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During this stage, members of the counseling group had built trust and cohesion. Members of the group are more willing to open up and share deep feelings and are ready to take more risks regarding what they share and how they express their emotions. According to Corey, Corey, and Corey (2018), people interact with each other in more direct ways without waiting for approval from the leader. Moreover, another typical group member’s behavior is that participants tend to resolve conflicts immediately, and confrontation is accepted as part of each person’s growth.

Finally, members have respect for others’ cultural backgrounds.

Reference

Corey, M. S., Corey, G., & Corey, C. (2018). Groups: Process and practice (10th ed.). Belmont, CA: Brooks/Cole.

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This picture is a representation of the working stage. The working stage focuses on the achievements of the group goals and movements into a more useful and productive system. The working stage is typically the longest but most progressive stage. The main point of emphasis during this stage is productivity, whether they are visible or not.

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Gray and Rubel (2018) developed a study describing the importance of cohesion in school counseling groups with adolescents. In this study, cohesion is defined as a sense of acceptance and support that each group member has. Seven adolescents participated in the study (6th to 9th grade), and they showed “feelings of belonging, positive feelings, open social interactions, and lasting connection” (Gray & Rubel, 2018, p.35) which was essential to understand how group cohesion is experienced by adolescents at schools.

This study is relevant to comprehend that cohesion is vital to have successful school counseling groups.

Reference

Gray, T. M., & Rubel, D. (2018). “Sticking Together”: The Adolescent Experience of the Cohesion Process in Rural School Counseling Groups. Journal for Specialists in Group Work, 43(1), 35–56. https://doi-org.ezp.waldenulibrary.org/10.1080/01933922.2017.1370049

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This stage is characterized because members and leaders work toward together to set goals and achieve them. Communication and awareness between the group members are a must in this stage to make the group function. Moreover, the group focuses on the ‘Here-and-Now’ to keep an ongoing group. A key characteristic in this stage is giving and receiving feedback. Group participants must be willing to make some changes in their personal life to be able to achieve their goals successfully. Furthermore, in this stage, members compromise to self-explore deep and significant issues to bring into the group; for that reason, intervention from the leader is required during the working stage. The whole point is to show respect for other members, and that way, they can show “deeper facets of themselves” (Corey, Corey, and Corey, 2018. p. 283).

The picture below represents the trust that each group member should have within each other to be successful. In this stage, everything is about teamwork, trust and cohesion.

Reference

Corey, M. S., Corey, G., & Corey, C. (2018). Groups: Process and practice (10th ed.). Belmont, CA: Brooks/Cole.

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o   A consistently running task of this stage is for all members, including the leaders, to be constantly assessing the group’s effectiveness and organically-evolving nature.

o   Group members should be open and trusting enough to share personal issues and struggles with the group.

o   Group members should reflect on their own roles and responsibilities as they pertain to group’s functioning. If they need to contribute more they should. If they tend to monopolize and need to instead work on listening more intently to others, they should work on that.

o   Group members should be striving to find ways to translate the ideas they discuss and learn about in group sessions into actions and habit changes in their day-to-day lives outside of group. They should put their new learnings into action and bring those new understandings back into group for discussion, evaluation, and even celebration.

o   Group members should retain a certain amount of courage and openness to be vulnerable, to experience discomfort, and to have difficult conversations. If members become too laid back with their contributions and involvement, the efficiency of the group will greatly suffer.

o   Group members should gradually develop the ability to more easily give and receive feedback in a positive, productive, and helpful way. Feedback – both giving and receiving it – can be the cause of a great deal of anxiety. However, developing this skill is key to the effective functioning of a group.

Reference:
Corey, M. S., Corey, G., & Corey, C. (2018). Groups: Process and practice (10th ed.). Belmont, CA: Brooks/Cole.

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SurveyMonkey:

https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/29ZLD6R

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At least 2 weeks before the end of the group, counselors start reminding students, parents, and their instructors that the group is coming to a close (Sink, Edwards, & Eppler, 2012). Informing parents and educators should be fairly simple, a letter or email will suffice.  At this stage in group you are encouraging students to take responsibility for achieving their goals. Making this announcement in adequate time, allows for student to prepare for the ending in the weeks to come. A counselor reminds his participates that want to raise any additional or unfinished issues at this time because time is running short. As a counselor you want to avoid student feeling loss, so the announcement of the last session is vital. The final session is where student can cap off their group experience, express their “farewells” to one another, and also celebrate the accomplishment of any personal or group goals.

References:

Sink, C.A., Edwards, C., & Eppler, C. (2012). School based group counseling. Belmont, CA: Brooks/Cole. Chapter 5, “Facilitating” (pp.131-158)

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https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R0ICsqpLwBs

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Therapist Tips: Navigating the End of Therapy with a Client

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During the termination stage, group members could experience a range of different emotions. Some students could sense feelings of abandonment or loss. Moreover, some members could act distant because they do not know how to say good-bye, and they do not want to make things even more difficult. Others could feel sad because they might think that they will not see the members of the group anymore, and others could have anxiety because they do not know if they will build trust with other students outside the group (Corey, Corey, & Corey, 2018).

Corey, Corey, and Corey (2018) also mention that at the end of the group, members might feel like they want to hug the leader and/or give gifts showing their appreciation. It is vital to respect the cultural backgrounds of the participants. If the leader does not want to receive any kind of affection, the leader should mention it at the beginning of the group to avoid inconveniences.

Reference

Corey, M. S., Corey, G., & Corey, C. (2018). Groups: Process and practice (10th ed.). Belmont, CA: Brooks/Cole.

