Exercises in Group Work - Softcover

Kraus, Kurt L.

Softcover

ISBN 10: 0130981885 ISBN 13: 9780130981882

Publisher: Pearson, 2002

< While understanding theory and research is vital, future group counselors and therapists must also know how to apply that theory and how to use research findings. This new workbook helps teach just that, through interesting, practical, real-life exercises that involve all of the types of groups a counselor might lead - task/work, psycho-educational, counseling, and psychotherapy. Through its exercises, readers encounter school-age adolescents, mental health outpatients, parents, community members, and others with whom a group worker might work. Prompts and activities encourage them to reflect on class presentations and experiential activities; and help them better absorb the lessons of their core book. Coverage includes how groups work and how to facilitate them, how to put theories into practice and multicultural sensitivity and awareness. For professionals in the field of psychotherapy and group counseling.

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About the Author:

Kurt L. Kraus is an Assistant Professor of Counseling in the Department of Counseling at Shippensburg University of Pennsylvania. Kurt received his doctorate from the University of Maine. He has held professional positions as a counselor in schools for grades k-12; and in community-based, hospital, and private practice. Prior to beginning his counseling and counselor educator career in 1987, Kurt taught English. He also taught adolescents with special needs in both public schools and in residential treatment. Dr. Kraus is an active member of the Association for Specialists in Group Work (ASGW), the Association for Counselor Education and Supervision (ACES) and the American Counseling Association (ACA). He is a Licensed Professional Counselor in Pennsylvania, a Nationally Certified a Counselor and an Approved Clinical Supervisor. Kurt has professional interests in the areas of group work, counseling adolescents, clinical supervision, and ethics. He is the current chairperson of the school counseling program at Shippensburg and chair of the University's Institutional Review Board for Human Subject Research.

Welcome to Exercises in Group Work. This workbook is a study guide designed to accompany Gladding's Group Work: A Counseling Specialty (4th ed.). It also is designed to extend your learning through knowledge checks (mini quizzes), application and reflection (scenarios and vignettes to consider and respond to), individual and small group activities (reflecting on your classroom experiences, community opportunities, and others), a space to formalize reflections on any out-of-class group participation, and a variety of other opportunities to better develop your understanding of the complexities of group work.

This workbook offers students examples, vignettes, and scenarios pertaining to the diverse sphere of settings where groups happen, from classrooms with young children, adolescents, and adults to' an assortment of meetings, to counseling and psychotherapy groups in school counseling offices, outpatient mental health centers, and hospital settings. The format mirrors Gladding's text Group Work: A Counseling Specialty (4th Ed.) and hopefully will parallel the life experiences of many students who are utilizing this workbook as a way to learn about groups. I ask students to consider examples from culturally diverse populations throughout. I encourage you not to see the world as an extension of yourselves, rather see where you are unique among so many others. So numerous are the variations of human experience it is likely some will be disappointed by my neglecting to mention one or many important differences; I promise such omissions are not intentional.

You will notice that ample writing space (lined sections and blank spaces) is provided where you are encouraged to keep notes, enter reflections, journal, and otherwise strengthen your personal growth and learning as you focus on the world of group work. I believe that this reflecting process will aid immeasurably in your continued group membership and eventual practice as a group leader, and as you continue your academic journey.

Answers to multiple choice and true and false questions are provided at the end of this book; however, much of what is asked of you throughout this workbook has many possible answers. Hence, I encourage working with partners, in small groups, and with your instructors in determining good, better, and best answers. Your course instructor will direct how she or he feels the use of this workbook will benefit you most. If you are completing this workbook as a self-directed learning experience, I trust you will chart an interesting course. Note that the pages of this workbook are perforated, thus allowing you to share your responses to some prompts and questions with other students, while keeping your more personal reflections private. The process of learning about group work can be divided into several, rather overlapping segments: text knowledge, where you learn of history and trends, pioneers, concepts, theories, methods, and research; application, where you practice putting text knowledge into guided practice; and experiential, where students transition into actual demonstration and participation by being an observer, member, coleader, leader, and perhaps supervisor and teacher. This workbook is designed to guide learning opportunities in each of these three areas.

