International Perspectives on Group Work : Leadership, Practice, Research, and Teaching

The counselling profession in the United States is calling for increased international collaboration, engagement, and understanding of the global issues which impact the way in which counsellors conduct their professional practice, teaching, and research. This book captures the experiences of group workers the world over, inviting them to describe how they facilitate group work to restore wellness, promote healing, and create opportunities for reducing isolation and alienation by tapping into the wisdom of multicultural or indigenous practices. The group work profession underscores the importance of training and service delivery that is rooted in humanistic narratives, with a focus on understanding cross-cultural dynamics.

Included in this collection are examples of the rich, creative, and diverse world of group work applications, all of which contribute to a greater knowledge, awareness, and understanding of the many ways in which the power of group membership and leadership can be harnessed for positive change. Group work teachers, practitioners, and counsellor educators will enjoy learning about these creative and important efforts, and take away ideas to implement in their own group work. This book was originally published as two special issues of The Journal for Specialists in Group Work.

Ana Puig is an associate scholar and research director in the Office of Educational Research at the University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, USA.

Bogusia Skudrzyk is Program Director and Professor of Counselor Education at Palm Beach Atlantic University, West Palm Beach, FL, USA.

Julieta Monteiro-Leitner is a Professor in the Department of Educational Leadership and Counseling at Southeast Missouri State University, Cape Girardeau, MO, USA.

A. Michael Hutchins is a licensed professional counselor in private practice in Tucson, AZ, USA.