THE BEGINNING PHASE WITH GROUPS

THE SKILLS OF HELPING INDIVIDUALS, FAMILIES, GROUPS, AND COMMUNITIES: CHAPTER 11

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THE DYNAMICS OF FIRST GROUP SESSION

• MEMBERS MAY BE TENTATIVE TO BEGIN

• OLD FEARS MAY BE REAWAKENED BY NEGATIVE PAST EXPERIENCES

• INITIAL STAGE IS A TIME OF ORIENTATION AND EXPLORATION• MEMBERS LEARN HOW THE

GROUP FUNCTIONS

• DEFINE THEIR OWN GOALS

THE DYNAMICS OF FIRST GROUP (CONT’D)

• CLARIFY THEIR EXPECTATION

• LOOK FOR THEIR PLACE IN THE GROUP

• CLIENTS WILL PONDER THESE QUESTIONS:• “WHAT ARE WE HERE FOR?”• “WHAT KIND OF PERSON WILL THE LEADER

BE?”• “WHO ARE THESE OTHER PEOPLE?”• “DO THEY HAVE THE SAME PROBLEMS AS I

DO?”

FIRST SESSION VALUED OUTCOME• INTRODUCE GROUP MEMBERS TO EACH

OTHER

• MAKE A SIMPLE OPENING STATEMENT TO CLARIFY THE PURPOSE OF THE GROUP

• OBTAIN FEEDBACK FROM THE GROUP MEMBERS

• CLARIFY THE GROUP LEADER’S ROLE AND METHOD

• DEAL DIRECTLY WITH ANY SPECIFIC OBSTACLES THAT MAY HINDER THE GROUP’S FUNCTION

FIRST SESSION VALUED OUTCOME (CONT’D)

• BEGIN TO ENCOURAGE MEMBER INTERACTION

• WORK TOWARD DEVELOPING A SUPPORTIVE CULTURE

• HELP GROUP MEMBERS DEVELOP A TENTATIVE AGENDA FOR FUTURE WORK

• CLARIFY MUTUAL EXPECTATIONS OF THE AGENCY AND GROUP MEMBERS

• GAIN SOME CONSENSUS ON THE GROUP’S NEXT STEPS

• ENCOURAGE HONEST FEEDBACK AND EVALUATION

THE CONTRACTING SKILLS: ESTABLISHING A STRUCTURE FOR

WORK• CLARIFY THE GROUP’S PURPOSE• A SIMPLE STATEMENT OF THE GENERAL PURPOSE OF THE GROUP

• CLARIFY THE ROLE OF THE GROUP LEADER• A STATEMENT OF HOW THE LEADER AND CO-LEADERS CAN HELP

• REACH FOR GROUP MEMBERS’ FEEDBACK• “HANDLES FOR WORK” INTERVENTION

THE CONTRACTING SKILLS… (CONT’D)• IDENTIFY THE COMMON GROUND

• FINDING SIMILARITIES BETWEEN THE GROUP MEMBERS’ NEEDS & THE SERVICES PROVIDED• SUPPORT MEMBERS I TABOO AREAS

• (E.G., SEX, DEATH, AUTHORITY, DEPENDENCY)• DEAL WITH ISSUES OF AUTHORITY

• CONFIDENTIALITY REMAINS EXCEPT IN CERTAIN CIRCUMSTANCES (E.G., HARMFUL OR ILLEGAL)• ADDRESS SAFETY

• (E.G., FIGHTING, DRUG USE, AND WEAPONS POSSESSION)

RECONTRACTING AFTER THE FIRST SESSION

• LEADERS MAY FEEL UNSATISFIED

• RECONTRACT IF FIRST MEETING IS UNSUCCESSFUL

• TAKES PLACE OVER A NUMBER OF SESSIONS

• RECONTRACT AROUND ROLE OF LEADER AND PURPOSE OF GROUP

• PROVIDE ANOTHER MODEL TO SEE IN ACTION

CO-LEADERSHIP IN GROUPS

• CONTRACTING ISSUES ARE COMPLEX• DISAGREEMENTS ON THE BASIC APPROACH TO THE GROUP• SUBTLE BATTLES OVER CONTROL OF GROUP SESSIONS• DISAGREEMENT DURING THE GROUP SESSION OVER SPECIFIC INTERVENTIONS

TAKE OUR POLL

• HOW MANY OF YOU HAVE HAD PROBLEMS WITH GROUPS IN THE PAST?• VIEW THIS LINK AND LET US KNOW IF YOU HAVE!• HTTPS://POLLEV.COM/TATUMTOMCZAK833?_

