group | HUGG

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Join a HUGG suicide bereavement support group and connect with others who understand this type of grief. Take your first step today.

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Information about this group will be disseminated through:

-The website and social media pages for my private practice

-Posting information on San Marcos Facebook Groups

-Sending a post to SMTX Bulletin Board on Instagram for sharing

-Posting flyers in the local library, in local businesses, and on community bulletin boards.

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Those who are interested in the San Marcos Survivors of Suicide support group will be required to fill out a form that requests the following information about their loss:

-Loved one's name

-Loved one's relationship to them

-When they lost their loved one

-Information they want to disclose about their loss

This information will ensure that participants are actually survivors of suicide. It is important that all participants have experienced a loss of a loved one to suicide because that creates an atmosphere of safety and allows participants to build trust.

Reference

Samaritans. (2025). Grieving a loss to suicide. Samaritans. https://samaritanshope.org/our-services/grief-support/#grief-support-request-form

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Support Groups for Suicide Loss Survivors | Samaritans

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Losing a loved one to suicide is a painful and difficult experience. We’re here to offer grief services and support groups for suicide loss survivors.

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Before participating in the San Marcos Survivors of Suicide support group, members must sign an informed consent form.

Reference

Practice Directorate. (2024, July 29). Informed consent guidance and templates for psychologists.

https://www.apaservices.org/practice/business/management/informed-consent

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1. All group members understand and respect confidentiality.

2. One person speaks at a time.

3. Everyone has an opportunity to participate and share.

4. Use only respectful words and responses

5. All group members will treat each other with respect.

6. Make every effort to be on time

7. All group members are encouraged to actively participate

8. Group members have the right to pass on an issue

9. Group members will be encouraged to have an open mind and accept where other group members are in their development.

10. Group members will have the opportunity to develop other guidelines.

We will go over these ground rules during the first session and members will have an opportunity to ask questions and add rules as they see fit. When the final list of rules is agreed upon, they will be repeated at the beginning of each of the following meetings.

Reference

Missouri Professional School Counselors and Counselor Educators. (2015, May). Professional school counselor small group counseling guide. Missouri Center for Career Education. https://www.missouricareereducation.org/doc/smallgroup/SmallGroupCounseling.pdf

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Stage 1

In order to build relationships and trust between group members and myself, it is important to go over group rules, give members a chance to add any rules they think might be important, and then hold members accountable for following the rules. While we go over group rules, I will make sure to highlight that confidentiality is expected and if it is breached, they will no longer be welcome. I will have everyone explain what confidentiality means to them and fill in any gaps of knowledge as needed. Another great way to build relationships and trust is by giving each member time to share their story, making sure that each member gets enough time, and asking members to notice and point out commonalities. If we are all looking for things we have in common, we will definitely find ways to connect with each other.

Stage 2

Members are asked to share about themselves each session, so it is important that every member gets a chance to speak if they want and that every member gets enough time to speak. I will be watching the clock for the allotted time and gently remind members to wrap up their thoughts. If a member seems to not be progressing, that would be a great opportunity to lean in with curiosity about what is causing this. Maybe other members could provide their own insight or validate their feelings. This could build trust among the members and help them see that other people can be helpful, and that they can reach out to those people if needed. To keep track of progress, I will have members fill out a survey to let me know how they are doing physically and emotionally. This will also let me know if members are a threat to themselves or others so that I can follow up accordingly.

Stage 3

I will try to gently remind members that the group is ending without over-emphasizing it. It can cause feelings of dread and overwhelm, so it's important not to let members ruminate over it. The most important task for members before group closure is developing a safety plan in the event that they need emergency support. Every member will need to complete that before group closure. We will have a discussion about how they are feeling about the group ending and talk about why it's important to continue keeping everything confidential after leaving the group.

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I will use a democratic/participative leadership style with this group because it is the best way to build trust, foster engagement, and inspire commitment towards the shared goals of the group. Survivors of suicide need to know that they are not alone in order to find healing. A leader who has been through something similar and participates in the group with them will help them feel less isolated and more hopeful.

Reference

Cherry, Kendra. (2023, June 27). How to lead: 6 leadership styles and frameworks. Very Well Mind. https://www.verywellmind.com/leadership-styles-2795312

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Leadership styles are classifications of how a person behaves while directing, motivating, guiding, and managing groups of people. There are many leadership styles. Some of the most widely discussed include: authoritarian (autocratic), participative (democratic), delegative (laissez-faire), transformational, transactional, and situational.

Great leaders can inspire political movements and social change. They can also motivate others to perform, create, and innovate. As you start to consider some of the people who you think of as great leaders, you can immediately see that there are often vast differences in how each person leads.

