| Group counselling is a challenging and dynamic | | | | happen, they'll need to follow certain |
| form of counselling that requires all-round | | | | communication rules which are basic requirements |
| professional skills from counsellors. It implies that | | | | for conducting group counselling sessions. Here are |
| any challenges a counsellor may find in helping an | | | | some guidelines in a nutshell: |
| individual can potentially duplicate, triplicate, or | | | | 1. Use selection procedures - sometimes it is |
| vastly multiply - however, the more intricate the | | | | simply not appropriate to put individuals together |
| challenge is, the higher the rewards. In this article, | | | | in a group, simply because they share a particular |
| we define the basic elements of group counselling | | | | behaviour pattern or problem. |
| and provide several guidelines - after all, the core | | | | 2. Adjust group size according to manageability. |
| prerequisite of understanding group dynamics is | | | | Adopt a co-facilitator, if required. |
| not only part of the counsellor's professional | | | | 3. Establish group rules and expectations early in |
| framework, but part of a much larger | | | | the formation stage of the group. |
| perspective: the framework of life. | | | | 4. Maintain a strong element of flexibility and be |
| The Importance of Groups | | | | prepared with a number of contingency plans. |
| "The ubiquitousness of groups and the inevitability | | | | 5. Know your group. Acquire an understanding of |
| of being in them make groups one of the most | | | | your group prior to developing your program. |
| important factors in our lives. All day long we | | | | 6. Enjoy the journey of group work - the highs, |
| interact first in one group and then in another. We | | | | the lows, the setbacks and the accomplishments. |
| live in a dwelling as part of a group, we learn in | | | | 7. Reflect on your group work skills and allow |
| groups contained in the same classroom, we | | | | each group to be your teacher. |
| work in groups, we interact with friends in groups, | | | | Groups and Counselling: Counsellor Insights |
| and we spend much of our leisure time in groups. | | | | "Group counselling for me was in the form of |
| Our family life, our leisure time, our friendships, | | | | support groups for users (U) of substance misuse |
| and our careers are all filled with groups. In fact, if | | | | and also their significant others (SO). |
| a being from outer space conducted a study of | | | | One particular time when I was facilitating the 'U' |
| the people of Earth, group membership would | | | | group or 'Users' of illicit substances, this girl who |
| probably be the dominant characteristic noted." | | | | claims she could not relate to people, had special |
| (Johnson & Johnson 1997) | | | | relationships with mice. She turned up one |
| There is no uncertainty in the fact that our | | | | particular day with a mouse crawling around the |
| personal identities are intrinsically related to the | | | | inside of her clothes and poking its face out of a |
| groups we have been involved with throughout | | | | sleeve one minute and then a neckline the next. |
| our lives. For this reason, it is important to | | | | The other members of the group didn't notice |
| comprehend the concept of group dynamics, and | | | | until one girl let out a huge scream when she |
| the relevance that group relationships has in each | | | | turned to this girl to ask her something only to |
| individual's lives. Investigating group dynamics is a | | | | come face to face with the mouse. |
| measure to better understand individual behaviour | | | | We were then obliged to include this change of |
| - or like an old proverb implies: "Tell me who you | | | | event for participating members in our group to |
| walk with, and I will tell you who you are." | | | | the mouse. There were ten people present and |
| Groups and Dynamics: Basic Elements | | | | eight stated they couldn't care less, however, two |
| "Since content and process must be balanced to | | | | stated that if she insisted on carrying the mouse |
| have productive group dynamics, a question that | | | | on her then they would not be able to attend. It |
| arises is 'How?'. One answer is to think of the | | | | was decided that the owner could bring the |
| group as a system, a set of elements standing in | | | | mouse along in a separate container and keep it |
| interaction. Each element in the system is | | | | next to her on the floor so other members would |
| affected by whatever happens to any other | | | | not be alarmed at it poking its head out at |
| element. Likewise, the system is greater than the | | | | inopportune times. |