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The blog written by Dr. Howes describes complicated feelings that members of the group, as well as therapists, could feel during the termination stage. He mentions feelings of sadness, anxiety, anger, grief, rejection, and abandonment. This blog is interesting because Dr. Howes not just focused on the sentiments from the clients, but also the feelings of the counselor at this final stage. As school counselors, after listening to all our students' issues and observe their progress during group counseling, we can also get attached to them, and it could be hard for us to end the group therapy too. However, in this case, seeing our students succeed and build self-confidence regarding their sexual orientation could be our reward after the group work.

Reference

Howes, R. (2008, September 30). Terminating Therapy, Part I: What, Why, How? [blog post]. Retrieved from https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/in-therapy/200809/terminating-therapy-part-i-what-why-how

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This picture represents that it does not matter that the group ends; students are going to still keep learning and discovering themselves outside the counseling group. Group counseling was just the beginning for them to initiate real change in their lifestyle. It is outside of the group where they are going to really challenge themselves and apply everything they learned in the counseling group.

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The best practice guidelines were created as a support for the ethical standards established for the American Counseling Association (ACA). The objective is to highlight principles to guide counselors in the “planning, performing and processing group work” (Thomas & Pender, 2018). The Association for Specialists in Group Work (ASGW) mentions the importance of evaluation and follow-up with group members to evaluate outcomes after the group is over (C3). School counselors must follow these recommendations to increase the chance to have successful school counseling groups with students.

Reference

Thomas, R. V., & Pender, D. A. (2008). Association for Specialists in Group Work: Best practice guidelines 2007 revisions. The Journal for Specialists in Group Work, 33(2), 111–117. doi:10.1080/01933920801971184

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The termination stage is the last phase of the group. At this time, the final feedback should be positive, specific to each member of the group, and it should focus on the changes that the students have while assisting the group. The feedback in the last meeting should be specific about what they learned in the group. Moreover, group members should reflect on what they learned and how they learned it for them to apply it to their lifestyle outside the group. At this last meeting, the goal is to make sure that students incorporate the new behaviors in their life, and that is possible writing a contract where they compromise to achieve their goals outside the group. Also, leaders reinforce any topic that members need to consolidate their learning to improve their behaviors outside the group. It is vital to remind students about the confidentiality of the group, just because the group is ending does not mean they can share other people’s experiences with their friends or family.

Furthermore, at this point, leaders should make referrals if it is necessary for students who need extra help in achieving their goals outside the group and set follow-ups to monitor some students who require it. Finally, group evaluation is essential to allow the group members to express their opinion about the group and talk about what they learn during that time.

Reference

Corey, M. S., Corey, G., & Corey, C. (2018). Groups: Process and practice (10th ed.). Belmont, CA: Brooks/Cole.

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The tasks of the termination stage are:
*Give adequate notice to all members of termination date.
*Allow time for all persons to process the termination emotionally.
*Give persons the chance to say goodbye, share their reactions, and provide feedback.
*Understand the diverse cultural impacts on a person.
*Help members apply what they have learned to their daily lives.
*Assist members to review what they have learned and acknowledge how to apply their learning.
*Make referrals, if necessary.

Reference:

Corey, M. S., Corey, G., & Corey, C. (2018). Groups: Process and practice (10th ed.). Belmont, CA: Brooks/Cole.

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How does member group work transfer to the world outside of the group?

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How does member group work transfer to the world outside of the group?

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The leader must help facilitate a plan of action for each member.  It is important for each member to apply their knowledge to future use.  Some examples include: writing a letter to one's self, setting goals for six months or one year, role play, and pretend as if the future is the here and now (Corey, Corey, & Corey, 2018).  Therapeutic letter writing is another method for applying learned information to the outside world.  The client can write a letter, which is not intended to be sent, that focuses on uncensored thoughts and feelings pertaining to their trauma or situations (Recovery Ways, 2020).

References:

Corey, M. S., Corey, G., & Corey, C. (2018). Groups: Process and practice (10th ed.). Belmont, CA: Brooks/Cole.

Recovery Ways. (2020, February 24). The Write Way to Find Meaning: Therapeutic Letter Writing Part 1. Retrieved from https://www.recoveryways.com/rehab-blog/therapeutic-letter-writing-part-1/

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o   Avoid ignoring my own feelings as group counselor about the approaching end of the group. If I am unable to process my own emotions about the group’s conclusion, it will be difficult-to-impossible to help guide group members through those feelings.

o   Avoid taking the ending of the group lightly, or making it more of a “social hour” as opposed to an additional opportunity to process legitimate feelings and experiences.

o   Avoid bringing up a new topic or material to discuss with a group in the final stage if there will not be enough time to give it the time and space that it needs to be fully honored and dealt with by all group members.

o   Avoid miscommunication with any group co-leaders, especially in the termination stage. It will be important that all group leaders are on the same page about bringing the group experience to end, as well as how to do so.

o   Avoid taking assessments for granted. It will be important for group members as well as group leaders to be given the time and space to honestly reflect on their experiences with the group and be given the opportunity to verbalize or visualize in some way any growth they feel they may have experienced.

Reference

Corey, M. S., Corey, G., & Corey, C. (2018). Groups: Process and practice (10th ed.). Belmont, CA: Brooks/Cole.

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The impact of diversity in the termination stage

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The impact of diversity in the termination stage

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o   When making diversity and multicultural considerations for the termination stage of the group process, it’s important to be aware of the impact of social justice for many intercultural conversations. If the group consists of black, white, and Latino/a students, there will be different ways in which their cultural experiences will intersect with questions of gender and sexuality.

o   Feelings of sadness, grief, and/or loss may be expressed differently by different people, some possibly owing to cultural differences. Even though all group members will be experiencing the end of the group, each person will have a unique experience and corresponding feelings. While some members may feel comfortable in outright weeping and crying, others may feel that a reserved response is more appropriate. Group leaders should make sure that all responses are welcome and met without judgment.

