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Groups and Group Counselling

Group counselling is a challenging and
dynamic form of counselling that requires1. Use selection procedures - sometimes it is
all-round professional skills fromsimply not appropriate to put individuals
counsellors. It implies that any challenges atogether in a group, simply because they
counsellor may find in helping an individualshare a particular behaviour pattern or
can potentially duplicate, triplicate, orproblem.
vastly multiply - however, the more intricate
the challenge is, the higher the rewards. In2. Adjust group size according to
this article, we define the basic elements ofmanageability. Adopt a co-facilitator, if
group counselling and provide severalrequired.
guidelines - after all, the core prerequisite
of understanding group dynamics is not only3. Establish group rules and expectations
part of the counsellor's professionalearly  in  the  formation stage of the group.
framework, but part of a much larger
perspective:  the  framework  of  life.4. Maintain a strong element of flexibility
and be prepared with a number of contingency
The  Importance  of  Groupsplans.
"The ubiquitousness of groups and the5. Know your group. Acquire an understanding
inevitability of being in them make groupsof your group prior to developing your
one of the most important factors in ourprogram.
lives. All day long we interact first in one
group and then in another. We live in a6. Enjoy the journey of group work - the
dwelling as part of a group, we learn inhighs, the lows, the setbacks and the
groups contained in the same classroom, weaccomplishments.
work in groups, we interact with friends in
groups, and we spend much of our leisure time7. Reflect on your group work skills and
in groups. Our family life, our leisure time,allow  each  group  to  be  your  teacher.
our friendships, and our careers are all
filled with groups. In fact, if a being fromGroups  and  Counselling: Counsellor Insights
outer space conducted a study of the people
of Earth, group membership would probably be"Group counselling for me was in the form of
the dominant characteristic noted." (Johnsonsupport groups for users (U) of substance
&  Johnson  1997)misuse and also their significant others
(SO).
There is no uncertainty in the fact that our
personal identities are intrinsically relatedOne particular time when I was facilitating
to the groups we have been involved withthe 'U' group or 'Users' of illicit
throughout our lives. For this reason, it issubstances, this girl who claims she could
important to comprehend the concept of groupnot relate to people, had special
dynamics, and the relevance that grouprelationships with mice. She turned up one
relationships has in each individual's lives.particular day with a mouse crawling around
Investigating group dynamics is a measure tothe inside of her clothes and poking its face
better understand individual behaviour - orout of a sleeve one minute and then a
like an old proverb implies: "Tell me who youneckline the next. The other members of the
walk  with, and I will tell you who you are."group didn't notice until one girl let out a
huge scream when she turned to this girl to
Groups  and  Dynamics:  Basic  Elementsask her something only to come face to face
with  the  mouse.
"Since content and process must be balanced
to have productive group dynamics, a questionWe were then obliged to include this change
that arises is 'How?'. One answer is to thinkof event for participating members in our
of the group as a system, a set of elementsgroup to the mouse. There were ten people
standing in interaction. Each element in thepresent and eight stated they couldn't care
system is affected by whatever happens to anyless, however, two stated that if she
other element. Likewise, the system isinsisted on carrying the mouse on her then
greater than the sum of its parts." (Gladdingthey would not be able to attend. It was
1999)decided that the owner could bring the mouse
along in a separate container and keep it
Similar to mathematics theory, the dynamicnext to her on the floor so other members
interactions which occur within a group,would not be alarmed at it poking its head
along with the external influencing factorsout  at  inopportune  times.
upon that group, pose challenges to
controlling and interpreting group outcomes.The group successfully continued with other
When dealing with groups, the primarymembers becoming more involved with the care
objective (whether a group is formed toand maintenance of this girl's pet mice.
develop a project or a group united by theHowever, it was later discovered that she had
need to tackle an analogous problem) is toapproximately 30 living at her home and each
ensure that the group is healthy andweek she would bring a different one as a
productive. As such, core communicationspecial 'outing' for a treat." (Kathleen
skills which are based on interpersonalCasagrande  -  AIPC  Education  Adviser)
communication theory are applicable for
groups - promoting good communication between"I remember an experience I had with an anger
group individuals creates a safe andmanagement group for eight-year-old boys.
productive environment for the group to work.Fresh out of university, naive to the energy
For counsellors, planning prior to conductingand tenacity of primary-school aged children,
a group session is essential. PlanningI designed a structured and detailed anger
ensures that the counsellor is considering:management program to facilitate in a local
(a) his/her audience's socio-culturalState School. Armed with extensive
background; (b) the communication needs ofworksheets, individual activities and group
the group individuals and; (c) the type ofwork exercises, I self-assuredly arrived at
interaction which is most effective for histhe school. Directed by the School Principal
her audience. Pre-planning also diminishesto collect the children straight from their
the possibility of communication flaws, whichclassrooms, I made my way from one Grade Four
may result in interpersonal conflict - theclass to the next, until I had collected all
most undesirable (and awfully propagating)six  of  my  group  participants.
element  in  a  productive  group.
My participants had been selected by their
Groups  and Counselling: A Matter of Approachteachers and School Principal to be included
in the group due to "challenging behaviours".
There are several definitions of groups whichI learnt very quickly that facilitating a
vary from a sociological perspective,group of "challenging" eight-year-olds was
according to common goals, interdependence,not  as  simple  as  I  had  first  imagined.
interpersonal interaction and other criteria.
In many occasions, groups may be formed byAs I set about conducting an ice-breaker
undemanding circumstances. What does thatexercise, I had one child tip over his table,
mean? It means that dealing with groups doesanother pretend to faint as he fell to the
not only involve acknowledging the groupfloor and yet another throw pencils into the
behaviour as a unit, but also identifyingceiling fan! I knew this was about testing
each individual's response to that groupthe boundaries but it was much more than I
behaviour. This concept is important,had  anticipated!
particularly  in  counselling.
It took several sessions to build rapport and
According to Smith (1945) "we may define aestablish rules with this group of
social group as a unit consisting of a pluraleight-year-olds. We didn't complete every
number of separate organisms (agents) whogroup activity or worksheet I had planned.
have a collective perception of their unitySometimes we'd start the session with a run
and who have the ability to act and/or arearound the oval, sometimes we'd play bingo
acting in a unitary manner toward theirunder a tree, but we worked together to
environment  (p.  227)."finally establish an effective group process
and the participants established great
Counsellors as group leaders and/orfriendships  amongst  themselves.
facilitators need to adopt a structured
approach in their relationship with groupAs the weeks progressed, the group became
individuals. For this to happen, they'll needmore and more focused on the tasks at hand.
to follow certain communication rules whichParticipants slowly became interested in
are basic requirements for conducting groupoffering their input, sharing their story and
counselling sessions. Here are somesometimes even offering help to each other.
guidelines  in  a  nutshell:



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