1 / 51

Unit III The Group Leader

EDGC 667 Group Counseling. Unit III The Group Leader. Dean Owen, Ph.D., LPCC Professor Emeritus Department of Foundational and Graduate Studies in Education. Problems and Issues Facing Beginning Group Leaders Will I be able to get a group started?....How? What techniques should I use?

spiro
Download Presentation

Unit III The Group Leader

An Image/Link below is provided (as is) to download presentation Download Policy: Content on the Website is provided to you AS IS for your information and personal use and may not be sold / licensed / shared on other websites without getting consent from its author. Content is provided to you AS IS for your information and personal use only. Download presentation by click this link. While downloading, if for some reason you are not able to download a presentation, the publisher may have deleted the file from their server. During download, if you can't get a presentation, the file might be deleted by the publisher.

E N D

Presentation Transcript


  1. EDGC 667 Group Counseling Unit III The Group Leader Dean Owen, Ph.D., LPCC Professor Emeritus Department of Foundational and Graduate Studies in Education

  2. Problems and Issues Facing Beginning Group Leaders Will I be able to get a group started?....How? What techniques should I use? Do I have what it takes to follow through once something has been initiated? What if I like some people more than others? What if I make mistakes? Can I cause someone serious psychological harm? Cory (2012)

  3. Do I know enough theory? Can I apply that knowledge in groups? Should I share my anxiety with my group? What do I do if there is prolonged silence? How much should I participate or involve myself in a personal way in the groups I lead? Will I be able to work effectively with clients who are culturally different from me? Cory (2012)

  4. What if the entire group attacks me? How do I know whether the group is helping people change? How can I work with so many people at one time? Cory (2012)

  5. The Group Leader Cory (2012)

  6. The Group Leader • From a functional standpoint, the group leader performs the following functions…. • Conceive/Propose the group. • 2. Plan the group structure and content (length, form, number of sessions, general goals or objective) • 3. Screen and select group participants. • 4. Execute the group and provide the leadership throughout the various stages of the group. • 5. Determine the time for termination and bring the group to it’s natural conclusion. Cory (2012)

  7. But First…..Stages of a Group • Stages of Groups • Stage One (Orientation/Forming): Group members become oriented to the group and to each other. • Stage Two (Transition/Storming): Anxiety and ambiguity become prevalent as group members struggle to define themselves and group norms. This stage is often characterized by conflict. • Stage Three (Cohesiveness/Norming): A therapeutic alliance forms between group members. Trust between members has been established. Cory (2012)

  8. But First…..Stages of a Group • Stages of Groups • Stage Four (Working/Performing): Group members experiment with new ideas, behaviors or ways of thinking. Egalitarianism develops. • Stage Five (Adjourning/Terminating): This is the time when the group disbands. Cory (2012)

  9. The Role of the group leader The group leader uses verbal and non-verbal techniques as well as structured exercises. The role of the group leader is to: Promote communication among group members Facilitate group interaction Assist members to learn from each other Encourage the establishment of personal goals To teach new skills To encourage members to change insight gained in the group into effective plans and action outside of the group. Cory (2012)

  10. The Group Leader as a Person Cory (2012) argues that group leaders can acquire extensive theoretical and practical experience and be highly skilled in diagnosis and technical procedures yet be ineffective in stimulating growth and change among group leaders. In order to promote growth in the lives of group members he also says that leaders need to live a growth-oriented life themselves. To assist members break away from routine and deadening lives, group leaders must be willing to seek new experiences. In short, group leaders must be capable of modeling those behaviors expected of group members….not merely describing those behaviors. Cory (2012)

  11. The Group Leader as a Person Group Leaders MUST be comfortable with themselves….. Bad Leader: Me, me, me, me, me, me…… Good Leader: You, you, you, you, you, you, you…. Owen (2011)

  12. The Group Leader as a Person The key to success as a group leader is a commitment to the never ending journey toward becoming a more effective human being. Let’s take a look at some of these more human qualities….. Cory (2012)

  13. The Group Leader as a Person Qualities of Effective Group Leaders: Presence The quality of being emotionally present….the ability to experience the pain and joy with each of the group members. “Being There”….well and truly present at each moment in the group and willing to share emotionally with the members. Cory (2012)