GA=1.15125750.1164764926.1456135304

REFLECTIVE PRACTICE IN CO-LEADERSHIP

• REFLECTIVE PRACTICE IN CO-LEADERSHIP

• AN INTRAPERSONAL PROCESS

• AN INTERPERSONAL PROCESS

• AN EVALUATIVE PROCESS

POSITIVE POTENTIAL IN CO-LEADERSHIP

• ADDS ANOTHER PERSPECTIVE TO THE GROUP

• BUILDS TRUST AND COMMUNICATION AMONG CO-LEADERS

• CREATES A “MODEL” FOR THE GROUP

THE OPEN-ENDED GROUP• MEMBERSHIPS ARE CONTINUOUSLY CHANGING

• APPROPRIATE FOR TEENAGERS IN A GROUP HOME OR PATIENTS IN A HOSPITAL

• OPEN-ENDED GROUPS ARE TAILORED TO THE INDIVIDUAL, ALLOWING PRACTITIONERS TO BE MORE RESPONSIVE TO THEIR CLIENTS NEEDS. (SCHOPLER PG. 87)• DECISION TO RUN AN OPEN-ENDED GROUP RELIES ON:• NATURE OF THE CONTRACT• CHARACTERISTICS OF THE CLIENTS SERVED• STRUCTURE OF THE SETTING

THE SINGLE-SESSION GROUP

• SHORT-TERM GROUPS (I.E., INFORMATIONAL MEETINGS OR EDUCATIONAL SESSIONS)

• LEADERS SUBSTITUTE DIRECT PRESENTATION BECAUSE OF TIME-LIMITS

• QUESTIONS CREATE ACTIVE PARTICIPATION FROM GROUP MEMBERS

THE SINGLE-SESSION GROUP (CONT’D)

• HELPFUL TO REVERSE THE USUAL ORDER:• A CLEAR STATEMENT OF PURPOSE AND ROLE• REACHING FOR FEEDBACK AND CONCERNS• ARTICULATING A NUMBER OF CONCERNS AS “HANDLES FOR WORK”• RECOGNITION OF THE TIME AVAILABLE

INTERNET ONLINE GROUPS• AMERICAN COUNSELING ASSOCIATION CONCERNS:

• ENCRYPTING CONVERSATIONS TO ENSURE CONFIDENTIALITY

• PERFORMING RISK ASSESSMENTS

• BEING AWARE OF CLIENT’S ACCESS AND COMPUTER KNOWLEDGE

• BEING COGNIZANT OF LEGAL ISSUES

• KNOWING ETHICAL CODES FOR BEING A DISTANCE COUNSELOR

• ACQUIRING PROPER LICENSURE AND CREDENTIALS FOR DISTANCE COUNSELING

INTERNET-CHAT TEXT GROUPS• ONLINE WEB-BASED VIDEO SUPPORT GROUPS

• TELEPHONE-MEDIATED GROUPS

• “RECOVERY-FOCUSED” MODEL IS ADVOCATED

• ASSOCIATED WITH:• PROVIDING EMOTIONAL SUPPORT• DELIVERING INFORMATION• ASSISTING WITH PROBLEM SOLVING• SHARING EXPERIENCES AND REDUCING ISOLATION

SINGLE-PURPOSE GROUPS

• A SPECIFIC FOCUS IN A SETTING (I.E., BULLYING)• BULLY OR BULLIES• THE PERSON(S) EXPERIENCING THE BULLYING• BYSTANDERS

SINGLE-PURPOSE GROUPS (CONT’D)

Purpose:

• To help children realize their rights to not be bullied

• How to enlist help if needed

• Alert bystanders to their responsibilities

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THE MIDDLE PHASE OF GROUP

WORKTHE SKILLS OF HELPING INDIVIDUALS, FAMILIES,

GROUPS, AND COMMUNITIES: CHAPTER 12

THE ROLE OF THE GROUP LEADER

Client

Worker

Group

THE ROLE OF THE GROUP LEADER (CONT’D)

• REACH FOR INDIVIDUAL COMMUNICATION • REACH FOR GROUP RESPONSE TO THE INDIVIDUAL• REACH FOR THE WORK WHEN OBSTACLES THREATEN• AVOID INDIVIDUAL COUNSELING

BARRIERS TO OPEN COMMUNICATION

• AMBIVALENCE TOWARD TAKING HELP• SOCIETAL TABOOS AGAINST DISCUSSION OF CERTAIN TOPICS• MEMBERS’ PAINFUL FEELINGS ASSOCIATED WITH PARTICULAR ISSUES• CONTEXT OF THE HELPING SETTING

