1. The
theory of groupwork
The Structural Approach.
In establishing the structure of
a group we need to check out (a) considerations such as the patterns
of relationships that apparently exist between members of the group;(b)
what sub-groups may be operating within the main group, and how they
may be related;(c) whether members are being constrained at all by
the way in which the group was set or structured;(d) if there is a
particular model that is influencing the structure of the group.
Processes and Stages.
We also need to consider(a) the stage
of development that the group has reached;(b) how far the group has
progressed towards its objectives;(c) whether the natural lifespan
of the group is approaching;
Group behaviour.
What can we elicit from:(a) any changes
in the behaviour of the group following the attainment of early objectives;(b)
issues that may have arisen in interaction between group members;(c)
distractions being introduced into group process by one or more members
of the group;(d) the contributions members are making and what light
this might shed on the roles allotted to them.
Rules and functions.
How have we(a) accepted and performed
within the boundaries that have been established for the group;(b)
developed a hierarchy of members with the power to change existing
rules;(c) evolved and are we continuing to evolve;(d) adapted to the
need to accept the rules and carry out our functions;(e) acknowledged
and fulfilled the roles that have been allocated.
Dynamics.
Is there any indication that(a) any
one member is dominating normal interaction;(b) the agenda is not
being followed, or that pressure is building to change the agenda;(c)
the group is beginning to concentrate on the here-and-now, or the
what-has-been rather than the aims;(d) there is any diminution of
the shared sense of purpose.
Interactions.
Is the group functioning in such
a way that(a) interactions relate directly to the purpose of the group;(b)
interactions are functional rather than dysfunctional; (c) emotions
and thoughts are expressed;(d) emotions and thoughts are repressed.
2. The Practice
of Groupwork
Responsibilities:As
an effective group member you have to take responsibility for yourself
and also manage your relationships with the other group members.
As roles and responsibilities within a group are undertaken, they
become an obligation not merely to yourself, but also to the rest
of the group. This means:(a) being clear about task objectives;(b)
respecting and valuing the ideas and contributions of others;(c)
being prepared to negotiate and compromise for the benefit of all;(d)
meeting all obligations;(e) keeping all group members informed
of your status and progress;(f) maintaining your focus on tasks
to which you have committed;(g) encouraging others in their
tasks;(h) resolving interpersonal problems;(i) being actively
engaged in the group process.
What skills and responsibilities need to be developed?
(a) Interpersonal skills.
Being able to listen to others and communicate effectively with them.
(b) Respect for diversity. Keeping an open mind
and being prepared to adopt new ideas.
(c) Time Management. Maintaining specific time
frames in order to achieve objectives.
(d) Flexibility. Being willing and able to negotiate
and compromise where and whenever necessary.
(e) Decision-making. Making decisions based on
the ideas, expertise and goals set by the group.
(f) Problem-solving. Finding the best means to
achieve group outcomes.
(g) Personal responsibility. Making an adequate
contribution to the group process.
(h) Conflict resolution. Identifying conflict and working
the issues out as a group.
3. Working
with therapy groups
What is Group Therapy? Group
therapy commonly is practised by about 6 to10 people meeting with
a trained group therapist. During the meeting, members decide
what they want to talk about.Members are encouraged to give feedback
about their own feelings and about what others say or do. Interaction
between group members is highly encouraged and individuals are given
the opportunity to try out new ways of behaving. Members are
also given the opportunity to learn more about the way they interact
with others.Important aspects of group therapy sessions are to provide
a safe environment in which to foster a level of trust between participants,
so that they may talk personally and honestly to and about themselves
and each other. It involves making a commitment to the group
and to the confidentiality of the sessions and the material disclosed
at the sessions.
What is the benefit of Group Therapy?
1. The free interaction between
group members helps them to recreate those difficulties that brought
them to group therapy in the first place. Given the expert guidance
of the group therapist, they are able to give support, offer alternatives,
and comfort members in such a way that difficulties become resolved
and alternative behaviours are learned.
2. The group dynamic allows members to develop new ways of relating
to people.
3. During group therapy, people begin to recognise that they
are not alone; that hope and help are available; that others have
similar difficulties, or have already worked through a problem that
deeply disturbs another group member.
4. Because of the climate of trust and the bonding that develops
in the group, people ultimately feel free to care about each other.
As they begin to feel more comfortable, they are able to speak more
freely.
5. The psychological safety of the group which encourages the
expression of feelings that are often difficult to express outside
the group, ensures that members are confident about asking for the
support they need, and are encouraged to tell others what is expected
of them.
6. The individual members are given to realise that control
rests with themselves as to how much they reveal and they are never
forced to disclose their deepest and innermost thoughts.