Reference

Bemak, F., & Chung, R. C.-Y. (2010). Teaching Multicultural Group Counseling: Perspectives for A New Era. The Journal for Specialists in Group Work, 29(1), 31–41. https://doi.org/10.1080/01933920490275349.

In this article, the authors describe some of the specific goals of multicultural group counseling, as well as some specific considerations that should be made when working in counseling groups with multicultural membership.

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For the Middle School Group, creating a small parcel with these items and the saying will help them remember what they have learned.  The leader would have each of them discuss what each item means to them personally.  These objects are small enough they could keep them with them at all times.  When they are struggling, they can open the sack up and remember what they discussed in group sessions.

Reference

Grief Survival Kit and other grief activities modified from Pinterest ideas. GREAT! I made one of ... (With images): Grief activities, Art therapy activities, Therapy activities. (2013, April 2). Retrieved from https://www.pinterest.com/pin/561190803543223271/

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What are Yalom’s nine therapeutic factors?

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What are Yalom’s nine therapeutic factors?

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This image provides a nice visualization of Yalom's therapeutic factors, described in more detail below.

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Universality refers to the group members' ability to recognize and that they share similar feelings, thoughts, problems, and experiences.

Instillation of Hope refers to the way that group members can celebrate each others' successes and see within that a hope and optimism for their own continued growth

Altruism - by helping each other, group members gain a boost to their own self-confidence, self-esteem, and self-worth.

Corrective recapitulation of primary family experience speaks to how the work of the group allows for members to play out and correct their real-life family dynamics.

Information - in addition to the many facilitated discusses and activities, group work also calls for specific information to be shared whenever necessary.

Imitative Behavior describes the way group members can learn by observing and learning from each other's attempts at self-exploration, emotional risk-taking, and growth.

Cohesiveness refers to the connections, bond, and feelings mutual trust and respect that develop within group members.

Catharsis refers to group members being able to use the space created by the group to release strong feelings about experiences they have had.

Socialization speaks to how the group allows the space for members to learn effective communication and more empathic ways of being in the world.

Interpersonal Learning takes place as members come to realize the impact they have on their immediate surroundings, in their interpersonal relationships, and the world, as well as become increasingly open to interacting in a way that welcomes feedback.

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This video provides an animated overview of Yalom's therapeutic factors along with some brief descriptions.

Reference

Pinnacle of Man. (2017, April 23). 11 Curative Factors of Group Therapy. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wg_ORuB3MWU

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The following informative YouTube video is about a program from the University of Columbia related to gender identity, and it is an example of why it is necessary to have in schools this type of program. Dr. Bockting and Dr. Sevlever talk about the issues that children, adolescents, and adults face when they identify themselves as transgender, gender non-binary, or gender non-conforming. This video is relevant to us because they explained the feeling that people experience when they are rejected by society due to their gender identity and the impact that it has on their family as well. Moreover, Dr. Bockting and Dr. Sevlever mentioned the importance of gender identity programs to help children and their families while facing gender identity issues.

Reference:

ColumbiaPsych. (2018). Dr. Bockting & Dr. Sevlever Talk About the Importance of the New Columbia Gender Identity Program. Retrieved from https://www.youtube.com/watch?time_continue=37&v=LZ5IYCg_Py8&feature=emb_logo

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Dr. Bockting & Dr. Sevlever Talk About the Importance of the New Columbia Gender Identity Program

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This picture exposed youth's thoughts. Many times, children and adolescents have many questions they are afraid to ask, but they want answers for them. Some youth are confused about their sexual orientation, and the only thing they want is to be heard.

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In the transition stage, group members are anxious about sharing their feelings.  They can become defensive and resistant.  While others may become shy and fearful.  This stage is a time of vulnerability.  The members are still learning to trust one another, and determining how much and what items to share.

Reference:

Schneider, M., Corey, G., & Corey, C. (2010). Group Therapy 4 Stages - Initial, Transition, Working, Final. Retrieved from https://www.liverehab.com/group-therapy/

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This article focuses on understanding the reactions from some school counselors in training that were going through a transition stage in their master’s programs as counselors. They participated in a study and went from having anxiety and fears to trust and self-confidence (Wagner & Hill, 2015). During the time of the study, participants were able to receive feedback, and that helped them to grow personally and professionally. That is exactly what happens in groups with middle schoolers. They start with fears and anxiety because nobody knows them, but then, during the group’s transition stage, students can build trust with each other and themselves and will be willing to open up and share their thoughts within the group.

Reference

Wagner, H. H., & Hill, N. R. (2015). Becoming counselors through growth and learning: The entry transition process. Counselor Education and Supervision, 54(3), 189–202.

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Share something specific about one of Yalom’s nine therapeutic factors.

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Share something specific about one of Yalom’s nine therapeutic factors.

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The Instillation of Hope is an important factor of Yalom's (Gawne-Kelnar, 2010).  Everyone reaches a point in their lives when they feel hopeless, like all is lost.  The Instillation of Hope give a person the chance to remember a time when they overcame obstacles which felt hopeless before.  It is learning from the past to deal with the  present, and look forward to the future.  For Gabrielle Gawne-Kelnar, hope was a formation of clouds in the sky (2010). For others, it might be the sight of their children or someone else significant in their lives. Hope allows us to move forward.

