Ceteris 20170610

Logan

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While I have experience in counseling kids, I have absolutely no experience in group counseling; I have always believed that it would be extremely difficult for me to do group counseling in a professional setting. However, I have always wanted to start a group therapy/counseling program for people who suffer from epilepsy because there are so few of them, they are desperately needed, and I am epileptic as well.

In order to get my group (or any group) started on the right foot, I believe that having a pre-group meeting is vital. The pre-group meeting allows the leader and group members to get on the same page by allowing everyone to know what the group's goals are and what they can expect from the group meetings (Corey et al, 2014). I would make sure that topics that are relevant to every group member would be covered to the best extent possible.

Once the group meetings begin, I believe that it would be very important for members to get to know others on a more personal level; that is why I believe that dyad pairs would work very well with this type of group. The dyad pairs would allow for greater interaction, greater empathy for others in the group, and greater understanding among the members. Since epilepsy is such a broad disorder, the dyad pairs could bring together two people who suffer from the same type of epilepsy (such as tonic clonic) and allow them to share their experiences among one another.

In an individual setting, I love using cognitive behavioral therapy, but I believe that it would be very difficult to use in a group setting because there are so many people involved. I would be uncomfortable using it because I would be afraid of alienating the person that I am trying to help.

Reference

Corey, G., Corey, M., & Haynes, R. (2014). Groups in action: Evolution and challenges. Belmont, CA: Brooks/Cole.

Tammy

What group would I like to lead and what techniques would I utilize in forming the group?

After reviewing the contents of Groups in action, I would like to oversee a weight loss support group for middle aged working woman and parents. This group would be established with a set criteria for participation. According to Corey, one suggestion that was offered in the initial stage of the group was to organize a pregroup meeting in which participants would have the opportunity to become acquainted with the purpose of the meeting (Corey et al., 2014) Potential participants could at this time decide if the meeting was of interest to them and form initial relationships with participants. In forming the group, I would need to be aware of some of the potential obstacles that can occur with forming a new group to include membership awareness and the identification of personal goals that individuals would like to achieve from the meeting(Corey et al,2014). I would also have to establish the group size and how frequent the group would meet. As the leader of the group I will need to identify the purpose and established goals for the group and mention the importance of confidentiality within the group (Corey et al., 2014)

How would I implement described techniques into my group?

Corey mentions during the initial stage to have a pre group meeting.  During that meeting each participant would have an opportunity to introduce themselves and what they would like to achieve from participation.  Corey also recommends that each leader assist the participants in the identification of clear and specific goals that can help them achieve their desired goals (Corey et al., 2014)

            The Dyad exercise would also be a technique that I would consider in group participation as it will allow participants to work in pairs which may seem less intimidating to the group members (Corey et al., 2014). Participants have to potential to discuss possible fears they may have in addition to participation in other dyads.  It is also suggested that the participants can then share their points with each other as they develop their primary purpose. The video also mentions making contracts.  This would also be a technique that I would consider in my group.  The participants can utilize the contracts to meet the weight goals that they have established for themselves.  The last technique that I would consider would be direct talk which allows the participants to discuss concerns that they may have and want to discuss (Corey et al., 2014).

Corey, G., Corey, M.S. & Haynes, R. (2014). Groups in Action: Evolution and Challenges (2nd ed.). Belmont, CA: Brooks/Cole

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