4. Working
with encounter groups
What are encounter groups? It
has been said that therapy groups tend to involve sick people wanting
to get well, while encounter groups attract well people wanting to
get better.With its main period of development in the 1970s and 1980s,
encounter groups consisted of between 7 and 20 individuals getting
together with the aim of discarding the inhibitions imposed by the
requirements of conventional society, letting their hair down, and
expressing their true feelings. The emphasis was on verbal interaction,
games, and other activities that encourage open displays of approval,
criticism, affection, dislike, and even anger and tears. Sharing with
person-centred therapy, as they did, the belief that positive growth
by the individual depended upon resisting restrictions on open behaviour
imposed by society and interacting with others honestly and openly,
it is not surprising that the encounter group movement owed so much
to the influence of Carl Rogers.
Carl Rogers himself wrote:
Because of the unstructured nature of the group, the major problem
faced by the participants is how they are going to use their time
together - whether it be eighteen hours of a week-end or forty or
more hours in a one-week group. Often there is consternation, anxiety,
and irritation at first - particularly because of the lack of structure.
Only gradually does it become evident that the major aim of nearly
every member is to find ways of relating to other members of the group
and to himself. Then as they gradually, tentatively, and fearfully
explore their feelings and attitudes towards one another and towards
themselves, it becomes increasingly evident that what they have first
presented are façades, masks. Only cautiously do the real feelings
and real persons emerge. The contrast between the outer shell and
the inner person becomes more and more apparent as the hours go by.
Little by little, a sense of genuine communication builds up, and
the person who has been thoroughly walled off from others comes out
with some small segment of his actual feelings. Usually his attitude
has been that his real feelings will be quite unacceptable to other
members of the group. To his astonishment, he finds that he is more
accepted the more real that he becomes. Negative feelings are often
especially feared, since it seems certain to each individual that
his angry or jealous feelings cannot possibly be accepted by another.
Thus one of the most common developments is that a sense of trust
slowly begins to build, and also a sense of warmth and liking for
other members of the group. A woman says on Sunday afternoon, If
anybody had told me Friday evening that by today I would be loving
every member of this group I would have told him that he belonged
in the nut house. Participants feel a closeness and intimacy
which they have not felt even with their spouses or members of their
own family, because they have revealed themselves here more deeply
and more fully than to those in their own family circle.Thus, in such
a group the individual comes to know himself and each of the others
more completely than is possible in the usual social or working relationships.
He becomes deeply acquainted with the other members and with his own
inner self, the self that otherwise tends to be hidden behind his
façade. Hence he relates better to others, both in the group and later
in the everyday life situation.
(a)
What are the benefits of encounter
groups?
Encounter groups typically have a
leader experienced at getting people to open up. The group may meet
for several hours a week over some period of months, or it may meet
as a marathon group for 24 continuous hours or more, with individuals
dropping out for naps. It is thought that the intensity and prolonged
time of the marathon group will break down social resistance faster,
and accomplish as much as groups whose meetings are interspersed over
longer periods of time. The goals of encounter groups include examining
one's behaviour and values, learning about people in general, becoming
more successful in interpersonal relationships, and developing conflict
resolution skills.Most people in encounter groups do not consider
themselves involved in psychotherapy. Rather it is thought that anyone
can benefit from the experience in encounters where there is complete
candour. Concern has been expressed, however, that
these group experiences may trigger serious disturbances in some of
the more emotionally disturbed participants. To a large degree their
success will depend on the skills of the leader and the personalities
of the people involved, and it would be as well to establish that
the leader is properly trained and well respected before joining such
a group.
5. Working with
self-help groups
What are self-help groups? A
self-help group typically comprises people who have personal experience
of a similar issue or life situation, either directly or through family
and friends. Sharing experiences enables them to give each other
a unique quality of mutual support and to pool practical information
and ways of coping. In essence they offer acceptance, solidarity,
encouragement and support.Groups may hold regular meetings, be it
weekly, monthly or quarterly, and may be help in public places such
as hospitals, clinics, community centres, or privately in people's
homes. They may not even meet physically, but may be maintained
through correspondence, telephone calls, or the internet.Possible
the best-known of all such groups are those organised by Alcoholics
Anonymous. This, however, is by no means the only organisation
devoted to self-help with problems of alcohol abuse. Alcohol
Concern is currently piloting a small grants programme to encourage
and sustain the development of self-help groups for people with alcohol-related
problems across the UK. This experimental scheme would enable
people with alcohol problems, or their families or friends, to join
together to build lives that are not dependent on alcohol.Some self-help
groups have facilitators. These are people who have experienced
the situation with which the group is involved and whose role is simply
to co-ordinate the group's activities: dealing, for example, with
the practical aspects such as publicity, room availability, organising
refreshments. They are not experts - this would be contrary
to the self-help group ethos - but are group members with additional
responsibilities.
"Members of
self-help groups share a common condition or life circumstance.
