CHAPTER 5 : TECHNIQUES AND THEORETICAL APPROACHES TO GROUP COUNSELLING
11 THEORIES:
1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. 10.
The Psychoanalytic Approach to Groups Adlerian Group Counselling The Existential Approach to Groups The Person-Centered Approach to Groups Gestalt Therapy in Groups Transactional Analysis in Groups Cognitive Behavioral Approah Rational Emotive Behaviour Therapy in Groups Reality Therapy in Groups Solution-Focused Brief Therapy in Groups
Introduction to Gestalt Therapy
a.k.a Experiential approach Developed by Fritz Perls and wife Laura (1940s) Assumption – we are best understood in the context of our
environment. Basic goal – to provide a context that will enable the members to increase awareness of what they are experiencing and the quality of the contact they are making with others. Gives special attention to existence as people experience it and affirms humans capacity for growth and healing through interpersonal contact and insight. More on pg. 280 - 281
Therapeutic Goals
Basic – help clients to attain awareness which requires self
knowledge, responsibility for choices, contact with the environment, self-acceptance, and the ability to make contact. Aims is not to analysis but at integration of conflicting dimensions within the individual. The step-by-step process involves ‘reowning’ parts of oneself that have been disowned and unifying these separate parts into an integrated whole. Basic assumption – individuals can self-regulate when they are fully aware of what is happening in and around them. The more we attempt to be who we are not, the more we remain the same – no positive changes can be done.
Cont.. Therapeutic goals
Personal change tend to occur when we become aware of what
we are and not what we are not. Important to accept who and what we are. Individual goals (Zinker, 1994):
Integrating polarities within oneself
Enriching and expanding awareness
Achieving contact with self and others Learning to provide self-support Defining one’s boundaries with clarity Translating insights into action
Willing to learn about oneself by engaging in creative experiments
Learning to flow smoothly through the awareness-excitement-
contact cycle without serious blockage
Cont.. Therapeutic goals
Goals for members to achieve on the group level: Learn how to ask clearly and directly for what they want or need Learning how to deal effectively with interpersonal conflicts Learning how to give support and energy to one another Being able to challenge one another to push beyond boundaries of safety Creating community that is based on trust Learn how to give feedback Learn how to make resources within the group rather than relaying on the group leader as the director
Principles of Gestalt Theory
HOLISM Whole is greater than sum. We can only be understood to the extent when we take into consideration all dimensions of human functioning. Interested in the whole person, reject superior value on a particular aspect of the individual. FIELD THEORY Grounded on the principle that the organism must be seen in its environment, or in its context. THE FIGURE FORMATION PROCESS Describe how the individual organizes experiences from moment to moment. Tracks how some aspect of environmental field emerges from the background and becomes the focal point of the individual’s attention and interest. ORGANISMIC SELF-REGULATION Describes the nature of the relationship between the individual and the environment. When equilibrium is disturbed by the emergence of a need, a sensation, or an interest, the organism will distinguish the means required to fulfill this need.
Focus in Gestalt Theory
AWARENESS THE HERE-AND-NOW
UNFINISHED BUSINESS
CONTACT AND DISTURBANCES TO CONTACT ENERGY AND BLOCKS TO ENERGY
The Role and Functions of the Group Leader
1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7.
Take an active role in creating experiments to help members tap their resources. Actively engage with the members. