Group Counseling

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An Introduction to Group Counseling Group counseling is a form of care which is designed to meet the needs of multiple patients at one time, all working towards similar goals. These groups may be led by a single counselor, or by several. Although these groups may function in different ways, and the purpose of each group may change through the growth of the individual group meetings, the primary focus of each group should be the promotion of growth (Jacobs, Masson, Harvill, Schimmel, 2012). This growth allows for the individual needs of each participant to, at times, be met in a more effective manner than the singular focus of individual counseling. Much has been addressed in recent years as to the application and practicality of the group …show more content…

Professional Training
Many studies have shown that agreeability and conscientiousness are two major personality traits showed by effective leaders in the group counseling setting. Leaders are not only made, they can also learn these traits. Training has shown to be effective in the domains of judgment, professional conduct, responsibility and ethical awareness (REFERENCE). According to Corey et al., (2011) group leaders need to show competency in core knowledge and skills as well as completing additional specialized training with direct pertinence to the group setting. They write that to gain mastery in this area, the student counselor should participate within supervised practices, observing and participating in groups for a minimum of 10 hours. Case vignettes are also a manner that students can become familiar with ethical dilemmas that may be faced during live practice to allow for practice in decision making in a controlled environment.
Groups: Ethical Foundations …show more content…

The specifics of informed consent are individualized from counselor to counselor, and from group to group, but the intent remains the same. Focus should be that of the potential advantages and disadvantages related to participation within the group setting (REFERNCE). Disadvantages of the group may have specific risks. Clients should be made aware that they may experience some, if not all of the

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