Group members work together to overcome the difficulties
they experience. Those directly affected are the ones who
control the activities and priorities of the group. Self
help is not self care or therapy. Self-help groups assist
members to manage their personal situation or condition,
but they are not set up and run by professionals..."
Collective
of Self Help Groups, Melbourne, Australia.
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What
are the benefits of self-help groups?
Attending a self-help group is an
excellent way to meet others who have been through similar experiences.
In meeting others, the isolation that so many feel, is inevitably
relieved. Those who attend groups find out how others have coped
with a similar problem and enables participants to develop relationships
with others who really do "understand", and can offer mutual
support and respect.Personal sharing is important to self-help. An
environment of trust and safety allows group members to share more
deeply with others. People must feel that information will be kept
confidential before they can safely share their stories. Some groups
describe confidentiality as the anchor of mutual aid.Amongst the benefits
to group participants may be numbered:(a) being seen and being heard;(b)
being recognised and experiencing empathy;(c) being reassured and
feeling valued;(d) being informed, gaining knowledge, and learning
of solutions;(e) experiencing the self-esteem that comes from helping
others.
6. Working
with learning groups
What are learning groups? Adult
education has long used group learning as a fundamental tool, providing
the basis for much informal learning both inside and outside institutional
boundaries. On the other hand, "groups can encourage
conformity, squander time and energy on ritual combat, revel in failure,
and generally engage in all sorts of fantasy tasks that have little
or nothing to do with learning." (b)The
type of learning that occurs in groups varies according to the learning
tasks and goals. There are several categories of group learning,
such as(a) Cooperative, where the focus is on the subject matter rather
than on inter-personal process.(b) Collaborative, where there is emphasis
on process and an exchange of ideas, feelings and information.(c)
Transformative, where participants engage in critical reflection as
a means of examining their expectations, assumptions and perspectives.One
of the questions raised by group learning is whether the primary purpose
is to serve the needs of the individual members or the group as a
whole. With the cooperative category, the focus is explicitly
on the learning of the individuals. In the categories of collaborative
or transformative learning, there is a less obvious distinction between
the needs of the individuals and the group.David Jaques has put this
succinctly in the preface to his Learning in Groups (c),
where he defines the three categories by the descriptions of content,
process and structure. "Content relates to the subject
matter or task on which people are working. Process refers to
the dynamics of what is happening between those involved . . .
[and] . . . I have added a further ingredient which I regard as
a very enabling one, to content and process, and that is structure
. . . a consideration of ways to structure group activities. . . "
The role of the facilitator
When group learning involves the
education of adults, the teacher's role is as a facilitator.
This individual has a very responsible role, having to maintain a
low profile while ready to intervene whenever it is felt that this
will benefit the group learning process. The facilitator must
be ready to foster, assist, support and help the group to accomplish
its learning tasks by sharing responsibility with the individual members.Cranton
(1996)(d) suggests that the roles and
responsibilities of the facilitator change to correspond to the group's
purposes and goals. In cooperative learning groups, for example,
the facilitator develops exercises and activities and manages time
and resources; in collaborative and transformative learning groups,
however, the facilitator is more of an equal partner in the learning,
although in the collaborative learning group, the facilitator must
assume the responsibility for maintaining the group process.Essentially,
the groupwork facilitator has to keep a low profile, yet be prepared
to intervene as required to assure that the sessions are productive
for all members of the group. Jacques [ibid]
maintains that the role of the facilitator "when authority conflicts
occur would seem to be to aid the students' growth by refusing to
join battle, and to help them understand the consequences of their
action . . . [it is important] for the teacher to create
the conditions in which the students can make conscious choices of
alternative courses of action, supportively but firmly bringing such
issues out into the open."[A light-hearted look at the facilitator's
role using Tarot cards as a model is provided by John Rowan in this
issue of Nurturing Potential: Click
here]
What are the benefits of learning groups?
(a) If adequately facilitated,
the group learning experience will develop relationships among the
members as well as between the members and the facilitator, and focus
on acquiring a specific type of knowledge.
(b) Following on from developing relationships and the opportunity
for each group member to learn from the others and take advantage
of the divergent skills and knowledge of each, will come a pooling
of resources, mutual support, and enhanced decision-making.
(c) Ultimately group members will develop new perspectives,
and will learn to adopt a more critical attitude to previously accepted
assumptions.
(d) They will learn both emotional independence and also the
ability to connect emotionally with a given task and with other
participants in the task procedure.
(e) An important outcome of the group learning process is the
ability to identify with others sharing a common aim, sharing ideas,
and the habit of democratic decision-making.
References:
(a) Encounter Groups, Carl R. Rogers, 1970.
(b) Hearing Yourself Teach, B. Knights, 1993.
(c) Learning in Groups, David Jaques, 2000.
(d) Types of Group Learning, P. Cranton, 1996
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