| sum of its parts." (Gladding 1999) | | | | The group successfully continued with other |
| Similar to mathematics theory, the dynamic | | | | members becoming more involved with the care |
| interactions which occur within a group, along with | | | | and maintenance of this girl's pet mice. However, |
| the external influencing factors upon that group, | | | | it was later discovered that she had |
| pose challenges to controlling and interpreting | | | | approximately 30 living at her home and each |
| group outcomes. When dealing with groups, the | | | | week she would bring a different one as a special |
| primary objective (whether a group is formed to | | | | 'outing' for a treat." (Kathleen Casagrande - AIPC |
| develop a project or a group united by the need | | | | Education Adviser) |
| to tackle an analogous problem) is to ensure that | | | | "I remember an experience I had with an anger |
| the group is healthy and productive. As such, core | | | | management group for eight-year-old boys. Fresh |
| communication skills which are based on | | | | out of university, naive to the energy and |
| interpersonal communication theory are applicable | | | | tenacity of primary-school aged children, I |
| for groups - promoting good communication | | | | designed a structured and detailed anger |
| between group individuals creates a safe and | | | | management program to facilitate in a local State |
| productive environment for the group to work. | | | | School. Armed with extensive worksheets, |
| For counsellors, planning prior to conducting a | | | | individual activities and group work exercises, I |
| group session is essential. Planning ensures that | | | | self-assuredly arrived at the school. Directed by |
| the counsellor is considering: (a) his/her audience's | | | | the School Principal to collect the children straight |
| socio-cultural background; (b) the communication | | | | from their classrooms, I made my way from one |
| needs of the group individuals and; (c) the type of | | | | Grade Four class to the next, until I had collected |
| interaction which is most effective for his/her | | | | all six of my group participants. |
| audience. Pre-planning also diminishes the possibility | | | | My participants had been selected by their |
| of communication flaws, which may result in | | | | teachers and School Principal to be included in the |
| interpersonal conflict - the most undesirable (and | | | | group due to "challenging behaviours". I learnt very |
| awfully propagating) element in a productive | | | | quickly that facilitating a group of "challenging" |
| group. | | | | eight-year-olds was not as simple as I had first |
| Groups and Counselling: A Matter of Approach | | | | imagined. |
| There are several definitions of groups which | | | | As I set about conducting an ice-breaker |
| vary from a sociological perspective, according to | | | | exercise, I had one child tip over his table, another |
| common goals, interdependence, interpersonal | | | | pretend to faint as he fell to the floor and yet |
| interaction and other criteria. In many occasions, | | | | another throw pencils into the ceiling fan! I knew |
| groups may be formed by undemanding | | | | this was about testing the boundaries but it was |
| circumstances. What does that mean? It means | | | | much more than I had anticipated! |
| that dealing with groups does not only involve | | | | It took several sessions to build rapport and |
| acknowledging the group behaviour as a unit, but | | | | establish rules with this group of eight-year-olds. |
| also identifying each individual's response to that | | | | We didn't complete every group activity or |
| group behaviour. This concept is important, | | | | worksheet I had planned. Sometimes we'd start |
| particularly in counselling. | | | | the session with a run around the oval, |
| According to Smith (1945) "we may define a | | | | sometimes we'd play bingo under a tree, but we |
| social group as a unit consisting of a plural number | | | | worked together to finally establish an effective |
| of separate organisms (agents) who have a | | | | group process and the participants established |
| collective perception of their unity and who have | | | | great friendships amongst themselves. |
| the ability to act and/or are acting in a unitary | | | | As the weeks progressed, the group became |
| manner toward their environment (p. 227)." | | | | more and more focused on the tasks at hand. |
| Counsellors as group leaders and/or facilitators | | | | Participants slowly became interested in offering |
| need to adopt a structured approach in their | | | | their input, sharing their story and sometimes |
| relationship with group individuals. For this to | | | | even offering help to each other. |