ORGANIZATION

This workbook design parallels Group Work: A Counseling Specialty (4th Ed.) by Samuel T. Gladding, chapter by chapter. However, students or their course instructors may wish to select in what order this material is covered, the time spent in each of the 3 parts of the text, and what learning strategies will be utilized and when. Students may find that the sequence of some writing activities or the need to clarify text content is best accomplished by flipping back and forth, skipping sections altogether, or returning to material a second time. Chapters in this Workbook have several common elements, which I outline below.

Chapter Highlights, Key Terms, and Important People

Each chapter begins with highlighted excerpts extracted from Gladding's Group Work: A Counseling Specialty (4th Ed.) text. The purpose of this section is to help students fully understand the text material. Excerpts are presented here to assist your study and recall of key information; the same is true for important vocabulary and people. All vocabulary terms are included and defined in the glossary at the end of this workbook as well as in the Gladding text.

Group Experience — Parallels and Reflections, Group Prompts

Many graduate-level group courses, as an adjunct to course content learned through experiential and didactic classroom instruction, require students to be members in one or more, often time-limited, personal growth groups. Such groups are typically counseling groups but can occasionally take the form of a psychoeducational group. For often-complex reasons including your course instructor taking on a dual role of group counselor and other ethical quandaries, these student groups are often led by group work specialists outside the counselor education faculty. Following the written exercises section in many chapters several prompts ask you to connect the chapter topic with your actual small group experiences. These prompts reflect the text content, and you are encouraged to write responses for your personal growth and development. No space for these assignments is provided in the workbook itself. You are asked to keep your responses separate and private to ensure privacy. Should you choose to share any or all of these exercises with your instructor or other group members, be sure to maintain everyone's confidentiality.

In Chapters 2 through 8 students study types of groups and their defining features, group dynamics, group leadership, the development and stages of groups, working with diverse membership, and ethical and legal issues in group work. For each of these 8 chapters, students will find prompts for reflection and space for personal commentary. Students are encouraged to write about their experiences with their external group membership. Caution, of course, will be needed to not write about confidential information shared within the group. The assumption is made that these workbook chapters will likely parallel your actual group experiences (although sequence and significance may differ, of course); the prompts and the spaces to record your thoughts and feelings are designed to assist students in making meaningful connections between the course content and your small group experiences.

Pages of this workbook are perforated so that students may easily remove certain pages for various reasons (e.g., to hand in particular pages to the professor/instructor or to store separately).

Written Exercises

Students may respond to an array of questions, prompts, and queries based on vignettes, character sketches, scenarios, and stories, depending on the chapter. Students are encouraged to write their responses; however, the responses can lead to interesting discussions with others, self-reflections, and content check-ups. Although it is challenging to capture the dynamics and nuances present in any interpersonal interaction, these sections allow students to "try on" different skills in the safety of your workbook. I encourage students to flex your imagination; make the group members in these sections come to life.

Self Assessment

In this section you can quiz yourself on the progress you are making comprehending the text content. True or false and multiple choice formats are utilized. As you work your way through this workbook you will be able to return to your responses, and rethink them where necessary, in order to best prepare for course examinations or perhaps for certification and licensure exams.

Journal and Reflection

As mentioned earlier, there is ample space for journaling. This space is provided for students' use (e.g., notes and reflections) and to respond to instructor's prompts and assignments. Possibilities include reflections on course presentations, thoughts about class activities, the group dynamics of class, and general opportunities to comment thoughtfully. Recording your thoughts and feelings will provide a written history, a personal narrative, of this current phase of your group work education and development.

Glossary and Answers Section The glossary from Group Work: A Counseling Specialty (4th ed.) is reproduced in this section. The glossary is a rich resource that you will likely refer to repeatedly. In the answers section you will find the answers for selected of items in the self-assessment section of each chapter.

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