| Group counselling is a challenging and | | | | |
| dynamic form of counselling that requires | | | | 1. Use selection procedures - sometimes it is |
| all-round professional skills from | | | | simply not appropriate to put individuals |
| counsellors. It implies that any challenges a | | | | together in a group, simply because they |
| counsellor may find in helping an individual | | | | share a particular behaviour pattern or |
| can potentially duplicate, triplicate, or | | | | problem. |
| vastly multiply - however, the more intricate | | | | |
| the challenge is, the higher the rewards. In | | | | 2. Adjust group size according to |
| this article, we define the basic elements of | | | | manageability. Adopt a co-facilitator, if |
| group counselling and provide several | | | | required. |
| guidelines - after all, the core prerequisite | | | | |
| of understanding group dynamics is not only | | | | 3. Establish group rules and expectations |
| part of the counsellor's professional | | | | early 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 Groups | | | | plans. |
| | | | |
| "The ubiquitousness of groups and the | | | | 5. Know your group. Acquire an understanding |
| inevitability of being in them make groups | | | | of your group prior to developing your |
| one of the most important factors in our | | | | program. |
| lives. All day long we interact first in one | | | | |
| group and then in another. We live in a | | | | 6. Enjoy the journey of group work - the |
| dwelling as part of a group, we learn in | | | | highs, the lows, the setbacks and the |
| groups contained in the same classroom, we | | | | accomplishments. |
| work in groups, we interact with friends in | | | | |
| groups, and we spend much of our leisure time | | | | 7. 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 from | | | | Groups 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." (Johnson | | | | support 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 related | | | | One particular time when I was facilitating |
| to the groups we have been involved with | | | | the 'U' group or 'Users' of illicit |
| throughout our lives. For this reason, it is | | | | substances, this girl who claims she could |
| important to comprehend the concept of group | | | | not relate to people, had special |
| dynamics, and the relevance that group | | | | relationships 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 to | | | | the inside of her clothes and poking its face |
| better understand individual behaviour - or | | | | out of a sleeve one minute and then a |
| like an old proverb implies: "Tell me who you | | | | neckline 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 Elements | | | | ask her something only to come face to face |
| | | | with the mouse. |
| "Since content and process must be balanced | | | | |
| to have productive group dynamics, a question | | | | We were then obliged to include this change |
| that arises is 'How?'. One answer is to think | | | | of event for participating members in our |
| of the group as a system, a set of elements | | | | group to the mouse. There were ten people |
| standing in interaction. Each element in the | | | | present and eight stated they couldn't care |
| system is affected by whatever happens to any | | | | less, however, two stated that if she |
| other element. Likewise, the system is | | | | insisted on carrying the mouse on her then |
| greater than the sum of its parts." (Gladding | | | | they 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 dynamic | | | | next 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 factors | | | | out 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 primary | | | | members becoming more involved with the care |
| objective (whether a group is formed to | | | | and maintenance of this girl's pet mice. |
| develop a project or a group united by the | | | | However, it was later discovered that she had |
| need to tackle an analogous problem) is to | | | | approximately 30 living at her home and each |
| ensure that the group is healthy and | | | | week she would bring a different one as a |
| productive. As such, core communication | | | | special 'outing' for a treat." (Kathleen |
| skills which are based on interpersonal | | | | Casagrande - 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 and | | | | management 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 conducting | | | | and tenacity of primary-school aged children, |
| a group session is essential. Planning | | | | I 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-cultural | | | | State School. Armed with extensive |
| background; (b) the communication needs of | | | | worksheets, individual activities and group |
| the group individuals and; (c) the type of | | | | work exercises, I self-assuredly arrived at |
| interaction which is most effective for his | | | | the school. Directed by the School Principal |
| her audience. Pre-planning also diminishes | | | | to collect the children straight from their |
| the possibility of communication flaws, which | | | | classrooms, I made my way from one Grade Four |
| may result in interpersonal conflict - the | | | | class 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 Approach | | | | teachers and School Principal to be included |
| | | | in the group due to "challenging behaviours". |
| There are several definitions of groups which | | | | I 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 by | | | | As I set about conducting an ice-breaker |
| undemanding circumstances. What does that | | | | exercise, I had one child tip over his table, |
| mean? It means that dealing with groups does | | | | another pretend to faint as he fell to the |
| not only involve acknowledging the group | | | | floor and yet another throw pencils into the |
| behaviour as a unit, but also identifying | | | | ceiling fan! I knew this was about testing |
| each individual's response to that group | | | | the 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 a | | | | establish rules with this group of |
| social group as a unit consisting of a plural | | | | eight-year-olds. We didn't complete every |
| number of separate organisms (agents) who | | | | group activity or worksheet I had planned. |
| have a collective perception of their unity | | | | Sometimes we'd start the session with a run |
| and who have the ability to act and/or are | | | | around the oval, sometimes we'd play bingo |
| acting in a unitary manner toward their | | | | under 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/or | | | | friendships amongst themselves. |
| facilitators need to adopt a structured | | | | |
| approach in their relationship with group | | | | As the weeks progressed, the group became |
| individuals. For this to happen, they'll need | | | | more and more focused on the tasks at hand. |
| to follow certain communication rules which | | | | Participants slowly became interested in |
| are basic requirements for conducting group | | | | offering their input, sharing their story and |
| counselling sessions. Here are some | | | | sometimes even offering help to each other. |
| guidelines in a nutshell: | | | | |