An Experiential Approach to Group Work

This book is different from many group work books in its emphasis on practical skill building and its focus on experiential learning. Students and practitioners will find dozens of exercises that build practice-tested skills related to important aspects of group work practice. A benefit of this experiential, skill-based approach is that it meshes with the competency-based approach, which will become the standard for accreditation over the next several years.

There are several important reasons why those who seek to learn group practice must have a good deal of experience practicing the skills of group leadership. First, while many people have years of experience being helpers in one-on-one situations, few have the opportunities that group leaders have. In our everyday lives, we are called upon to help friends, colleagues, and others. Helping others in one-on-one situations is natural and almost routine. Such is not the case with our group experiences. While we all have experience being members of groups, rarely do we learn to be change agents in groups. We need to learn what skills are needed to facilitate change within groups, and to practice these skills. Second, what might constitute good helping behaviors in one-on-one dyadic situations differs from what is effective in groups. Third, most social work field experiences emphasize individual and family work rather than group work; educational programs must help students gain mastery of group skills Fourth, group work is a wonderful means of bridging the too often artificial divide between micro and macro practice---From the preface

Rich Furman (MSW, PhD) is associate professor and director of social work at the University of Washington, Tacoma. He teaches direct practice courses, with a special focus on group work. He has many years of experience with clients and educational groups.
Diana Rowan (LCSW, MSW, PhD) is MSW program coordinator at the University of North Carolina at Charlotte. She has conducted group work in chemical dependency, inpatient psychiatric, correctional, and private practice settings, and with specific populations including people living with HIV/AIDS and people with chronic mental illness.
Kimberly Bender (MSW, PhD) is assistant professor at the University of Denver Graduate School of Social Work. She has worked in a variety of clinical settings providing group treatment to youths, including residential treatment, inpatient units, and outpatient mental health centers.