BARRIERS TO OPEN COMMUNICATION (CONT’D)• MEMBERS MAY USE INDIRECT COMMUNICATION• HINT AT A CONCERN• ASK A GENERAL QUESTION IN RESPONSE TO A PRESENTATION• ACT IT OUT (USING ANGER)• EMPLOY METAPHOR OR ALLEGORY• USE ART OR OTHER MEDIUMS• SEND THE MESSAGE NONVERBALLY• PRESENT WITH THE CLASSIC “I HAVE A FRIEND…”

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GROUP WORK SKILL FACTORS IN THE MIDDLE PHASE

• THE PRELIMINARY STAGE• SESSIONAL TUNING-IN SKILLS

• BEGINNING STAGE• SESSIONAL CONTRACTING SKILLS• CLARIFY THE IMMEDIATE WORK AT HAND

GROUP WORK SKILL FACTORS IN THE MIDDLE PHASE (CONT’D)

• MIDDLE STAGE• ELABORATING SKILLS• EMPATHIC SKILLS• SHARING LEADER’S FEELINGS• EXPLORING TABOO SUBJECTS

GROUP WORK SKILL FACTORS IN THE MIDDLE PHASE (CONT’D)• MIDDLE STAGE (CONT’D)• MAKING A DEMAND FOR WORK• PARTIALIZE MEMBER CONCERNS• HOLD TO FOCUS• CHECK FOR UNDERLYING AMBIVALENCE• CHALLENGE THE ILLUSION OF WORK• POINT OUT OBSTACLES

THE WORK SKILL FACTORS IN THE MIDDLE PHASE (CONT’D)

• MIDDLE STAGE (CONT’D)• POINT OUT OBSTACLES• IDENTIFYING CONTENT AND PROCESS CONNECTIONS• SHARING DATA• HELPING THE GROUP MEMBERS SEE LIFE IN NEW WAYS

GROUP WORK SKILL FACTORS IN THE MIDDLE PHASE (CONT’D)• ENDING AND TRANSITION STAGE• SESSIONAL ENDING• SESSIONAL TRANSITION SKILLS• SUMMARIZE• GENERALIZE• IDENTIFY NEXT STEPS• REHEARSE• IDENTIFY “DOORKNOB” COMMUNICATIONS

ACTIVITY IN GROUPS• FUNCTIONS• HUMAN CONTACT• DATA GATHERING• REHEARSAL• DEVIATIONAL ALLOWANCE• ENTRY• A STUDY IN 2012 FOUND THAT STUDENT WERE ABLE TO RETAIN MATHEMATICAL INFORMATION

BETTER WHEN PUT IN GROUPS WITH THEIR PEERS. THESE PEER DIRECTED GROUPS HELPED STUDENTS WHO HAD ISSUES BY PLACING THEM IN GROUPS OF PEERS WHO UNDERSTOOD THE MATERIAL AT HAND.

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CREDITS

• MEDIA: TATUM TOMCZAK• TEXT: WHITNEY LABAHN• MCKENSEY ROEMEN

REFERENCES • SHULMAN, L. (2015). THE BEGINNING PHASE WITH GROUPS. IN THE SKILLS OF HELPING INDIVIDUALS,

FAMILIES, GROUPS, AND COMMUNITIES (8TH ED.). (PP. 419-473). BOSTON, MA: CENGAGE LEARNING• SHULMAN, L. (2015). THE MIDDLE PHASE OF GROUP WORK. IN THE SKILLS OF HELPING INDIVIDUALS,

FAMILIES, GROUPS, AND COMMUNITIES (8TH ED.). (PP. 474-544). BOSTON, MA: CENGAGE LEARNING• SCHOPLER, J. GALINSKY, M. (2012). THE OPEN-ENDED GROUP. IN THE INDIVIDUAL CHANGE THROUGH

SMALL GROUP (2ND ED.). (PP. 87). NEW YORK, NY: THE FREE PRESS• WEBB, N. TROPER, J. FALL, R. (1995) CONSTRUCTIVE ACTIVITY AND LEARNING IN COLLABORATIVE

SMALL GROUPS. IN JOURNAL OF EDUCATIONAL PSYCHOLOGY (VOL 87). RETRIEVED FEB 15TH, 2016 FROM: HTTP://DX.DOI.ORG/10.1037/0022-0663.87.3.406