Group counseling provides a unique forum for individuals to make changes in their lives. Unlike individual counseling groups provide a realistic social setting in which the client interacts with peers who may be sharing the same or a similar concern and have some understanding of the problem. The counseling group allows members to be open, honest and frank about their problems and provide a situation in which it is safe to test ideas and solutions to problems. Moreover through the group process and its interactions and sharing of experiences, clients learn to modify earlier behaviour patterns and seek new, more appropriate behaviours in situations that require interpersonal skills.
Group Size:
Ideal size of counseling group is seven or eight members with an acceptable range of five to ten members. In small group (three or four members), member interaction diminishes, and counselors often find themselves engaged in individual counseling within the group. On the other hand in large groups the intimacy and comfort diminishes and groups become less personal and more mechanical in their process. Larger groups also increase the risks that some members may be inadvertently overlooked to the extent that their needs are not satisfied.
Ideal size of counseling group is seven or eight members with an acceptable range of five to ten members. In small group (three or four members), member interaction diminishes, and counselors often find themselves engaged in individual counseling within the group. On the other hand in large groups the intimacy and comfort diminishes and groups become less personal and more mechanical in their process. Larger groups also increase the risks that some members may be inadvertently overlooked to the extent that their needs are not satisfied.
Group Process:
The elements of the group counseling process share much in common with those of individual counseling. These may be separated into their logical sequence of occurrence.
The elements of the group counseling process share much in common with those of individual counseling. These may be separated into their logical sequence of occurrence.
The Establishment of the Group:
The initial group time is used to acquaint the new group membership with the format and processes of the group, to orient them to such practical considerations as frequency of meetings, duration of group, and length of group meeting time.
The initial group time is used to acquaint the new group membership with the format and processes of the group, to orient them to such practical considerations as frequency of meetings, duration of group, and length of group meeting time.
Additionally the beginning session is used to initiate relationships and open communications among the participants. The counselor also may use beginning sessions to answer questions that clarify the purpose and processes of the group.
The establishment of the group is a time to further prepare members for meaningful group participation and to set a positive and promising group climate.The group counselor must remember that in the initial group sessions the general climate of the group may be a mixture of uncertainty, anxiety, and awkwardness.It is not un-common for group members to be unfamiliar with one another and uncertain regarding the process and expectancies of the group regardless of previous explanations or the establishing of ground rules.It is important in this initial stage of group establishment for the leader to take sufficient time to ensure that” all the groups’ members have their questions and concerns addressed; that they understand the process and begin to feel comfortable in the group. Of course, the impression that the group counselor makes in this initial stage is of utmost importance to the smooth and successful process of the group.
Group Role and Goal:
Once an appropriate climate has been established that at least facilitates a level of discussion, the group may then move toward a second, distinct stage:identification. In this stage, the group identity unfolds, the identification of individual roles emerges, and group and individual goals are established jointly by the counselor and group members and are made operational. All these develop simultaneously at this stage of the group counseling process.
Once an appropriate climate has been established that at least facilitates a level of discussion, the group may then move toward a second, distinct stage:identification. In this stage, the group identity unfolds, the identification of individual roles emerges, and group and individual goals are established jointly by the counselor and group members and are made operational. All these develop simultaneously at this stage of the group counseling process.
The early identification of goals in group counseling facilitates the group’s movement toward a meaningful process and outcomes. Goals are stated in objectives that are not only measurable but are also attainable and observable and are likely to be realised in view of the group strategies planned. It is also important in this process that the sub-goals of each individual group member is recognised and responded to in turn.
Counselors need to be aware of the probable, or at least possible, conflict and confrontation that may emerge during this stage of the group’s development. Yalom (2005) labels this second phase “the conflict, dominance, rebellion stage.”
He considers it a time when the group shifts from preoccupation with acceptance,approval, commitment to the group, definitions of accepted behaviour, and the search for orientation, structure, and meaning, to a preoccupation with dominance,control, and power. The conflict characteristic of this phase is among members or between members and leader. Each member attempts to establish his or her preferred amount of initiative and power. Gradually a control hierarchy, a social pecking order, emerges.
