Quick Guide for Clinicians - SAMHSA Store - Substance Abuse and ...

26 Substance Abuse Treatment: Group TherapyPlacing Clients From Racial or EthnicMinoritiesIn all aspects of group work for substance abusetreatment, clinicians need to be especially mindfulof diversity issues.Leader Self-AssessmentGroup leaders should be aware that their own ethnicitiesand standpoints can affect their interpretationof group members’ behavior. The groupleader brings to the group a sense of identity, aswell as feelings, assumptions, thoughts, and reactions.Leaders should be conscious of how theirbackgrounds affect their ability to work with particularpopulations.For a self-assessment guide for group counselorsworking with diverse populations, see Figure 3-9in TIP 41.Diversity and PlacementIn many groups, the members will be heterogeneous;for example, a majority of Caucasiansplaced with a minority of ethnically or racially differentmembers. The greater the mix of ethnicities,the more likely it will be that biases willemerge and require mediation.