Fortunately, researchers have developed different theories and frameworks that allow us to better identify and understand these different leadership styles.

Lewin's Leadership Styles

In 1939, a group of researchers led by psychologist Kurt Lewin set out to identify different styles of leadership.﻿﻿ While further research has identified more distinct types of leadership, this early study was very influential and established three major leadership styles that have provided a springboard for more defined leadership theories.

In Lewin's study, schoolchildren were assigned to one of three groups with an authoritarian, democratic, or laissez-faire leader. The children were then led in an arts and crafts project while researchers observed the behavior of children in response to the different styles of leadership. The researchers found that democratic leadership tended to be the most effective at inspiring followers to perform well.

Authoritarian Leadership (Autocratic)

Authoritarian leaders, also known as autocratic leaders, provide clear expectations for what needs to be done, when it should be done, and how it should be done. This style of leadership is strongly focused on both command by the leader and control of the followers. There is also a clear division between the leader and the members. Authoritarian leaders make decisions independently, with little or no input from the rest of the group.

Researchers found that decision-making was less creative under authoritarian leadership.﻿﻿ Lewin also concluded that it is harder to move from an authoritarian style to a democratic style than vice versa. Abuse of this method is usually viewed as controlling, bossy, and dictatorial.

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Authoritarian leadership is best applied to situations where there is little time for group decision-making or where the leader is the most knowledgeable member of the group. The autocratic approach can be a good one when the situation calls for rapid decisions and decisive actions. However, it tends to create dysfunctional and even hostile environments, often pitting followers against the domineering leader.

Participative Leadership (Democratic)

Lewin's study found that participative leadership, also known as democratic leadership, is typically the most effective leadership style. Democratic leaders offer guidance to group members, but they also participate in the group and allow input from other group members. In Lewin's study, children in this group were less productive than the members of the authoritarian group, but their contributions were of a higher quality.

Participative leaders encourage group members to participate, but retain the final say in the decision-making process. Group members feel engaged in the process and are more motivated and creative. Democratic leaders tend to make followers feel like they are an important part of the team, which helps foster commitment to the goals of the group.

Delegative Leadership (Laissez-Faire)

Lewin found that children under delegative leadership, also known as laissez-faire leadership, were the least productive of all three groups. The children in this group also made more demands on the leader, showed little cooperation, and were unable to work independently.

Delegative leaders offer little or no guidance to group members and leave the decision-making up to group members. While this style can be useful in situations involving highly qualified experts, it often leads to poorly defined roles and a lack of motivation.

Lewin noted that laissez-faire leadership tended to result in groups that lacked direction and members who blamed each other for mistakes, refused to accept personal responsibility, made less progress, and produced less work.

Observations About Lewin's Leadership Styles

In their book, The Bass Handbook of Leadership: Theory, Research, and Managerial Applications, Bass and Bass note that authoritarian leadership is often presented solely in negative, often disapproving, terms. Authoritarian leaders are often described as controlling and close-minded, yet this overlooks the potential positives of stressing rules, expecting obedience, and taking responsibility.

While authoritarian leadership certainly is not the best choice for every situation, it can be effective and beneficial in cases where followers need a great deal of direction and where rules and standards must be followed to the letter. Another often overlooked benefit of the authoritarian style is the ability to maintain a sense of order.

Bass and Bass note that democratic leadership tends to be centered on the followers and is an effective approach when trying to maintain relationships with others. People who work under such leaders tend to get along well, support one another, and consult other members of the group when making decisions.

Additional Leadership Styles and Models

In addition to the three styles identified by Lewin and his colleagues, researchers have described numerous other characteristic patterns of leadership. A few of the best-known include:

Transformational Leadership

Transformational leadership is often identified as the single most effective style. This style was first described during the late 1970s and later expanded upon by researcher Bernard M. Bass. Transformational leaders are able to motivate and inspire followers and to direct positive changes in groups.

These leaders tend to be emotionally intelligent, energetic, and passionate. They are not only committed to helping the organization achieve its goals, but also to helping group members fulfill their potential.

Research shows that this style of leadership results in higher performance and more improved group satisfaction than other leadership styles. One study also found that transformational leadership led to improved well-being among group members.

Transactional Leadership

The transactional leadership style views the leader-follower relationship as a transaction. By accepting a position as a member of the group, the individual has agreed to obey the leader. In most situations, this involves the employer-employee relationship, and the transaction focuses on the follower completing required tasks in exchange for monetary compensation.

