The Creating Connection-Yarn is skill introduced during the first class of Special Topic in Counseling Psychology: Trauma: Biology, Principles, and Treatment. The focus of the therapy skill was to learn from our other classmates. In this activity, participants were asked to stand and create a circle with all members in the room. Class mates were asked to speak about any thought, behavior, personality or quality that they feel is important to them. The yarn was used throughout the skill through participants tossing the ball to someone in the group who resonated with the same thought, behavior, personality or quality of them self. The individual would hold onto a piece of the yarn wrapped around their finger and would then toss the yarn …show more content…
One must provide enough string for the ball to reach them. The person who received the ball of yarn would then wrap a stand of yard around their finger and proceed to answer what the person before them which was a thought, behavior, personality or quality that they feel is important to them. This would continue holding onto a piece of yarn, sharing information about oneself, and tossing the yarn ball until all have received a piece of yarn to hold onto. For example, when I received the yarn ball I resonated with Justin revealing discouraged about the current political system. I then expressed to the group that I was left-handed and Heather was also left-handed as well resulting in me tossing the yarn ball to her. In the end, the group members created a web pattern that was woven from the questions and resonations created …show more content…
The first theme is demonstrated through support and communication. Facilitating this technique in group therapy brings awareness to similar issues others in the group are experiencing. Having the supportive network of like-minded group members can significantly increase the rapport, therapeutic alliance, and especially developing self-care strategies. Having motivation and a supportive environment to check-in with is a powerful way for a group member to feel connected to them self if their current support system is absent or toxic. In working with the family or couple utilizing this technique, the second theme involves self-awareness. The process of success in self-care strategies is driven by the client(s) being knowledgeable and conscious of their concerns. Utilization of this skill can recognize through verbally acknowledging something that is concerning to them. Succeeding in self-care requires an ongoing dialogue in being mindful of and awareness to overall well-being. A third theme that emerged in self-care was resiliency. When hearing from others in group, couple, or family therapy their experiences to trauma, one can gain a sense of perspective into the realities of trauma and the current ways others are practicing self-care. Validating the trauma happened and developing ways to not let the trauma impact them anywhere demonstrates considerable strength in
As a student, practice is crucial to learn group therapy techniques. In order to achieve these practices, I attended 2 support groups of the same topic. Observation and attendance constructs an idea of how group therapy works. Attending this group was important because of the profoundness of its meaning and experiences I have witnessed.
While sharing and caring provide the basis for support groups, there's one benefit from group therapy that patients can't overlook. Simply put, it's the building of trust in others to help when help is needed. While caught in the cycle of addiction, trust is not easily given. In fact, many people dealing with addiction are paranoid. The lost of trust in the people around them promotes a lonely existence. There's great benefit in knowing patients can find relief by discovering they can trust someone other than counselors and family.
This paper will also talk about the importance of self –care and what I would do, or things I could do to mitigate those biases and difficult reactions to clients and people that I am working with in a treatment team so that I am fully aware and not distracted by my personal reactions, to a case.
a Humanistic Approach to Trauma Intervention. Journal Of Humanistic Counseling, Education And Development, 46(2), 172.
Looking for new and more effective ways to treat the issues of their clients, counselors and therapists may often begin to consider leading a group therapy session. Group therapy is a form of therapy in which a therapist either treats or provides psychoeducational skills to a small, carefully planned target group of individuals in an effort to ameliorate the issues and dysfunctions of each individual in that particular group of patients together (Scheidlinger, 2004). In this group, therapists often utilize some of the psychotherapy theories such as Gestalt, transactional analysis, psychotherapy or psychodrama which they often use to treat clients individually.
Judith Herman, from Trauma and Recovery, said “Traumatic events are extraordinary, not because they occur rarely, but rather because they overwhelm the ordinary human adaptations to life” (John A. Rich, Theodore Corbin, & Sandra Bloom, 2008. Trauma does not involve the same experiences for everyone; each individual is unique in that they, and only they, can decide what is traumatic for them. Before discussing what positive things can come from suffering a traumatic experience, one must first understand that negative things can arise as well. Trauma “shatters people’s basic assumptions about themselves and the world they live in”. Three basic assumptions are challenged by trauma: (1) the belief in personal invulnerability; (2) the perception of the world as meaningful and comprehensible; and (3) the view of ourselves in a positive light” (Baumgardner & Crothers, 2009, p. 67)....
