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GROUP COUNSELLING

Although the common practice is to have one counsellor one counsellee such a practice is non economical. This is why people are taking to group counselling because either there are few professional counsellors or because some problems are best handled in a group setting. One of the renowned therapist in group setting is referred to as Mesmer.

It is argued that in a group setting the counsellor can tap in the advantages the group processes of social facilitation, conformity and suggestion to help promote the therapeuatic process. In a group setting an individual tends to lose his identity and therefore, is less selfconscious and responds more naturally.

Group interaction helps to develop individual personality. It helps to change some attitudes, beliefs, feelings, needs and the lives of individuals in a social setting. Except for the problem of group think or band wagon, experiments show that individual perceptions change significantly in response to group pressures. In the process of group counselling all the members end up as winners. i.e. there is no winner and looser in this case. Group counselling is looked at as an extension of individual counselling.

Group counselling facilitates interpersonal conflict resolution as it encourages and maintains free communication between members. It involves listening to other peoples side of the story before presenting ones point of view. This enables the group member to understand each others feelings and thoughts. During this process heated emotions are allowed to cool off, leading to a discussion by which differences can be resolved, if not eliminated.

In the group approach the potential negative feelings and emotions concerning other members are eliminated from the debate. Counsellors are usually approached by individuals with similar problems. So sometimes they find it profitable to arrange for a meeting as a group of all the subjects with similar problems. This method is also called group therapy as it helps persons realize that other people have difficulties that are similar to their own.

Just like individual counselling, group counselling has the aim of making the person autonomous again. In addition to that group counselling lowers individual resistances and enables the release of personal tentions. Groups may differ from one another in many aspects. There are primary and secondary groups. These may be divided further as ingroups and out-groups.

The Value of Group Counselling


According to Mahler (1969) group counselling is important to: 1. Learn to understand other people and their viewpoints. 2. Develop a deeper respect for other people, particularly those who are different in many ways from oneself. 3. Gain greater social skills in dealing with peers.

4. Learn to share with other people a sense of belonging by participating in group activities. 5. Clarify ones own concerns, problems, values and ideas through discussion with others having similar problems in like areas.

The Process of Group Counselling


It involves five stages, namely 1. The formation of the group, 2. The involvement stage 3. The transition stage 4. The working stage 5. The ending stage Group counselling programmes are organized to cater for a wide variety of needs. The objective is of a primary importance in organizing any group for this programme.

Selection of members: Members of a group have a common goals and are largely homogeneous. Although it is desirable to have homogeneity in terms of age and maturity but people of varying age groups are ideal. Selecting members from different age groups because it limits on withdrawal. However, people who are shy, maladjusted and the aggressive should not be put in the same group.

Size of the group Ideally a group should comprise of six people but others think that it can be as big as twelve. However, the bigger the group the less interpersonal interactions become. Frequency of sessions Some recommend weekly sessions while others two sessions per week. More frequent sessions may not be productive because the individuals would have no chance to think over the experience of previous sessions.

Duration of sessions Children cannot be involved in sessions that last for more than thirty minutes. But with adults the sessions can be longer-usually of an hour and a half duration. Duration of the group About ten sessions are considered the minimum for most group counselling programmes. Group counselling should be long enough to facilitate identity seeking.

Setting The group counselling room should be of a reasonable size. It should neither give a feeling of overcrowding nor of emptiness. It should be free from outside distractions. Preparation of the Group members for group participation Much preparation needs to be made by the leader ( counsellor) in order to appreciate the individual needs. This can be done by having interviews with the different individuals.

How to get started The counsellor often has to explain his role and also how the group function if results are to be obtained. The counsellor underlines the main theme, namely, that each member has the responsibility of understanding and helping each of the other members as well as striving to solve his own problems, experience. Members are encouraged to share their ideas and feelings frankly and freely. Confidentiality even in a group setting is important.

Open or closed group Groups can be closed and continous. A closed group is one whose membership is fixed. If any of its members withdraws in the process the place is not filled up to the end. A continous group is less rigid it permits members to leave at will and join at will at whatever stage. However, this group has serious limitations in form of doubt acceptance, support and doubt.

Overcoming Resistance The main problem in a group is how to get the discussion started. Usually counsellors employ the technique of going round in which each member is given a chance to say why he or she is in a group. There after the other group members begin to chip in. Ending the group The group members should meet until the objectives have been attained. At the end, the group members may evaluate their achievements of being part of the group.

Similarities of Individual and Group Counselling


1. The objectives of both are approaches are similar. Both techniques aim at helping the counsellee achieve self integration, selfdirection and responsibility. 2. In both the techniques, the counsellor presents an accepting, permissive climate for the clients to participate freely such that their defenses are reduced.

3. Both techniques aim at clarifying feelings, restatement of content, and the like. The counsellor helps the clients to become aware of their feelings and attitudes and also to examine them. 4. Both approaches provide for privacy and confidentiality of relationship.

Differences between Individual and Group Counselling


1. Individualized counselling is one-to-one, faceto-face relationship marked by intimacy, warmth and rapport between the counsellor and counsellee. In group counselling there is physical proximity with perhaps similar problems. In this way a client gets comforted that he or she is not the only one with the problem.

2.In group counselling the individuals do not only receive help but they give help to others. The more cohesive the group the more help individuals receive. 3. The counsellor in a group setting has more demands than in an individual setting.

Despite all that group counselling cannot substitute individual counselling.

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