Chapter 11
Small-Group Counseling

Introduction
 Groups allow for peer support and feedback
 Increase social interaction and selfexpression
 Provide opportunity for behavior modeling
 Provide a practice ground for new skills

Benefits of Group Counseling with Children and Adolescents





Major Benefit: increase skills & knowledge for making choices
Intent: promote personal growth & resolve problems
Promotes exploration of personal thoughts, feelings, attitudes, values, and interests and the way these influence personal choices
Works well for elementary-, middle-, and highschool students
Valuable supplement to individual counseling

Benefits of Group Counseling with Children and Adolescents





Group counseling with children differs from group work with older students
Young children should be in play and activity groups
With increased verbal ability, groups include more verbal activities and social interaction training
Groups may be the preferred counseling mode for adolescents
Adolescent groups have the same group counseling procedures as adult groups

Stages in the Group Process
I. Initial stage
• build rapport & cohesion among group members
•
Set group rules, goals, and objectives
•
Ensure member commitment
•
Great place to conduct an icebreaker activity

Stages in the Group Process
II.
Transition Stage
- Characterized by conflict, resistance, and challenges to the leader
Group is trying to find the “real” purpose
- Establishment of trust essential

Stages in the Group Process
III.
Working Stage
- Group has progressed through preliminary issues and now begin to help individuals deal with their problems
- in the working stage, the group is there to help members achieve their personal goals

Stages in the Group Process
IV.
Termination
- Evaluation of the group process and individual progress
- Reinforcement of learning during group
- planning for after-group arrangements

The Counselor’s Role
Before – Logistics and Collaboration
 Primary facilitator of the group process with children and adolescents
 Initial needs assessment
 Work on establishing rapport, leading the group through all four stages, and reaching group and individual goals
 Guide and direct the group

The Counselor’s Role
During-Facilitating Group Processes
 Promote group interaction
 Model behaviors such as confronting resistance
 Safeguard the integrity of the group and stop harmful group behaviors
 Lead the group through all four stages to reach group and individual goals
 Evaluates the group process as a whole
 Contacts parents and teachers for feedback on the effectiveness of group

The Counselor’s Role
After-Evaluating and Accountability
 Evaluates the group process as a whole
 Helps the group conduct an evaluation of the group process
 Contacts parents and teachers for feedback on the effectiveness of group
 Empirically demonstrate effectiveness of the group
 ASCA requires data-driven programs

Ethical Considerations in Group
Work with Minors





Group leaders need to protect client welfare
Minors need assistance making responsible choices for themselves
Ethical responsibility of the counselor to advise young clients of their rights in counseling
Parents have a legal and ethical right to be informed about their child’s progress in group
Counselor should collaborate with parents – perhaps prepare an information sheet about the group and send to parents

Ethical Considerations in Group
Work with Minors (cont)
 Counselors need to discuss confidentiality issues
 Obtain written parental permission (even if not required by laws in the area of practice)
 Recommended that participants sign a contract indicating adherence to rules of group
 Counselors need to practice within local and state laws regarding child neglect/abuse
 Recording is only possible after the members
(parents) have been informed and consented to it

Group Formation: Selecting
Participants for the Group









Offer orientation sessions for parents/teachers before the start of the group
Common goal: Being motivated to work cooperatively
Group goals are based on student need
Student needs determined individually: consult teachers, parents, or through school-wide survey
Contact parents/teachers to schedule group
Interview and screen each prospective group member
Explain the purpose to potential members
Be sure to discuss confidentiality issues, group rules, logistics,
& purpose with future members
Obtain Parental permission

Group Formation: Selecting
Participants for the Group








Allow time for questions by potential group members
Reiterate group rules, confidentiality issues, & the purpose of the group – 1 st session
Good group composition – members accepting each other, willingness to self-disclose, voluntary participation & a balance of personal characteristics
Heterogeneous groups have many advantages
Level of functioning should be about the same
Elementary school children usually grouped by grade
Middle school groups usually same-sex groups
Students with severe discipline problems and antisocial tendencies should not be in groups

Group Formation: Determining the Size of the Group
 Consider group leaders group management skills
 Primary Grade - Play groups - 3-4 members
 Older children & adolescents: 6-8 members or possibly 5-10 members
 Student absenteeism needs to be considered in the size of a group
 Co-leadership recommended

Group Formation: Determining
Length & Number of Group Meetings


Usually 90-120 minutes once a week
School counselors need to adjust to students’ schedules (lucky – 30 minutes)
 Groups in schools tend to meet for a normal class hour 1X or 2X/week for 8-12 weeks
 Groups in schools can be held several times per week
 Counselors preferences should be considered

Group Formation:
Setting Group Rules
 Collaborative determination of group rules promotes ownership in group
 As group matures members assume more responsibility for rule adhesiveness
 Allow children/adolescents to practice positive skills, such as assertiveness, standing up for self, expressing thoughts/ emotions & finding alternative choices

Group Formation:
Setting Group Roles
 Voluntary group membership
 Group attendance
 Active involvement in the group
 Obeying group rules
 Confidentiality
 Groups tend to set additional rules
 Counselor and members are bound by the group rules

Evaluation
 Feedback form the group during termination stage
 Individual members evaluate their own progress
 Counselor can use rating sheets and questionnaires for group evaluation
 Counselor can ask parents/teachers for feedback on the effectiveness of the group
 Data collection is important to counseling program

Types of Counseling Groups
Common Elements





3 types: problem-centered, developmental and topic-specific
Definite purpose delineated in goals & objectives
Requirements for member participation/ enforce rules
Include structured procedures (4 stages, length of session, etc.)
Leader is responsible for including activities to make the group meaningful and productive

Types of Counseling Groups:
Common Element Groups






Help young clients meet the challenges of everyday, normal issues in the growing-up process
Skill development and instillation of knowledge
Focused on growth/prevention
Open to all students but recommended for students who are developmentally delayed
Have a central theme depending on the students’ level of functioning
Counselor needs to have knowledge on developmental issues

Types of Counseling Groups:
Problem-Centered Groups








Openended and topics focus on members’ concerns at a particular time
Members help each other & foster problem-solving processes
Emphasis is on the here-and-now
Empowerment of individuals to take action
Older students are more likely to benefit from this type of group due to their problem-solving abilities
Members commit to work on their own issues & help others
Open to all students and might be used as follow-up to individual counseling
Members are often similar in age & have similar concerns

Types of Counseling Groups:
Developmental Groups
 Oriented toward growth/prevention rather than remediation
 Fosters skill development in areas of counseling - personal development, academic achievement, & career planning
 Open to all students-may target specific needs
 Directed to developing specific behaviors
 Specific developmentally appropriate theme

Types of Counseling Groups:
Topic-Specific Groups








Designed to meet the needs of individuals with circumstances/stress that interferes with normal functioning
Assist members in handling serious immediate concerns
Includes skill development
Members share similar concerns
Issue is explored in depth
Counselors may use media, structured activities, role-play,
& homework assignments
Group may arise out of crisis situation (divorce, grief, aggressive behavior, stress, suicide, abuse, etc.)
Membership: children who have difficulty with a specific issue or who are at risk

Summary
 Group counseling is an efficient, effective, and viable approach for young clients
 Groups reach more students and provide feedback and support
 Small groups do not replace individual counseling or classroom guidance
 Groups help in preventing and remediating problems