Week 4: Stages of Group counselling

What are the stages of group counselling?

1. Initial stage

2. Transiiton stage

3. Working stage

4. Termination

Initial Stage

• Trust versus mistrust is central issue.

•  Participants test the atmosphere and get acquainted-discovering how the group will function.

• Risk-taking is relatively low – exploration is tentative.

• There are periods of silence and awkwardness.

• Members are concerned with whether they will be included or excluded by the group.

• Members are deciding how much they will disclose and how safe the group is for them

Initial stage: Group Members common fears

• anxiety over being accepted or rejected

• concern about being judged by others
  * afraid of appearing stupid/self-conscious

• not knowing what is expected

• includes both leader expectations and group member expectations

• concern over communicating feelings and thoughts effectively

Initial stage: Leader Functions

• provide structure (develop ground rules and set norms)

• Teach members basic interpersonal skills such as active listening & responding.

• Includes BOTH explicit norms and teaching and modeling interpersonal skills (implicit learning)

• Be open and psychologically present for group members

Initial Stage: Techniques

• Complete Informed Consent at first session to increase safety

• Complete Group Norms – preferably together

• Ask members to become engaged using a limited amount of time (ie: quick check-ins).

• Ask members what they hope to get from the group. *

• Conduct check in/out (each session

• Start to engage in simple ‘linking’ – increase awareness of commonalities (ie: show of hands, noting body language, pointing out commonalities

• Model effective communication – supportive, empathic, highlighting strengths, noting impact vs. intent

• Refer to ‘Group’ often – redirect questions/comments to group

• DON’T panic and rush to fill silence

  • Be paitent

  • ask how many people know what to say but are afraid to say it?

  • what do you think is making this question difficult to answer?

  • talk about the silence rather than filling it

Transition stage: member characteristics in early transition stage

• Transitional phase is often marked by feelings of anxiety and defensive behaviours.

• Anxiety tends to be high within individuals and within the group itself.

• Members are testing the leader and other members to determine how safe the environment is.

• Members are struggling between wanting to play it safe and wanting to risk getting involved

Transition Stage: Member characteristic in mid-late transition stage

• Members are learning how to express themselves so that others will listen.

• Members are showing more trust in leader and other members.

• Members are beginning to express their reactions and perceptions they have been aware of but have kept to themselves.

• Control and power issues may emerge/members may experience conflict with other members

Transition Stage: Group Leader Functions 

• Help Members to recognize and express persistent reactions, even if uncomfortable

• Help members to respect other defences, but try to work past their own defences

• Help members move from dependence on the leader to more group independence 

• Help encourage members to learn to confront in a constructive way 

• help/encourage members to work through conflicts 

• Discourage members from withholding strong feelings or remaining silent when upset 

• Discourage members from retreating into defensive postures 

• Discourage members from forming subgroups outside of group

Transition stage Leader Functions

• continue to refer to ‘Group’ often 

  • redirect questions/comments to group 

• continue to note/enforce group norms 

• help members recognize their own patterns of defensiveness 

• provide a model for members by dealing directly and tactfully with any challenge. (challenge/’slowing down’, debriefing, noting impact vs. intent)

• show members the value of recognizing and dealing fully with conflict situations 

Group technique #6 : Blocking

• Intervening to stop counter productive group behaviour

• Important skill in order to maintain order/reinforce group norms and reduce risk of emotional dysregulation

• Ideally you should identify the behaviour you would like them to stop and refer to group norms as your reason for blocking OR add the behaviour you are blocking to group norms with your rationale

• INTENT vs. IMPACT: Be sure to acknowledge/assume benevolent INTENT on behalf of the person you are blocking while stating your concern for the IMPACT on the group process (or on an individual if it involves a specific interpersonal interaction

Working stage: Overall Characteristics

• The ‘performing’ stage in the Norming-Storming- performing’ model.

• During this stage, clients, are more likely to disclose difficult feelings and experiences, and are less reluctant to avoid issues in the ‘here and now’.

• During this stage, group members tend to require much less facilitation from the leader.

• Group members should start to translate insights gained in group into behaviour changes in daily life

Working Stage Member Characteristics 

• Members work outside of group to achieve behavioural changes.

  • Be willing to practice new skills and behaviours in daily life and report back to group (not just insight)

  • Members feel hopeful about change and feel supported in their attempts to change.

•  Inter-member conflict is recognized and dealt with directly and effectively; confrontation occurs without use of judgmental labels

  • Both challenge and support others; engage in self-confrontation

Working Stage: Leader Functions to continue

• Keep engaging in counselling behaviours from previous stages, including:

  • Continue to note/enforce group norms - perhaps even add new ones OR note implicit norms

  • Promote group behaviours that increase levels of cohesion. (Continue to refer to ‘Group’ often)

  • Explore common themes that provide for some universality and continue ‘linking’ between members surrounding core themes/issues.

  • Model appropriate behaviours such as caring confrontation, being open about reactions.

  • Provide balance between support and confrontation

Working Stage: Leader Functions to focus on

• Support members’ willingness to take risks; support/assist them in taking new risks in daily life.

• Interpret meaning of behaviour patterns at appropriate times so members can engage in deeper level of self- exploration.

• Focus on the importance of translating insight into action; encourage members to practice new skills

Final Stage: Overall Characteristics 

• There may be some sadness and anxiety over the reality of separation

  • Members are likely to start ‘pulling back’ as the final meeting draws nearer

  • May be fears - about separation and carrying positive changes forward

• Members should explore how they will maintain behaviour and emotional changes once group is over 

• Members will be involved in both formal and informal evaluations of the group experience 

Final Stage Member Characteristics

• Clients will deal with group ending in different ways

  • some will openly grieve

  • some will try to cling to group somehow

  • some will try to distance themselves

  • some will feel a sense of regret

• Ideally, the group leader will help the clients to

  • evaluate the impact of the group on them/identify what they have learned

  • prepare to generalize this learning to everyday life.

  • make decisions and plans about change to be carried forward

Final Stage: Leader Functions

• Assist members in dealing with feelings which arise about termination

• provide members with an opportunity to express and deal with any ‘unfinished business’ within the group

• provide resources for further support

• Provide members with opportunities to give one another constructive feedback.

• Provide opportunities for members to evaluate their general group experience – both formally and informally

• Re-emphasize importance of maintaining confidentiality post-group.

Final stage: Group leader Functions

• HELP CLIENT TO THINK ABOUT LIFE AFTER GROUP

• Assist members in determining how they will apply what they have developed in group to their daily lives.

• Find ways to continue positive change without the group.

• Find ways to reinforce self/problem solve without group.