GROUPS IN COUNSELING:Humanistic Groups, Gestalt Groups

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Theory and Practice of Counseling - PSY632

Lesson 39

GROUPS IN COUNSELING

Theoretical Approaches

Psychoanalytic Group Counseling

Members of group often free associate to each other without therapist, report dreams analyze

resistance and transference of feelings towards therapist and other group members. Gives

improved levels of self-expression and to the development of heightened social skills.

Focus is still on free association, transference of resistance and working through.

The experience gives deeper analytic experience as individual learns anxiety tolerance in group.

Wolf's groups consist of eight to ten members (equal males and female) met for ninety minutes

thrice a week.

Counselor tells the clients that it's a problem of self understanding, learning what unconscious

motives excite us to behave.

Goals of counseling are increased satisfaction with one's self and greater improvement in social

behavior.

Finally one may experience all sorts of positive and negative attitudes about one another. Authority

and intimacy may develop within a group.

Transactional Analysis

Goal of TA therapy is to help people to relate to others as adults.

Developed by Eric Berne (1961)

Different aspects of group members' interactions are analyzed in TA.

Analysis focus is on three chief ego states within each person: Child, Adult, and Parent. People

sometimes try to act toward others as if they are that person's parent or child, which creates

problems in human interactions.

Other aspect of emphasis is games.

TA is swift-moving, action oriented approach.

Humanistic Groups

Sensitivity groups and encounter groups are two types of group therapy derived from the humanistic

approach.

Gestalt Groups

Oriented towards experience of the individual patient.

Bits of role playing.

Reporting the dreams is also important.

Dialogue between patients is emphasized.

Hot seat approach patients are asked to experience their feelings and behavior to lose their minds

and find their senses.

Other members may be asked to participate.

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Behavioral Groups

Behavior groups are used to conduct desensitization sessions, model interpersonal skills, or use cognitive

restructuring interventions in groups. Groups are usually time limited with same clients and clients learn

assertiveness and self expression.

Rating of Theory Strength at Three Group Levels (Ward, 1982)

Below is illustrated a model for the more effective use of theory in group work as well as the theory

strengths of various approaches:.

Theory

Individual Inter-personal Group

Freud

Strong

Weak

Perls

Strong

Weak

Behavioral Strong

Weak

Ellis

Strong

Medium

Weak

Berne

Strong

Weak

Rogers

Strong

Medium

Issues in Groups

Selection and preparation of group members

Group size and duration

Groups consist of five to ten patients; Sessions are at least once a week for 90 minutes to

two hours.

Open versus closed groups

Open group admits new members but closed group doesn't.

Confidentiality

Physical structure

Counselor sees all group members concurrently on individual basis or only at group

therapy meetings. Some counselors use heterogeneous group while others use

homogeneous. People are often seated in circle, or around table. Both heterogeneous and

homogeneous groups are suggested.

Co-leaders

Co-leaders are usually beneficial when new counselors organize groups. They can have

some experienced co-leader. They are also beneficial when there are more than 10 people

in the group. Usually group leaders sit opposite to each other.

Self-disclosure

Self-disclosure is dependent on mutual trust.

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Feedback

Feedback is the most important and abused part. The appropriate timing of feedback is at

the end of a session or before termination. The feedback should be clear, concise and

concrete it shall be beneficial for the receiver and not serve the needs of the giver.

Follow-up

Follow-up is appropriate after 3 months according to Corey.

Stages of Groups

Forming

Foundation is laid down in the forming stage. It is similar to infancy period, when infant is

dependent and faces anxiety.

Storming

Like adolescence, group members seek to establish themselves in group hierarchy

Norming

It refers to the period of group cohesion. It is similar to young adulthood, when people

have survived the storm.

Performing

Like adults, people perform productively at this stage.

Adjourning/ Mourning

This is the good-bye time when members feel either fulfilled or bitter.

The Curative Factors

Yalom(1975) specified a set of curative factors in a group setting:

Imparting information.

Information giving occurs through didactic instruction. Psychoeducation occurs explicitly through

therapist but also comes from other members

Instruction from members: not the content that is relevant but the process

Instilling hope.

Hope is required to keep the client in counseling and faith in the treatment. This is therapeutically

effective and can be given as pre-group orientation.

Universality.

Clients initially feel unique, however, group approach allows them to learn that others have similar

problems; "top secret task"

Altruism.

Patients receive altruism through giving.

Interpersonal learning.

Is one of the primary mechanisms of change.

Development of Socializing Techniques: present in all groups but the nature of the skills and the process

of teaching varies

Imitative behavior.

Therapists model certain behaviors; is also possible through role playing

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Corrective recapitulation of the family group.

Group resembles a family; members will interact with others in modes that are reminiscent of the

way they once acted with siblings and parents; fixed roles are explored and challenged in the group.

Corrective recapitulation of primary family in group context can help clients understand and

resolve problems related to family. Corrective emotional experience: expose patient under favorable

conditions to emotional situations that he/she could not handle in the past

Catharsis.

A necessary but not sufficient condition for therapeutic change; the feelings behind the catharsis

are more relevant.

Group cohesiveness.

Refers to condition of members feeling warmth and comfort in the group, belonging, valuing the

group and feeling they are valued and unconditionally supported and accepted by other members.

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