Groups and Group Counselling

Group counselling is a challenging and dynamichappen, they'll need to follow certain
form of counselling that requires all-roundcommunication rules which are basic requirements
professional skills from counsellors. It implies thatfor conducting group counselling sessions. Here are
any challenges a counsellor may find in helping ansome guidelines in a nutshell:
individual can potentially duplicate, triplicate, or1. Use selection procedures - sometimes it is
vastly multiply - however, the more intricate thesimply 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 counsellingbehaviour pattern or problem.
and provide several guidelines - after all, the core2. Adjust group size according to manageability.
prerequisite of understanding group dynamics isAdopt a co-facilitator, if required.
not only part of the counsellor's professional3. Establish group rules and expectations early in
framework, but part of a much largerthe formation stage of the group.
perspective: the framework of life.4. Maintain a strong element of flexibility and be
The Importance of Groupsprepared with a number of contingency plans.
"The ubiquitousness of groups and the inevitability5. Know your group. Acquire an understanding of
of being in them make groups one of the mostyour group prior to developing your program.
important factors in our lives. All day long we6. Enjoy the journey of group work - the highs,
interact first in one group and then in another. Wethe lows, the setbacks and the accomplishments.
live in a dwelling as part of a group, we learn in7. Reflect on your group work skills and allow
groups contained in the same classroom, weeach 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, ifand also their significant others (SO).
a being from outer space conducted a study ofOne particular time when I was facilitating the 'U'
the people of Earth, group membership wouldgroup 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 ourparticular day with a mouse crawling around the
personal identities are intrinsically related to theinside of her clothes and poking its face out of a
groups we have been involved with throughoutsleeve one minute and then a neckline the next.
our lives. For this reason, it is important toThe other members of the group didn't notice
comprehend the concept of group dynamics, anduntil one girl let out a huge scream when she
the relevance that group relationships has in eachturned to this girl to ask her something only to
individual's lives. Investigating group dynamics is acome face to face with the mouse.
measure to better understand individual behaviourWe were then obliged to include this change of
- or like an old proverb implies: "Tell me who youevent 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 Elementseight stated they couldn't care less, however, two
"Since content and process must be balanced tostated that if she insisted on carrying the mouse
have productive group dynamics, a question thaton her then they would not be able to attend. It
arises is 'How?'. One answer is to think of thewas decided that the owner could bring the
group as a system, a set of elements standing inmouse along in a separate container and keep it
interaction. Each element in the system isnext to her on the floor so other members would
affected by whatever happens to any othernot be alarmed at it poking its head out at
element. Likewise, the system is greater than theinopportune times.
sum of its parts." (Gladding 1999)The group successfully continued with other
Similar to mathematics theory, the dynamicmembers becoming more involved with the care
interactions which occur within a group, along withand 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 interpretingapproximately 30 living at her home and each
group outcomes. When dealing with groups, theweek 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 needEducation 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, coremanagement group for eight-year-old boys. Fresh
communication skills which are based onout of university, naive to the energy and
interpersonal communication theory are applicabletenacity of primary-school aged children, I
for groups - promoting good communicationdesigned a structured and detailed anger
between group individuals creates a safe andmanagement 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 aindividual activities and group work exercises, I
group session is essential. Planning ensures thatself-assuredly arrived at the school. Directed by
the counsellor is considering: (a) his/her audience'sthe School Principal to collect the children straight
socio-cultural background; (b) the communicationfrom their classrooms, I made my way from one
needs of the group individuals and; (c) the type ofGrade Four class to the next, until I had collected
interaction which is most effective for his/herall six of my group participants.
audience. Pre-planning also diminishes the possibilityMy participants had been selected by their
of communication flaws, which may result inteachers and School Principal to be included in the
interpersonal conflict - the most undesirable (andgroup due to "challenging behaviours". I learnt very
awfully propagating) element in a productivequickly that facilitating a group of "challenging"
group.eight-year-olds was not as simple as I had first
Groups and Counselling: A Matter of Approachimagined.
There are several definitions of groups whichAs I set about conducting an ice-breaker
vary from a sociological perspective, according toexercise, I had one child tip over his table, another
common goals, interdependence, interpersonalpretend 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 undemandingthis was about testing the boundaries but it was
circumstances. What does that mean? It meansmuch more than I had anticipated!
that dealing with groups does not only involveIt took several sessions to build rapport and
acknowledging the group behaviour as a unit, butestablish rules with this group of eight-year-olds.
also identifying each individual's response to thatWe 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 asometimes we'd play bingo under a tree, but we
social group as a unit consisting of a plural numberworked together to finally establish an effective
of separate organisms (agents) who have agroup process and the participants established
collective perception of their unity and who havegreat friendships amongst themselves.
the ability to act and/or are acting in a unitaryAs 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 facilitatorsParticipants slowly became interested in offering
need to adopt a structured approach in theirtheir input, sharing their story and sometimes
relationship with group individuals. For this toeven offering help to each other.