Reference:
Gawne-Kelnar, G. (2010). Finding Hope: ‘The Instillation of Hope’ in Therapy and in Life. Psych Central. Retrieved on April 9, 2020, from https://blogs.psychcentral.com/therapist-within/2010/07/finding-hope-the-instillation-of-hope-in-therapy-and-in-life/

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A leadership style that might work in group counseling is democratic.  In this type of leadership, most of the decisions are made as a collective group.  A leader may be established, but the leader receives group input before making a decision.  For most cases, this type of leadership is highly effective and fair.  However, if a decision is needed to be made quickly, democratic leadership may take more time (2018).
In small group counseling, it is important for the leader to be an active listener and a good communicator. A good leadership style for small group counseling would be Laissez-faire leadership.  This type of leadership allows the members to operate on their own while still providing guidance and making important decisions (Berlinsky-Schine, 2018).  A democratic leader may allow group members to become dependent on the leader's supervision.  If the leader finds a more "hands-off" approach, such as Laissez-faire, the leader can place the responsibilities more on the group.
References

Berlinsky-Schine, L. (2018, January 29). The 7 Types of Leadership (Plus, How to Figure Out Which Style Is Best For You). Retrieved from https://fairygodboss.com/articles/types-of-leadership-leveraging-your-qualities-to-find-an-effective-style-for-you

The Democratic Leadership Style. (2018). Retrieved from https://www.leadership-toolbox.com/democratic-leadership-style.html

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The working stage requires high level of trust, risk-taking, caring, and cohesion. Some groups never reach the working stage due to the failures of the previous stages; it takes significant work at each stage of group therapy to accurate achieve each stages goal. At this point in group therapy, your participants have evolved from the previous transition stage, participants are more comfortable with involving themselves with the group’s interaction, less hesitation and waiting to be invited into an interaction. Students are working on their personal goals and attempting to do constructive problem solving (Sink, Edwards, & Eppler, 2012).

The counselor should avoid:

·      Breaking group trust, cohesion, and continuity.

·      Participant embarrassment

·      Pushing participants “too hard”

·      Remember participant fears

·      Culture Injunctions

·      Abandonment or leaving participants isolated

The working stage is the final stage before group termination but is one of the most significant portions of group therapy. The working stage is noted for consuming majority of the groups time. The structural integrity of the group may be threatened even at this stage, group members trust may be challenged, and some may still be indecisive about how involved they want to be due to the intensive workload of this stage. Even at the later stage of development trust may need to be reestablished.

During this stage the counselor role should be limited to “direct intergroup traffic and flow, manage student contributions so they remain therapeutic and growth producing, change course if the group requires it, and suggest relevant exercises for students to practice outside the group setting (Sink, Edwards, & Eppler, 2012, p.94).” Both counselors and members should have an understanding of the rule and regulations of the group, counselors should know their place in this stage of development. The violation of a group rule or trust can quickly regress the group, should the group appear to regress, the most important intervention is the counselor’s ability to regain control

by having group members describe what is happing, their observations, thoughts and feelings and putting them into words.

References:

Sink, C.A., Edwards, C., & Eppler, C. (2012). School based group counseling. Belmont, CA: Brooks/Cole. Chapter 5, “Facilitating” (pp.131-158)

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How are member interactions in a small group counseling session a microcosm of the world?

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How are member interactions in a small group counseling session a microcosm of the world?

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The idea that individuals' interpersonal behaviors reflects their interpersonal behaviors outside of therapy has been a proposed concept in various systems of psychotherapy. Goldberg and Hoyt (2015) stated, the social microcosm hypothesis, in particular, claims the interpersonal therapy group becomes a reflection of group members’ general tendencies, and can thus be used as information about members’ interpersonal functioning as well as an opportunity for learning and behavior change. In group counseling proving this hypothesis is very challenging due to the complexities of the data needing to be examined, however is it possible for an individual to show sign of correlation of characteristics in both personal life and group therapy.

Reference:

Goldberg, S. B., & Hoyt, W. T. (2015). Group as social microcosm: Within-group interpersonal style is congruent with outside group relational tendencies. Psychotherapy, 52(2), 195–204. https://doi.org/10.1037/a0038808

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The impact of diversity in the working stage

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The impact of diversity in the working stage

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Multicultural group work represents a powerful tool for helping and healing in the context of human diversity. Culture encompasses the values, beliefs, and behaviors shared by a group of people (Corey, Corey, and Corey, 2018). Our families, friends, and environments are what influences our culture. Our clients have their own culture, culture that is influenced by their own life experiences. Culture can influence a client’s behaviors, feelings, and way of thinking. Each person participating in group therapy will approach with their own unique perspective.

Diversity on the development of this stage of group counseling has its advantages and limitations. Diversity in groups offer alternative perspectives of clients, provides them a strong and powerful support group but also quality feedback. It is also to be noted that group is not accepted in all cultures, some may disregard therapy because of the stigmas attached or the lack of understand of how it works. As counselors it is nearly impossible to be familiar with ever culture you will encounter, however it is possible to do your homework on the cultures of your group, have a general grasp of the concepts of those cultures. Diversity impact on the group setting should be embraced and respected, it important to see different perspectives of life and know everybody does not think like you.

References

Corey, M. S., Corey, G., & Corey, C. (2018). Groups: Process and practice (10th ed.). Belmont, CA: Brooks/Cole. Chapter 8, “Working Stage of a Group”

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In the transition stage, the group is beginning to learn about one another.  Often students will begin "storming" or exhibiting personal anxieties.  Some may be confrontational or try to dominate the group.  Others may seek individuation.  It is important to engage in team building exercises to promote a sense of togetherness.  Once the group members overcome their fears, they tend to form a cohesive bond which allows for more personal relationships and trust (Sink, Edwards, & Eppler, 2012).

