Group Intervention Paper

Record of Service

Ashley M. Mosgrove

Simmons College

Group Information

The group being observed does not have an official name. It is a narrative therapy group for individuals with substance use issues. All members have faced legal consequences a result of their substance use and have been legally mandated to attend this group. Agency and/or setting information is unavailable. Due to the fact that this was a singular observation in the middle of the group’s lifespan, group purpose is unclear.

The group is comprised of five middle-aged individuals. Within the group, there are three white men, one African American man and one woman of color. All members are able-bodied. There is no specific information available regarding

All of the group members continue to remain quiet. The group members’ silence can also be seen as a demand for work, but for the therapist. Perhaps the group members are feeling unsafe and would like the facilitator to intervene and bring the group to more safe content (Glossary of Important Group Work Concepts, n.d.).

The facilitator then asks a group member directly. She asks one of the men, who will be named George, if he can relate. She likely knows that many members can relate and is attempting to develop a sense of mutuality. George has been relatively quiet throughout the session. He has been clear from the beginning that he feels like he does not have a “problem” and that he does not belong to the group. He does not have anything to say about Regis’ admission. He admits that he relates to the feeling of being labeled. This was part of the content being expressed before Regis’ admission. Perhaps this content felt safer for

The top issue identified was the “communication among group members outside of group meetings.” This is an ethical issue as it violates code 1.07 in the NASW code of ethics (2017), which is the social workers ethical responsibility to maintain privacy and confidentiality. Group workers have little control over clients’ behaviors when they leave the group. Olivier (2009) found that there were many means used to protect privacy for group members. Among these means included discussing confidentiality in the initial session and/or periodically, group facilitator “modeling” the maintenance of group confidentiality through one’s actions and comments, discussing confidentiality in a meeting with prospective group members before they join the group, requiring group members to commit to maintaining confidentiality through a verbal agreement, and reviewing limits of confidentiality with group members.

Reflection

This analysis allowed me to apply group work concepts to an actual group therapy session. Although I was not the facilitator, I began to think more like a group worker. I was able to identify a significant moment, analyze it, and think more about what the group needed in the moment. I noticed that the different types of group members are not always so obvious. When they are described in our coursework, they are almost like