PROFESSIONAL COUNSELLOR - Mental Health Academy

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Contents 032008 REGULARS 19 Social Issues – “Reaching Out from the Death Row” 20 What our readers had to say on Social Issues 20 Treasures for Inspiration 21 Counselling Dilemma – Counsellors comment on Ethical Issues 22 Book Review – Principles of Group Treatment 23 Graduate Success Stories 24 Assignment Hints and Tips 25 Technology in Our Practice Dr Angela Lewis 26 Staff Profiles – Irena Jaskiewicz 28 State News 32 Seminars Back Cover Key Words in Counselling FEATURES 1 Introduction – The Small Group in Counselling and Therapy By Louise Whitehead 9 Inside the Institute – Vocational Graduate Qualifications 10 Working with Groups – Successful Team Management 16 Counselling Applications – Group Work Tools 27 Special Events – Graduations © The Professional Counsellor No part of this publication may be reproduced without permission. Annual subscription is free to members of the Australian Institute of Professional Counsellors. Opinions of contributors and advertisers are not necessarily those of the publisher. The publisher makes no representation or warranty that information contained in articles or advertisements is accurate, nor accepts liability or responsibility for any action arising out of information contained in this newsletter. Front Cover Illustration – “Group Work” THE PROFESSIONAL COUNSELLOR Issue 03, 2008 Editors: Industry Advisers: Graphic Artist: All correspondence to: Editor in Chief - Sandra Poletto Senior Editor - Pedro Gondim Training, Development & Counselling - Wendy Mead Information Technology - Angela Lewis Cross & Hamilton Printers (Qld) Pty. Ltd. “The Professional Counsellor“ Locked Bag 15, Fortitude Valley QLD 4006 47 Baxter Street, Fortitude Valley QLD 4006 Telephone: 07 3112 2000 Facsimile: 07 3257 7195 Our Mission The Australian Institute of Professional Counsellors is a place where the genuine care and concern of our students is our highest mission. We pledge to provide an exceptional level of support to our students who will always enjoy the most practical and worthwhile external study program available. The AIPC experience stands in our student‘s minds as a place that brings enjoyment, fun and fulfilment to their daily lives.
THE PROFESSIONAL COUNSELLOR 03 2008 FEATURE Introduction - The Small Group in Counselling and Therapy “We must conclude that the psychology of groups is the oldest human psychology” ~ Sigmund Freud From the beginning of time people have congregated in groups to ensure their survival, development, and evolution. The knowledge that there was safety in numbers was a motivating factor in the earliest gatherings of people. Other factors that drew people together were spiritual in nature as groups of people congregated to worship, celebrate, and perform ritual dances. These original groups were formed naturally either by shared ancestry, mutual need, or common belief. In noting these beginnings Rudestam (1982) states: “Despite the pervasiveness of such groups throughout history, the connections between them and the deliberate use of group process to foster personality change in the twentieth century have not been made explicit” (p.1). Although early theorists did not directly connect or address the behavior of individuals in groups in relation to therapeutic possibilities, sociologists and social psychologists did actively begin to raise questions and investigate the nuances of collective behavior late in the nineteenth century (Hare, 1992). J.R. and L.M. Gibb (1978) observed that “groups form the fabric of the society in which we live” (p. 106) and early investigations focused primarily on examining the effects of social influences on the behavior of individuals. One such exploration, credited to psychologist Norman Triplett in 1887, demonstrated that a cyclist’s performance could be significantly improved if he or she was accompanied or paced by another rider (Bonner, 1959; Rudestam, 1982). Other researchers of this time studied the effect of working alone versus working in groups, pertaining to the performance of children in school, the influence of a group on thought processes, and the effect of competition on performance (Bonner, 1959). F.H Allport, whose work is frequently documented in the early literature on groups, found that individuals working in a group produced more verbal associations and presented such associations with greater speed that did individuals working alone (Allport, 1920). Later investigators (Comrey & Staats, 1955; Goldman, 1965) went onto compare individual and group performance using different combinations of individuals with varying initial ability. They found that the improved performance demonstrated by working in a dyad or a group was dependent on the initial ability levels of the individuals who were in combination. In their review of the literature, Rosenbaum and Berger (1975) conclude that the primary early researchers noted for investigating small group phenomena were: Charles H. Cooley, who first defined the concept of “the primary group” as the “face-to-face” group primarily involved with “intimate cooperation”; Gustave Le Bon, who first described the group as a “collective entity - a distinct being”; and George Herbert Mead whose work, along with that of Cooley, was “of prime significance in the early history of group dynamics” (p.13). From these early explorations into the forces affecting individuals as they participated in groups evolved the use of groups as vehicles to promote change. One of the first practitioners credited with using this approach was Joseph Pratt, a Boston internist. Although Pratt originally used groups to save time in educating and supporting patients suffering from tuberculosis, he later became aware of “From these early explorations into the forces affecting individuals as they participated in groups evolved the use of groups as vehicles to promote change.” the therapeutic value of the format, in particular the interactions among members of such groups. His work is acknowledged as an important forerunner to present-day psychotherapy (Scheidlinger & Schamess, 1992). Recognised as being the “founder of the study of modern group dynamics” (Luft, 1984, p.8), social psychologist Kurt Lewin’s work as a theorist and researcher in the investigation of group dynamics had a significant impact on the use of groups as agents for change (Smith, 1980a). The work of Lewin and his associates is credited with having a direct bearing on the invention of the T- group (training group), from which evolved the encounter and sensitivity groups of the 1960s and 1970s. The widespread interest on these groups grew, in part, from the increasing feelings of alienation that were experienced by an expanding portion of an increasingly mobile society (Scheidlinger & Schamess, 1
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