Reference:
Sink, C. A., Edwards, C., & Eppler, C. (2012). School based group counseling. Belmont, CA: Brooks/Cole.

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Personal reaction to confrontation of the various challenges a school counselor encounters when conducting group therapy would be in the form of healthy humor and being patient. According to Sink, Edwards, and Eppler (2012), leaders are in charge of handling many obstacles that middle schoolers face, and leaders must understand how those situations could impact the group. According to Sink, Edwards, and Eppler, (2012), leaders are in charge of handling many obstacles that middle schoolers face and leaders must understand how those situations could impact the group. Sink, Edwards and Eppler (2012) state that “almost anyone who has assisted a middle or junior high school student will tell you that a sense of humor and patience are a must" (p.191). The reading also points out that, “in addition to a very healthy sense of humor, the ability to provide consistency, stability, and constancy in the face of provocation and aggression is critical” (Sink, Edwards, & Eppler, 2012, p. 191).

Personal reaction to conflict would be blocking and redirecting, when a group member is not being respectful or possibly harming some else. Group leaders have an ethical responsibility to attempt to maintain a secure environment for group participation (Sink, Edwards, & Eppler, 2012).

References:

Sink, C.A., Edwards, C., & Eppler, C. (2012) School based group counseling. Belmont, CA: Brooks/Cole.

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Six problem behaviors in the transition stage. How can leaders work with these behaviors?

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Six problem behaviors in the transition stage. How can leaders work with these behaviors?

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1. Silence and Lack of Participation are common behaviors for group members to express at this stage of the group. There are a variety of possible reasons for group members to remain silent, including personal discomfort, triggered responses, cultural sensitivities, and feelings of insecurity. For middle school-aged students, there can also be an intense feeling of avoiding possible embarrassment at all costs. Middle school group members may choose to remain silent because they don’t want to say anything that might become cause for mockery by a peer. One’s place in the social structure of middle school is especially important, and could become a barrier to group involvement. In order to work with silence and lack of participation, it is important for group leaders to be able to balance calling on students to share, becoming increasingly aware of non-verbal expressions, as well as accompanying them to gradually build up the confidence and willingness to contribute to the group on their own. Groups work best when all members contribute, and seeing the group as part of a shared community can help middle schoolers give it the emphasis it requires.

2. Monopolistic Behavior refers to the polar opposite problem of silence. Group members who are monopolistic monopolize the group’s time for themselves. They seem to relate to every question or issue that comes up, and leave little room for others to share their thoughts. In order to maintain a trusting and positive therapeutic relationship as well as a positive relationship with all group members, it is important as the leader to approach such behaviors as potential defense mechanisms that point to something deeper. For middle school aged individuals, a tendency to speak a lot may point to a number of possible explanations: an intense desire to “be liked,” a lack of a trusting and confiding relationship with parents/caregivers at home, a way to avoid deeper perhaps depressive symptoms, or even a simple nervousness towards the process of the group itself. As a leader, and especially considering how emotionally fraught middle school time period can be, it is crucial that we interrogate our own feelings about a particular monopolizing group member and ensure that we do not feel annoyed like other members might be.

3. Giving Advice - As a group leader, one of the most important skills to develop is the ability to ask questions and reframe statements to help clarify the insight that already exists within members themselves. Giving advice, though often seen as well-intentioned, goes against this important concept of helping self-generating insight. For middle schoolers, this tendency to give advice can also easily take on a sarcastic tone that could further decrease the productivity of the group. As a group leader, it is important to try and use the things that members share to the benefit of the whole group. If a member of our middle school group, for example, begins to contemplate coming out to their parents, and another member says something to the effect of “you should just tell them,” or the opposite, “you should never tell them,” the leader can take the opportunity to question the advice-giver in order to help them figure out their values and any unresolved underlying concerns or issues that they may not even realize is going on.

4. Hostile Behavior can look a number of different ways, and comes across as sarcasm, jokes, passive-aggressiveness, and/or mean and rude remarks. For middle school aged students, jokes and sarcastic remarks are especially prevalent. As Corey, Corey and Corey (2018) suggest, such remarks are often an attempt to hide the fear of being vulnerable with peers. As was state above for other problem behaviors, such hostile comments can become meaningful opportunities for the comment-maker to reflect on their deeper feelings and come to terms with issues that may be unresolved. Part of the purpose for the group of middle schoolers is to practice handling emotions and feelings. When thinking about gender and sexuality as the topic, middle schoolers may choose to repeat homophobic insults, jokes, and memes as a way to “test the waters,” or out of simple discomfort. Especially In the event of hostile behavior, caring confrontation techniques may be used, such as asking the aggressor to sit quietly while group members share the effect of their actions on them. A group that can mutually support each other in such times will only deepen and strengthen its bonds.

5. Acting Superior - When group members act superior, the end result is similar to the presence of hostility in the group. When a middle school group member acts superior to the rest of the group, they make others feel judged, belittled, and criticized. As a result, group members will be less likely to trust the process, or each other, and contribute fewer comments and experiences to the group. In a group dedicated to gender and sexuality, a middle school student’s superiority might come out in statements that attempt to brag about sexual experiences they’ve had, or sexual knowledge that they have, or perhaps even seemingly well-intentioned statements like “I’ve been there, you’ll be fine” that instead say more about the person making the comment than anything else. As is the case for most problem behaviors, taking the time to interrogate it can be beneficial for all group members. Another possible intervention would see the group leader asking the person what they hope to get out of the group. Putting the onus on the individual group member to own their participation in the group can help them reframe their role and reevaluate how they would like to interact while in the group.