  14. The Group Leader as a Person Qualities of Effective Group Leaders: Personal Power Self-confidence and an honest appreciation of one’s influence on the group members. Cory (2012)

  15. The Group Leader as a Person Qualities of Effective Group Leaders: Courage Group leaders are willing to confront group members honestly and directly without hiding behind their roles as counselors. They take risks, make mistakes, and respectfully challenge group members to take risks. Cory (2012)

  16. The Group Leader as a Person Qualities of Effective Group Leaders: Willingness to confront oneself Group leaders must model for group members the ability to become self aware, to be self-critical and to be willing to confront weakness and imperfection. Cory (2012)

  17. The Group Leader as a Person Qualities of Effective Group Leaders: Sincerity and Authenticity Group leaders must possess a sincere interest in the well-being and growth of group members. Sincerity also must involve the willingness to be honest and direct in helping group members face their own demons. Cory (2012)

  18. The Group Leader as a Person Qualities of Effective Group Leaders: Sense of Identity Group leaders must possess clear and honest sense of who and what they are. Group leaders have a clear view of themselves, their strengths and weaknesses, and are comfortable enough to share appropriately themselves with the other group members. Cory (2012)

  19. The Group Leader as a Person Qualities of Effective Group Leaders: Belief in the Group Process Good group leaders believe in the value of group counseling and bring with them a intense enthusiasm for this delivery model. Counselors who are required to “run a group” without believing in the process usually “go through the motions” but rarely achieve any good for the group members. Cory (2012)

  20. The Group Leader as a Person Qualities of Effective Group Leaders: Inventiveness and Creativity Leaders should avoid getting trapped in ritualized techniques and programmed presentations. Such “cookbook” approaches to counseling automatically sets strict limits on what can be achieved and destroys spontaneity for leader and group members. Cory (2012)

  21. Group Leader Styles • Leadership Styles • Authoritarian: Leader centered. • Democratic: Participant centered. • Laissez-Faire: No designated leadership. Cory (2012)

  22. Leadership Styles • Autocratic: To be viewed as an autocratic leader suggests an image of a demagogue, dictator and coercive administrator. Yet “autocratic” can also describe a person who is directive, who stands firm in his/her convictions, who accepts the responsibilities of supervision and ultimate responsibility for decisions.....Such a leader would exercise a greater degree of control and direction within the group. Cory (2012)

  23. Leadership Styles • Laissez-faire: To be labeled as a laissez-faire leader is to be viewed as in a fog, incompetent, lost at sea without a captain, shirking responsibilities and is frequently used as a derogatory descriptor. Yet, on the other hand, such a leadership style can sometimes prompt group participants (usually after a period of frustration) to take control and become more heavily invested in the group process. Cory (2012)

  24. Leadership Styles • Democratic: This middle position represents perhaps the ideal since a democratic leader will set goals and provide a basic structure within which the group will evolve. Such a leader will share responsibility for the evolution and process through which the group will progress and the group members can have a sense of ownership and responsibility while working under mutually agreed upon limits. Cory (2012)

  25. Leadership Styles • The leadership style which emerges within a group will depend upon two major factors.... • The natural inclinations and personality of the group leader (his/her need for control) • Perceived needs of the group. • The characteristics of the group may require anything from a strong controlling hand as a means of avoiding or minimizing threat and confrontation and to establish structure within which the group will work to a leader who may be able to take a much less involved approach because of the level of motivation, insight, maturity, and intellectual level of the group membership. Cory (2012)

  26. Leadership Styles • The general rule of thumb followed by group leaders is to exercise no more control then is necessary for the group to function and work toward its stated goals. Generally, the group leader will typically exercise a rather high degree of control at the beginning of a group but relinquish much of it to the group members as the group evolves and matures and the group membership skills are mastered. Cory (2012)

  27. Leadership Functions • Emotional Stimulation: Challenging, confronting, modeling self-disclosure etc. • Caring: Showing support, praise, warmth, acceptance etc. • Meaning Attribution: Explaining, clarifying, interpreting etc. • Executive Function: Setting limits, providing rules, managing time etc. Cory (2012)

  28. Group Leadership Techniques • Facilitating communication: Giving constructive feedback, preventing members from engaging in negative behaviors (gossiping, storytelling etc.) • Group Processing: Making comments on group process to keep the group therapeutic and attending to group dynamics. • Directing the Focus on the Here and Now: Keeping the focus on right now and not going back to dwell on the past. Cory (2012)