One objective is to utilize the most powerful tool at psychotherapy’s disposal; the group experience. By one individual sharing their experience within the group, the other members are able to identify their similar experiences and work toward their own growth. Group therapy also increases self-awareness of clients in order for them to think introspectively in order to make a change in behaviors, increases social comfort, allowing exploration of new behaviors, provide and obtain support, develop communication skills, and promote interactions with others using truth and
There are many ways to communicate and incorporate therapeutic aspects into dealing with any patient, but this also applies to group therapy as well. Yalom’s therapeutic
Group therapy is considered one of the most resourceful forms of therapy. The benefits to group therapy can be both cost-effective and a great means of support (Corey, Corey & Corey, 2014). The process of experiencing ideas and viewpoints expressed by your peers allows group members to become more susceptible to the counseling procedure. Group counseling also helps individuals to feel a sense of belonging due to similar situations and experiences shared by the group. The sense of support from group members can be an excellent means towards developing long-lasting relationships and developing communication skills needed to move forward during the counseling phase. In this paper, I will discuss my experiences throughout the group-counseling phase.
1.1 Demonstrate awareness of the impact of vicarious trauma on one’s own practice with families and other population
Group therapy has become a popular form of therapy lately; it used to be used more as a last option, but now group therapy is often the first or better choice for some clients. Group therapy can be helpful in an assortment of ways. Group counseling has provided constructive results, Corey, Corey, & Callanan (2011) explain some factors that have helped “such as skilled leaders, appropriately referred group members, and defined goals” (p.480). There are many different types of group therapy. I think practitioners should know not only how to effectively handle group therapy if they are doing group work, but if group therapy is the right choice for everyone involved.
Individual counseling, the client is working on personal issues without having to share with others, but only with the counselor that is there to reinforce patterns of behavior, or to help make any other personal adjustments. They are the focus of the session, without having to share the spot light with others. Many people are not comfortable talking in a group, especially issues that are hurting and need personal attention. Although not much differences have been shown to differentiate the effects of group counseling to individual counseling, a study done by Kalavainen et al., using a population of obese children showed that group therapy did benefit to help and support the child’s weight. “There were many therapeutic factors like group support, group learning and group optimism, which were linked with working in the groups and which most probably influenced the participants in the group program” (Kalavainen, Korppi, & Nuutinen (2007). Group support can be of advantage in many issues that people are trying to work out in
For this to occur however, requires an understanding of culture and society, as well as governance and process. In addition, I have also understood the power of strength based approach, how strength based therapy used in relationships an essential factor among group members. I view this class as the opportunity to practice how effectively work with groups and individuals to understand their own inherent power. Therefore, I learned the way of using a strengths-based approach; I can highlight the assets of group members, offering building blocks which can then lay the foundation of their social change. Furthermore, I understand change could be a mutual process, so in group therapy until group members became comfortable with each other to share their experiences giving them space and later help them to engage in along with group process. I also learn how to help in the facilitation of change, by asking open questions, validating, empathic and allowing them to feel what they are feeling, and empower them what they wants to do with their current
What I learned in chapter two is the interpersonal learning, the corrective emotional experience. Franz Alexander said in order for a patient to be helped, they have to revisit past trauma to repair present issues. I have found that corrective emotional experience is very important especially in group therapy. Members in the group must feel safe and supportive to be able to open up and group members must give honest feedback.
Self-care is a necessary practice in everyone’s life. This practice allows people to relax and replenished themselves. The first time I heard of this term was in during one of my social work classes. As we began to discuss self-care it became clear, that without proper self-care people, not just social workers are doing themselves a disservice. Self-care encompasses more than general rest. Self-care deals with emotional wellbeing, good health and spiritual wellbeing. All of these areas are key to having good self-care. The reading provides a good description self-care, it stated that self-care is achieving an equilibrium across our personal school and work lives. Achieving equilibrium in my personal life will only increase my ability to support and help others.