6. Intellectualizing - Though thinking deeply, in itself, is not a problematic behavior, intellectualizing can become a problem for a group if members who display it rely on it utilize it as a way to keep themselves from experiencing their feelings. In a middle school aged group on sexuality and gender, intellectualizing may show itself in comments that begin with “well, technically…” whenever the topic turns to something more sensitive or difficult to discuss, or perhaps reveal a form of cognitive dissonance within the group member. For example, if the group discusses some of the gross and often violent injustices that are felt by the LGBTQ and/or trans communities, a group member might try to intellectualize by stating that the experience we discussed are solely relegated to that one individual, or that technically there’s no way to know this or the other. When working with intellectualizing group members, it is important for group leaders to find the balance between helping group members fully honor their feelings, while not implying that intellectualizing is harmful in and of itself.

Reference

Corey, M. S., Corey, G., & Corey, C. (2018). Groups: Process and practice (10th ed.). Belmont, CA: Brooks/Cole.

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Conflict and trust in a group counseling group

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Conflict and trust in a group counseling group

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Conflict does not have to remain an inherently problematic thing. In fact, it is the instinct to avoid conflicts that can lead to greater problem in the counseling group. Instead of avoiding conflict, it is important for group leaders to help members face and resolve their conflicts. Most often, conflict that is expressed outwardly actually points to internal conflicts that members need to address. As McFarland (1992) makes clear, finding a way to resolve interpersonal conflict not only helps to solve the problem, “but also enriches the interpersonal relationship.” Conflict has the potential to be either productive or destructive, and it is up to the group leaders to guide the interactions of the group towards making it a productive experience for the entire group’s benefit. In a middle school group on gender and sexuality, conflict may come about a result of different family values. If, for example, one student admits to feeling like they may be gender non-conforming, and another one responds with homophobia and/or hostility, the group leader can use the opportunity in a number of ways. They can make clear that the personal hostility has no place in the group and reassure the recipient of the attacks. At the same time, they can further interrogate the member who said the hurtful things to help them dive deeper into their own feelings and emotions. By doing the above in a non-judgmental and non-confrontational manner, the group can see that 1) every member’s emotional safety and wellness is a priority; 2) there are behavioral norms that will be expected to be maintained in order to ensure that safety and wellness; 3) even when members do cross that line, they will be treated with respect, kindness, compassion, and unconditional positive regard. When a situation that has the potential to be so conflictual for so many ends with so many opportunities for growth, trust is built.

Reference:

McFarland, W. P. (1992). Counselors Teaching Peaceful Conflict Resolution. Journal of Counseling & Development, 71(1), 18–21. https://doi.org/10.1002/j.1556-6676.1992.tb02164.x.

This article accessed through the Walden Library, McFarland breaks down the interpersonal conflict process as well as emphasizes the importance of developing conflict resolution skills as counselors. He discusses the important role that counselors play in empowering individuals, and ends with a call for programs aimed to better train individuals in the process of conflict resolution.

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The counselor should avoid:

categorizing students as 'resistant.' School counselors need to take into consideration their culture or background and learn why they are not participating in the group before we assume they are ‘resistant.’

Interpreting students’ behavior as ‘lack of trust.’ Students probably need more time to raise their concerns and thoughts in the group.

‘Pushing’ students to speak about their feelings. There should be a respectful environment if a person does not want to ‘open up’ yet. Instead of pressuring the student to talk, the school counselor could ask why he/she stopped talking.

Having a defensive attitude towards students that are not participating.

Trying to make something about the past change. School counselors should focus on what is happening in the present and work on it with students.

Reference

Corey, M. S., Corey, G., & Corey, C. (2018). Groups: Process and practice (10th ed.). Belmont, CA: Brooks/Cole. Chapter 7, “Transition Stage of a Group”

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Impact of diversity in the transition stage

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Impact of diversity in the transition stage

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Diversity plays a vital role during this stage because the members of the group, as well as the leaders, are getting ready to know each other and work together for the next couple of weeks. In this stage, leaders should make sure that students express if they do not trust others to work on that issue before the group goes to the next stage. Some attitudes, such as talking more than others, being completely silent, being opinionated, could be attitudes due to the culture and not because something is wrong, and leaders should understand that and not take it personally.

As the picture below shows, it is very easy to see the top of the iceberg, but nobody can see what is under it. The same thing happens with diversity in groups. The role of the leader is to allow students with diverse backgrounds to share their deep feelings and thoughts during group counseling time.

Reference

Corey, M. S., Corey, G., & Corey, C. (2018). Groups: Process and practice (10th ed.). Belmont, CA: Brooks/Cole. Chapter 7, “Transition Stage of a Group”

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The message of this picture reminds people that they cannot just infer the sexual orientation of someone based on their physical characteristics. Nowadays, the physical features of a person do not define who they are attracted to or their gender. As school counselors, we need to make sure that we ask our students what their pronouns are and/or how they want to be called to avoid misunderstandings.

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Each group member should have underwent a pre-screening process with the counselor.  It is important to ensure each member is cohesive to the group.  It is also important to assess that the member will benefit from group therapy.  Counselors should research activities which enable members to know one another a little better before beginning disclosure (Sink, Edwards, & Eppler, 2012).

Reference:
Sink, C. A., Edwards, C., & Eppler, C. (2012). School based group counseling. Belmont, CA: Brooks/Cole.

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In the forming stage, members should become acquainted with the rules and expectations of the group.  The group leader should establish the necessity of confidentiality, while expressing one hundred percent confidentiality cannot be guaranteed.  Group members should be involved and willing to listen.  It is important to establish guidelines for talking and listening.  For middle school children, they must understand they may not talk out of turn.  They must also only lend advice with permission from the group leader, and all advice should be positive in nature (Sink, Edwards, & Eppler, 2012).