One of the main advantages of this leadership style is that it creates clearly defined roles. People know what they are required to do and what they will be receiving in exchange. This style allows leaders to offer a great deal of supervision and direction, if needed.

Group members may also be motivated to perform well to receive rewards. One of the biggest downsides is that the transactional style tends to stifle creativity and out-of-the-box thinking.

Situational Leadership

Situational theories of leadership stress the significant influence of the environment and the situation on leadership. Hersey and Blanchard's leadership stylesis one of the best-known situational theories. First published in 1969, this model describes four primary styles of leadership, including:

1. Telling: Telling people what to do

2. Selling: Convincing followers to buy into their ideas and messages

3. Participating: Allowing group members to take a more active role in the decision-making process

4. Delegating: Taking a hands-off approach to leadership and allowing group members to make the majority of decisions

Later, Blanchard expanded upon the original Hersey and Blanchard model to emphasize how the developmental and skill level of learners influences the style that should be used by leaders. Blanchard's SLII leadership styles model also described four different leading styles:

1. Directing: Giving orders and expecting obedience, but offering little guidance and assistance

2. Coaching: Giving lots of orders, but also lots of support

3. Supporting: Offering plenty of help, but very little direction

4. Delegating: Offering little direction or support

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It seems like there are as many different styles of leadership as there are leaders. Discover some of the most common leadership style frameworks.

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Many of Yalom’s Therapeutic Factors of Group Treatment could show up during this support group. Installation of hope might show up when members report good things happening or when I open up about my healing journey. Universality will definitely appear when everyone shares their own stories of their losses. Imparting of information will happen when members learn more about the biology of suicide and the cognitive distortions behind it. I would love to see altruism and imitative behavior if particular members are further along and start to act as role models for the other members. Catharsis will be a major component at the beginning of the group because sharing your story to new people can be very powerful.

Reference

Yalom ID. (1995). The theory and practice of group psychotherapy (4th ed.). New York: Basic Books.

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A.9.a. Screening

Counselors screen prospective group counseling/therapy participants. To the extent possible, counselors select members whose needs and goals are compatible with the goals of the group, who will not impede the group process, and whose well-being will not be jeopardized by the group experience.

I am required to select members who will benefit from the group and benefit others in the group. This screening process will help me create a super group of individuals who are all committed to expressing their feelings, learning coping techniques, finding community, and developing hope for their futures. The members selected during the screening process could have a great impact on the outcomes for all of the members.

Reference

American Counseling Association. (2014). 2014 ACA code of ethics. Counseling.org. https://www.counseling.org/docs/default-source/default-document-library/ethics/2014-aca-code-of-ethics.pdf

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A.9.b. Protecting Clients

In a group setting, counselors take reasonable precautions to protect clients from physical, emotional, or psychological trauma.

Working with survivors of suicide poses a risk because they are more likely to also commit suicide. Clients might need protection from themselves more than anything. Having a weekly check-in survey will help monitor any risks. This ethical requirement will help me ensure that all of my members stay safe.

Reference

American Counseling Association. (2014). 2014 ACA code of ethics. Counseling.org. https://www.counseling.org/docs/default-source/default-document-library/ethics/2014-aca-code-of-ethics.pdf

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American Counseling Association. (2014). 2014 ACA code of ethics. Counseling.org. https://www.counseling.org/docs/default-source/default-document-library/ethics/2014-aca-code-of-ethics.pdf

Cherry, Kendra. (2023, June 27). How to lead: 6 leadership styles and frameworks. Very Well Mind. https://www.verywellmind.com/leadership-styles-2795312

Griffin E, O'Connell S, Ruane-McAteer E, Corcoran P, Arensman E. (March 29, 2022). Psychosocial outcomes of individuals attending a suicide bereavement peer support group: a follow-up study. Int J Environ Res Public Health. https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC8998629/#sec3-ijerph-19-04076.

HUGG. (2025). What is a HUGG suicide bereavement support group? HUGG. https://hugg.ie/what-is-a-hugg-support-group/

Missouri Professional School Counselors and Counselor Educators. (2015, May). Professional school counselor small group counseling guide. Missouri Center for Career Education. https://www.missouricareereducation.org/doc/smallgroup/SmallGroupCounseling.pdf

Practice Directorate. (2024, July 29). Informed consent guidance and templates for psychologists.

https://www.apaservices.org/practice/business/management/informed-consent

Samaritans. (2025). Grieving a loss to suicide. Samaritans. https://samaritanshope.org/our-services/grief-support/#grief-support-request-form

Yalom ID. (1995). The theory and practice of group psychotherapy (4th ed.). New York: Basic Books.