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HPC 5790 (101) Group Methods & Processes/Fall Semester 2015/COE Bldg. Room 428
T 2:30-5:20 p.m./Geri Miller, Ph.D./Room 509G COE Building
262-6048/millerga@appstate.edu/Office Hours: To be announced
I. Course Description: Theory and practice of group counseling/therapy, including group
process, leadership style, and outcome. The course studies group dynamics, experimentation in
groups, leadership/participants roles, effective group skills and behaviors, and applicability to a
variety of group settings.
II. Course Objectives and Competencies: This course is designed to:
1. further personal and professional growth through increased understanding of self and
others as well as group and individual dynamics.
2. enhance knowledge of theoretical foundations of group therapy.
3. develop students’ group counseling methods and techniques.
4. increase awareness of pertinent group therapy issues, i.e. ethical considerations,
specialized groups, problem clients.
5. provide concepts and skills necessary to satisfy the group work competencies
stipulated in the Council for Accreditation for Counseling and Related Programs
(CACREP) Standards (2009) as outlined as follows:
In accordance with the 2009 CACREP standards, these studies are intended to provide
both theoretical and experiential understandings of group purpose, development,
dynamics, theories, methods, skills, and other group approaches in a multicultural
society, including:
Learning Outcomes and Assessment
Group Work Learning Outcomes
Students will be able to apply
principles of group dynamics,
including group process
components, developmental stage
theories, group members’ roles and
behaviors, and therapeutic factors
of group work
Students will be able to describe
group leadership or facilitation
styles and approaches, including
characteristics of various types of
group leaders and leadership styles.
Students will be able to describe
theories of group counseling,
including commonalities,
distinguishing characteristics, and
pertinent research literature.
CACREP
Standard
G6.a.
Tasks and Activities
G6.b.
-Participate in class
lecture and discussion.
-Participate in group
lab experience.
-Midterm Exam
-Paper
G6.c.
-Participate in class
lecture and discussion.
-Discuss literature in
class.
-Midterm Exam
-Paper
-Participate in class
lecture and discussion.
-Participate in group
lab experience.
Assessment
Method
-Midterm Exam
-Group Project
-Paper
-Group Lab
Experience
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Students will be able to describe
G6.d.
group counseling methods,
including group counselor
orientations and behaviors,
appropriate selection criteria and
methods, and methods of evaluation
of effectiveness.
Students will be able to engage in
G6.e.
direct experiences in which students
participate as group members in a
group lab experience set up by the
instructor for a minimum of 10
clock hours over the course of one
academic term.
-Participate in class
lecture and discussion.
-Participate in group
lab experience.
-Midterm Exam
-Paper
-Group Project
Participate in 10 hour
group lab experience.
-Group Lab
Experience
Learning Assessments
CLINICAL MENTAL HEALTH COUNSELING
Standards
Assessment Methods
Counseling, Prevention, and Intervention
C. Knowledge
Group Project
3. Students know the models, methods, and
principles of program development and service
delivery (e.g. support groups, peer facilitation
training, parent education, self-help).
Learning Assessments
PROFESSIONAL SCHOOL COUNSELING
Standards
Assessment Methods
Counseling, Prevention, and Intervention
C. Knowledge
1. Students know the theories and processes of
effective counseling and wellness programs for
individual students and groups of students.
5. Students understand group dynamicsincluding counseling, psychoeducational, task,
and peer helping groups-and the facilitation of
teams to enable students to overcome barriers
and impediments to learning.
D. Skills and Practices
1. Demonstrates self-awareness, sensitivity to
others, and the skills needed to relate to diverse
individuals, groups, and classrooms.
-Paper
-Midterm Exam
-Paper
-Group Project
-Midterm Exam
Group Lab Experience
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2. Provides individual and group counseling
and classroom guidance to promote academic,
career, and personal/social development of
students
-Group Project
-Group Lab Experience
III. Textbooks:
Corey, G. (2016). Theory and practice of group counseling (9th ed.). Pacific Grove, CA:
Brooks/Cole. (C) (Required) (ISBN#978-1-305-08801-6)
Corey, G. (2016). Student manual for theory and practice of group counseling (9th ed.).
Pacific Grove, CA: Brooks/Cole. (Required) (ISBN#978-1-305-40814-2)
Rogers, C. (1970). Carl Rogers on encounter groups. New York: Perennial Library.
