Chapter 7 Group Counseling

Research Support for Group Counseling Increase student achievement Effectively address social/emotional and behavioral issues Increase school attendance Increases effective use of work habits Encourages goal setting success Provides belonging and self acceptance

Group Counseling Effectiveness Allows the school counselor to see more students Provides learning from peers Provides mentoring, supporting, understanding and empathy experiences Allows student to deal with real life issues in a productive manner

Ethical Issues of Group Facilitation Group selection and screening process (ASCA Ethics Code A.6) Informed Consent (ASCA Ethics Code A.2) Confidentiality (ASCA Ethics Code A.2.a) Parent Permission (ASCA Ethics Code A.2.d; B) School Counselor Competency as a group facilitator (ASCA Ethics Code E) Cultural Awareness and sensitivity (ASCA Ethics Code E.2)

Stages of Groups Forming Logistics of group meetings Participants may feel anxious, excited, curious, hopeful Orientation Development of a safe environment, introductions and connecting with members, development group goals Participants may feel distrust, anxiety, skepticism Transition Validate emotional responses, provide support, normalize feelings, dealing with conflict Participants may feel less willing to share, fear of over sharing, uncomfortable with conflict Working Objectivity of group interactions, model appropriate coping skills Participants may feel free interact, and collaborate, more committed to the process and willing to challenge each other, development of group personality. Consolida-tion Process of termination, supports process of closure Participants may feel reflective of group, sense of loss, mixture of feelings

Group Types Academic Development Time management Study skills Test-taking strategies, Transitions Career Development Goal-setting Decision making Transition to postsecondary life Exploration of options Social/Emotional Development Grief and loss Fears and anxiety Friendships Relationships Self-esteem

Response to Intervention Groups Provides support for issues that interfere with students’ academic success such as: Coping with feelings about learning challenges Use of strategies for learning skills Coping with social or emotional challenges that may impact learning

Culture and Climate of Group School climate correlates with achievement, adjustment and social attitudes Climate of a school impacts the climate of a group Allows students without a voice to gain necessary self advocacy skills May provide an outlet for a national, regional, local or internal school crisis

Homogenous Groups Heterogeneous Groups common interest and similar feelings provides support and connections for members students may feel less alone, and alienated provides universality- they are not alone allows for acceptance of a wider range of students to engage some students may serve as a model for others provides healthy responses and coping strategies

Leadership Groups Provides empowerment for students Can be educational experiences Impacts school environment and culture in a positive way. Encourages self reflection, empathy for others Decreases at-risk behaviors

Group Facilitation Skills Facilitator brings uniqueness, personality, playfulness and supportiveness, authenticity, what you demonstrate. Serves as a guide, model, instructor, mediator, mentor coach, ... Multiple focus: Observing interactions, negative and positive Feedback to the group Identify similarities Utilize group dynamics Demonstrate acceptance Understand culture and diversity Understand self as a facilitator

Planning Managing many moving parts Planning: type of group, curriculum, logistics, parent permission Performing; develop activities and discussions that have value to the group members. Processing: debriefing the activities to make personal connections

Intentional Techniques Consider developmental needs of the group members Choose activities that correlate with the purpose of the group Don’t do the activity if you can’t process the activity Activity Format: Concept introduction: getting buy-in from the members Conduct the activity: allowing members to experience the experience Debrief the activity: structured reflection of self and group in the activity.

Debrief Process What questions: Immediate response to the activity So What questions: Purpose of the activity Now What questions: Application to themselves and life.

Solution Focused Groups Offer students more control to solve their own problems Looking at strengths and resiliency Building on past successes Assumptions of Solution-Focused Groups 1) All have resources and strengths 2) If it is working do more of it, if it is not working stop doing it. 3) Problems are not constant 4) Complex solutions may not be necessary 5) Changes in one area will effect 6) The student is the expert of the other areas problem 7) The solution may not be related 8) Change is inevitable to the problem

Group Structure Determine necessity: needs assessment, obtain data Lay the groundwork: educate about purpose and process of the group Determine the referral process: who will be invited and why Location and logistics: where and when will the group meet Timing is everything: consider when it fits for the participants Screening process: consider commitment, issues, resistance, goals of the potential participant Group guidelines and goals: developed by the group members

Techniques for Positive behaviors Share the power of decision making with the group members allow group to establish the group name allow the group to establish the group norms Circle format: all are equal, all are included take away the teacher/student all members including the facilitator are equal within the seating of the group. Rounds: every group member responds to the question Passing: temporary and will come back Talking stick: so all can speak and listen to each other Freeze Frame: use strategically, only when group is not safe emotionally or physically.

Behavior Management Techniques Naysayer Response Promote positive energy, ask all participants what they liked and what they would change, one negative statement requires 5 positive statements Overtalker Use a talking stick or pipe cleaners, use rounds so all have a voice Quiet/Shy Pipe cleaners, use rounds Cliques Divide groups creatively in every activity to split cliques, ask for feedback