  29. Group Leadership Techniques (continued) • Experimentation: Helping members try out new attitudes and behaviors. • Universalizing: Helping members realize they are not alone in their problem(s). • Linking: Connecting various feelings and concerns expressed by group members to present a common theme or universalizing aspect. Cory (2012)

  30. Group Counseling Skills

  31. Group Counseling Skills Skill: Active Listening Description: Attending to verbal and nonverbal communication without judging or evaluating Aims and Outcomes: To encourage client trust, self-disclosure, and self exploration

  32. Group Counseling Skills Skill: Restating Description: Paraphrasing what a participant has said to clarify its meaning. Aims and Outcomes: To determine if the leader has understood correctly and to provide support and clarification.

  33. Group Counseling Skills Skill: Clarifying Description: Simplifying a statement by focusing on the core of the message. Aims and Outcomes: To facilitate an understanding of confused or conflicted feelings and thoughts.

  34. Group Counseling Skills Skill: Summarizing Description: Pulling together the important elements of an interaction or session. Aims and Outcomes: To avoid fragmentation and provide continuity and meaning to interactions and sessions.

  35. Group Counseling Skills Skill: Questioning Description: The intentional posing of open ended questions to elicit the “what” and “how” of events….not the why!! Aims and Outcomes: To encourage self-exploration and insight among participants.

  36. Group Counseling Skills Skill: Interpreting Description: Offering possible explanations for certain thoughts, feelings, and behaviors. Aims and Outcomes: To encourage deeper self-exploration and understanding…to assist is understanding contradictions.

  37. Group Counseling Skills Skill: Confronting Description: Challenging group members to attend to contradictory words/behaviors or verbal/nonverbal messages. Aims and Outcomes: To encourage honest self-investigations and to call attention to contradictions and confusions for participants.

  38. Group Counseling Skills Skill: Reflecting Feeling Description: Conveying to group members full comprehension of affect among members. Aims and Outcomes: To let participants know that they are being heard completely…not just their words but their feelings, as well.

  39. Group Counseling Skills Skill: Supporting Description: Providing encouragment and reinforcement. Aims and Outcomes: To create trust and the knowledge that participant’s struggles are shared experiences.

  40. Group Counseling Skills Skill: Modeling Description: Demonstrating desired behaviors through actions. Aims and Outcomes: To provide examples of desired behaviors that can be emulated by group participants.

  41. Group Counseling Skills Skill: Empathizing Description: Facilitating the therapeutic relationship by adopting the member’s frame of reference. Aims and Outcomes: To build a sense of trust and understanding and to encourage self-exploration.

  42. Group Counseling Skills Skill: Initiating Description: The process of introducing new ideas, concepts or direction to the group. Aims and Outcomes: To facilitate movement and progress in the group’s work.

  43. Group Counseling Skills Skill: Evaluating Description: Appraising the progress of group work and the group dynamics by carefully considering the process and content of the group’s work. Aims and Outcomes: To promote effective group progress.

  44. Group Counseling Skills Skill: Giving Feedback Description: Providing honest and accurate reactions to group process and dynamics. Aims and Outcomes: To provide alternative points of view in ways that promote self-exploration.

  45. Group Counseling Skills Skill: Protecting Description: Actively working to minimize psychological and physical risks to group members. Aims and Outcomes: To insure that group interaction to growth producing and not destructive or hurtful.

  46. Group Counseling Skills Skill: Self Disclosure Description: The process of revealing personal information when appropriate to promote group interaction. Aims and Outcomes: To build a sense of trust and safety within the group…to demonstrate the importance of non-evaluative sharing of feelings.

  47. Group Counseling Skills Skill: Linking Description: Connecting the work that participants do with the common themes of the group. Aims and Outcomes: To promote member to member relationships and build group cohesion.

  48. Group Counseling Skills Skill: Blocking Description: Intervening to stop counterproductive group interaction. Aims and Outcomes: To protect members and promote the positive work of the group.

  49. Group Counseling Skills Skill: Terminating Description: The recognize the natural end of the group’s work and to prepare members for the end of group meetings. Aims and Outcomes: To help members assimilate and integrate the work of the group into their lives outside of the group.

More Related