As members attempt new patterns of behaviour and new approaches to group goals, different perceptions as well as differences in solutions generated by the individual members may lead to a range of behaviours from normal discussions to active and open confrontation. In this stage, the counselor needs to keep the discussions relevant and prevent them group members from making personal attacks on individuals’ values and integrity. The counselor should also remain alert to the possibility that silence of certain group member may be a signal of resistance rather than group compliance. At this stage the group members might express their dissatisfaction with the group process or leadership when controversial issues are discussed or when there is a difference between the way a group member sees himself or herself and the way the group stereotypes the individual, leading to the member’s challenging the reactions or impressions of the rest of the group.
However, when conflicts and confrontations occur, a more cohesive group usually emerges, resulting in increased openness in communication, consensual group action and cooperation, and mutual support among the members.
Productivity:
As the group achieves some degree of stability in its pattern of behaving, and the members become more deeply committed to the group, and ready to reveal more of themselves and their problems productivity process begins.This sets the stage for problem clarification and exploration, usually followed by an examination of possible solutions. In this regard, the group counselor clarifies the individual and group concern.This clarification includes a thorough understanding of the nature of the problem and its causes. Next along with the group members the counselor identifies what the group desires to accomplish, examines all possible solutions in terms of their consequences and also whether it is capable of being realised (obtainable). Finally the group members employ the chosen solution to achieve the desired outcomes. In this entire process, by making their own decisions members establish their ownership of the problem and the chosen solution.
As the group achieves some degree of stability in its pattern of behaving, and the members become more deeply committed to the group, and ready to reveal more of themselves and their problems productivity process begins.This sets the stage for problem clarification and exploration, usually followed by an examination of possible solutions. In this regard, the group counselor clarifies the individual and group concern.This clarification includes a thorough understanding of the nature of the problem and its causes. Next along with the group members the counselor identifies what the group desires to accomplish, examines all possible solutions in terms of their consequences and also whether it is capable of being realised (obtainable). Finally the group members employ the chosen solution to achieve the desired outcomes. In this entire process, by making their own decisions members establish their ownership of the problem and the chosen solution.
Realisation:
By the time group members reach this stage they recognise the inappropriateness of their past behaviours and begin to try out the selected solutions or new behaviours, making progress toward realising their individual goals. They take responsibility of acting on their own decisions. The counselor at this point encourages the sharing of individual experiences and goal achievement both inside and outside the group. Although success with the new behaviours may provide sufficient reinforcement for many members to continue, for others a support base of significant others outside the group needs to be developed in order to help them maintain the change once the counseling group is terminated.
By the time group members reach this stage they recognise the inappropriateness of their past behaviours and begin to try out the selected solutions or new behaviours, making progress toward realising their individual goals. They take responsibility of acting on their own decisions. The counselor at this point encourages the sharing of individual experiences and goal achievement both inside and outside the group. Although success with the new behaviours may provide sufficient reinforcement for many members to continue, for others a support base of significant others outside the group needs to be developed in order to help them maintain the change once the counseling group is terminated.
Termination:
Termination may be determined by the counselor or by the group members and the counselor together’.Termination, like all other stages of the group counseling experience,counseling, requires skill and planning by the counselor. It is most appropriate when the group goals and the goals of the individual members have been achieved and new behaviours or leanings have been put into practice in everyday life outside the group.
Termination may be determined by the counselor or by the group members and the counselor together’.Termination, like all other stages of the group counseling experience,counseling, requires skill and planning by the counselor. It is most appropriate when the group goals and the goals of the individual members have been achieved and new behaviours or leanings have been put into practice in everyday life outside the group.
At times the group members resist termination of a counseling group and continue indefinitely as the counseling group provides a base for interpersonal relationships,open communication, trust, and support. Therefore it becomes important that from the very beginning the group counselor keeps on emphasising the temporary nature of the group and establish, if appropriate, specific time limitations and reminds the group, of the impending termination as the time approaches. Under less favorable circumstances, groups may be terminated terminated when their continuation promises to be nonproductive or harmful, or when group progress is slow and long-term continuation might create over dependency on the group by its members.
The point of termination is a time for review and summary by both counselor and clients. Some groups will need time to allow members to work through their feelings about termination.Even though strong ties may have developed along with pressures from the group to extend the termination time, those pressures must be resisted, and the group must be firmly, though gently, moved toward the inevitable termination.
No comments:
Post a Comment