Reference:
Sink, C. A., Edwards, C., & Eppler, C. (2012). School based group counseling. Belmont, CA: Brooks/Cole.

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Some things to avoid in this stage are being too lenient or being a disciplinarian.  Counselors should also avoid asking vague questions, using activities that are too long, and conducting individual counseling while in the group (Sink, Edwards, & Eppler, 2012).

Reference:

Sink, C. A., Edwards, C., & Eppler, C. (2012). School based group counseling. Belmont, CA: Brooks/Cole.

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Once the first session is complete, the counselor should analyze and reflect on the pros and cons of the session. The counselor should decide what expectations he/she have for that group. Some questions to consider are: Did the group remain on topic? Were there any roadblocks or moments of silence without reason? How can the flow of conversation be bettered?  Each session should show progression. The counselor must be able to guide the sessions to move towards progress in a positive manner. (Sink, Edwards, & Eppler, 2012).

Reference:

Sink, C. A., Edwards, C., & Eppler, C. (2012). School based group counseling. Belmont, CA: Brooks/Cole.

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Impact of diversity in the forming stage

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Impact of diversity in the forming stage

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Diversity plays a major role in the group formation stage, partly because so much of it depends on trust. And trust comes from a mutual sense of understanding and respect. One way that group members’ ethnic and/or cultural backgrounds can affect the group dynamic is in their willingness or hesitation to share openly. For example, some cultures do not deem it appropriate to share personal information with others. Some do not consider eye contact respectful. Or, instead of a different social expectation, the conflict may arise in that a member feels that the group leader(s) couldn’t possibly understand their perspective. For example, if the group leader is white, and the group member is a black middle school aged student.

In addition to cultural awareness as it relates to member’s openness, cultural factors may also impact students’ existing approaches, perceptions, and opinions on issues of gender and sexuality. If any of the middle schoolers come from homes where homophobia is openly expressed, or a cultural norm, it may be more of a challenge to get them to open up, or to be respectful of others who do.

As a middle school group, group leaders will have to be especially aware and sensitive to any cultural expressions, since the members themselves may not be fully aware – or at least unable to fully verbalize – just how much of their behaviors, thoughts, and patterns are dictated or influenced by their particular cultural upbringing.

Reference

Anderson, D. (2007). Multicultural Group Work: A Force for Developing and Healing. The Journal for Specialists in Group Work, 32(3), 224–244. Retrieved from https://doi.org/10.1080/01933920701431537

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As Anderson (2007) suggests, multicultural group work – when done appropriately and with sensitive and holistic consideration of members’ culture, worldview, identities, statuses, and demographics – can be a powerful place to allow deep healing to take place for its members. But, it must come with a deeper understanding of the cultural considerations important for the particular group members.

Reference

Anderson, D. (2007). Multicultural Group Work: A Force for Developing and Healing. The Journal for Specialists in Group Work, 32(3), 224–244. https://doi.org/10.1080/01933920701431537

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Ways to create trust in a group. What is “trust”?

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Ways to create trust in a group. What is “trust”?

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In the initial stage of group formation, members will be hesitant and constantly evaluating the safety of the space in terms of being able to openly share their lives and their experiences with others. Much of the trust developed will be based on how the group leader(s) react to statements and opinions expressed by the group.

For Middle Schoolers, whose perception of an “imaginary audience” (Ryan & Kuczkowski, 1994) is especially strong, it will be extra important for the group leader(s) to ensure that any reaction to statements made by middle school students remain non-judgmental and accepting.

One way to create trust in the middle school group, especially considering the sensitive topic of gender and sexuality, is by maintaining a non-judgmental tone and reaction to any and all comments made or questions asked by the students. It will be crucial that no student ever feels like their feelings about themselves and their truths is considered wrong or shameful. Even if the group leaders feel that a student may need some help, it should never come at the expense of shaming or embarrassing students in front of their peers.

Another way to create trust in the middle school group is to create and/or have the group members self-generate their list of accepted norms for the group itself. Once these norms are established, it will be imperative that the group leader(s) consistently and equitably help the group maintain these norms so that stability and consistency may be established.

A third way to create trust, particularly keeping the topic of sexuality and gender in mind, is for the group leader(s) to make sure to honor and respect any and all appropriate gender identity markers/preferences that any of the students express. For example, if a male student expresses the desire to go by a gender-neutral pronoun such as they/them, it will be important that their wish is respected and upheld by everyone in the group.

Reference:

Ryan, R. M., & Kuczkowski, R. (1994). The Imaginary Audience, Self-Consciousness, and Public Individuation in Adolescence. Journal of Personality, 62(2), 219–238. Retrieved from https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1467-6494.1994.tb00292.x

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Ryan and Kuczkowski  (1994) studied the idea of an “imaginary audience,” and how the sense of self-consciousness, particularly among young adolescents, is especially strong. They also discuss the important role that supportive and stable parents play in children’s and adolescents lives in helping to decrease the uncertainty that can come from trying to “please” or “play to” this “imaginary audience.”

Reference

Ryan, R. M., & Kuczkowski, R. (1994). The Imaginary Audience, Self-Consciousness, and Public Individuation in Adolescence. Journal of Personality, 62(2), 219–238. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1467-6494.1994.tb00292.x

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This short animated video, put to an audio recording of Brené Brown speaking on the distinction between empathy and sympathy, can help establish some of the norms the group might want to adopt. The video helps students more clearly understand the difference between empathy and sympathy, and how empathy is about being with someone and connecting with them on a deeper level, whereas sympathy can be somewhat selfish.