(Resource)
Yalom, I. D. (1995). The theory and practice of group psychotherapy (4th ed.). New
York: Basic Books. (Resource)
IV. Course Requirements:
Points
1. Attendance/Participation:
50
Attendance is mandatory since many aspects of the course are experiential.
THE EXERCISES IN THE MANUAL MUST BE COMPLETED FOR
EACH CHAPTER OF COREY READ FOR CLASS. The group lab
experience will be held at regular class time. The group facilitator will not be
the instructor so a dual relationship between teacher and student will be avoided.
Attendance at the group lab is mandatory (no exceptions) while participation in
the lab is optional. See next page for description of the lab.
2. Midterm: Essay
50
3. Development of a Group Project: (online submission)
50
Develop a group based on your clinical interest. Answer items 1-11 on pp. 50-51
of your manual. In addition, add an example of an opening statement, a closing
statement, and two techniques you will use in your group. This project does not have to
be written in a paper format; it can be a list in answer to the questions (no page limit).
4. Paper: (online submission)
50
This paper must be 6-8 pages (not including title or reference pages), typed in a doublespaced, 12 point font with one inch margins around the paper. The paper is to summarize
your theoretical orientation to group work citing at least two journal publications on
group work since 2010 and two journal publications on group work with a minority
population. Points will be deducted for lateness and writing errors (up to half of the
points can be deducted for writing errors).
TOTAL POINTS
200
[A range=180-200, B range=160-179, C range=140-159]
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Group Lab Experience
In order to obtain maximum knowledge of group development, the student must attend
each group lab experience for a total of 10 hours. Students who do not complete 10 hours of
group participation will be required to make up time outside of class meetings. Although the
student is required to attend the lab for the entire time scheduled, participation in the group is not
mandatory. The group lab is intended to be a group experience rather than a therapy group. This
means that each student will need to determine how much to share about himself/herself in the
group. What occurs in each group is confidential in the group. The instructor will only be
notified by the group lab facilitator if a student is absent. The facilitator will not share any
information about the students with the instructor. The facilitator chosen is a highly qualified
professional counselor, however, if a student cannot resolve certain issues within his/her group,
the student can talk with the instructor about the issues. Each student has the right to feel safe in
his/her group lab experience and determine how much information about self is shared. If a
student feels his/her rights have been violated, the student has a responsibility to let the instructor
know about the problem situation. The experience is intended to be a helpful, encouraging
experience for students. The facilitator has been chosen based on both skill and compassion. As
in all groups, people need to both take risks and set limits in order to experience a “comfortable
stretch.” After each session, the two self-assessment scales in the manual (pp. 61 & 62) should
be completed by the student to facilitate self-awareness of the group process. Also, see the
recommendations in the manual (pp. 9-11) regarding group participation. The lab experience
will be held at the private practice office of Laurie Percival Oates (group facilitator) which is
located at 577 George Wilson Road, Suite 4, Boone, NC 28607 (265-0102). Students are
responsible for their own transportation to her office. The first day of class possible car pooling
will be discussed.
V. Course Policies:
ASU has official policies covering each of the following categories: academic integrity
code, accommodations for students with disabilities, and class attendance policy (including the
state mandated religious observance policy). Statements regarding these policies can be found at
the Academic Affairs site (http://academicaffairs.appstate.edu/syllabi).
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Topics, Readings, and Examination Schedule
Date
Topic
Readings (C)
8/18
Introduction/History of Group Counseling
Early Stages of Group Development
Chapter 1
8/25
Early Stages of Group Development
Lab 3:30-5:20
Chapter 4
9/1
Later Stages of Group Development
Chapter 5
9/8
Early Stages/Later Stages of Group Development
Lab 3:30-5:20
9/15
Group Leadership: Influences of Power & Gender
Midterm Review
9/22
Midterm/Manuals Due
Lab 3:30-5:20
9/29
Review of Chapters 1, 2, 4, & 5
10/6
Theories: Psychoanalytic/Adlerian
Lab 3:30-5:20
Chapter 2
Chapters 6 & 7
10/13 Theories: Existential/Person-Centered
Chapters 9 & 10
10/20 Theories: Psychodrama/Gestalt
Group Development Project due
Lab 3:30-5:20
Chapters 8 & 11
10/27 Theories: TA/Cognitive-Behavioral/REBT
Chapters 12, 13, & 14
11/3
Chapters 15 & 16
Theories: Choice Theory/Reality/Solution Focused/Brief/MI
Lab 3:30-5:20
Theoretical Orientation Paper due
11/10 Ethics
Manuals due
Chapter 3