Reference:

RSA, T. (n.d.). Brené Brown on Empathy. Retrieved March 25, 2020, from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1Evwgu369Jw

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Corey, Corey, and Corey (2018) recommend a quick check-in activity where the leaders ask the members of the group what they are expecting during that session. This activity will allow all the members of the group to express their concerns, and it will enable the leaders to identify any issues that could arise or that are unresolved from the previous meeting. Additionally, a mindfulness exercise could be used as an opening activity to help students who are experiencing anxiety because they are confused about their sexual orientation. An example of a mindfulness exercise is “the mindful jar.” This activity could help children to understand their emotions and how to calm their minds when they are feeling overwhelmed. The leader will need a clear jar with water. After having the jar full of water, the leader is going to add glitter glue and shake the jar. While doing so, the leader is going to explain to the small group of students that the jar is their mind, and the glitter represents their conflicting ideas. Then, the leader will set the jar down and 6322251200show to the students that after a moment, the glitter settles down, and the water starts to clear. With that, the leader will explain that when we calm ourselves, we can clear our minds. “Deep breaths during this calming process can help us settle when we feel a lot of emotions” (Young, 2017, as cited by Ackerman, 2020). After students are calmed and feel a little bit more comfortable, we can start asking them what they are expecting from the group and how they can contribute for that to happen. The leader can provide some paper and pencils, and students can write it down, so they can be honest. Then, the leader can read their answers without mentioning any names, and together the group can create a list of expectations where everyone agrees to.

References

Ackerman, C. (2020).  25 Fun Mindfulness Activities for Children and Teens ( Tips!). Retrieved from https://positivepsychology.com/mindfulness-for-children-kids-activities/

Corey, M. S., Corey, G., & Corey, C. (2018). Groups: Process and practice (10th ed.). Belmont, CA: Brooks/Cole.

Sink, C. A., Edwards, C., & Eppler, C. (2012). School based group counseling. Belmont, CA: Brooks/Cole.

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This picture relates to the group because it summarizes general group roles that a school counseling group should have to be successful. Even though we cannot guarantee the confidentiality of the group for everyone, we can remind our students to do their best and try to keep things inside the group for everyone's benefit.

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The American School Counselor Association (ASCA) mentions that school counselors have the primary responsibility to protect the confidentiality between the school counselor and the student. Still, at the same time, the school counselor must respect the parents’ legal rights over their children. In this article, ASCA highlights the importance of maintaining a confidentiality relationship with the students and points out that confidentiality is an ethical and legal term that should be explained every time that the school counselor starts a relationship with students and/parents. It also highlights that confidentiality is not guaranteed when “the student participates in group counseling” (ASCA, 2018, p.18). When working in small groups, the school counselor should encourage students to keep everything that is discussed within the group limit. However,  the school counselor cannot promise that other people will not say anything outside the group. The role of the school counselor, in this case, is to provide a trusting environment and make sure that everyone feels comfortable while sharing experiences. If the school counselor considers that one of the students is sharing sensitive personal information, he/she can politely interfere and tell the student that they can talk about that in a one-on-one meeting to ensure confidentiality.

Reference

American School Counselor Association. (2018). The School Counselor and Confidentiality. Retrieved from https://www.schoolcounselor.org/asca/media/asca/PositionStatements/PS_Confidentiality.pdf

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Group Therapy: Sources of Enchantment by Erving Polster, PhD

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Group Therapy: Sources of Enchantment by Erving Polster, PhD

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In reading Group Therapy: Sources of Enchantment by Erving Polster, PhD, she cmpares the work of a therapist to and artist stating, with their skill at lighting up experience, artists serve as human microscopes, pointing people beyond the dimmed understandings that blur their lives (2019). The books, paintings, music and plays we all listen to transport us through a mysterious reality, we witness novel versions of events and feeling, replacing the missing pieces in the landscape of living. The reading continues on by stating “They convey us into softened boundaries: where fact and fantasy may be indistinguishable, where anger and kindness may interweave with each other, where tragedy and happiness can alternate in a flick of an eye, where the comforts of familiarity are joined with invitations to novelty (Polster, 2019, P.117) For most, the arts are good forms of entertainment, the experience of emotions you may feel from music, art galleries, or reading a novel purpose, is for you to be entertained. People coming to therapy commonly feel those same type of emotions of anticipatory excitement.

In the reading there are some notable comparisons, but there is a much big difference between artist and therapist, therapist must be more attentive than artists to avoid being misinterpreted, disproportionately influential, or just wrong in what they say. As a therapist you are responsible for the well-being of an individual person, what you say can be taken out of context, causing detrimental effects. The reading expresses a some interesting point, pointing out the correlation of artist and therapy, this could be why art is a form of therapy, because of the thrill of emotions and the amount of limitless expression can be put in different art forms.

Reference:

Polster, Erving. Gestalt Review. 2019, Vol. 23 Issue 2, p113-128. 16p. DOI: 10.5325/gestaltreview.23.2.0113.

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The achieving Success Everyday (ASE) group counseling model can be used for school counselors from any level. However this study was done with middle school counselors taking into consideration academic and personal-social aspects of the students. This article also emphasizes the importance of selecting and pre-screening students and collaborating with teachers to select students to enter in school counseling.

Reference

Steen, S., Henfield, M. S., & Booker, B. (2014). The Achieving Success Everyday Group Counseling Model: Implications for Professional School Counselors. Journal for Specialists in Group Work, 39(1), 29–46. https://doi-org.ezp.waldenulibrary.org/10.1080/01933922.2013.861886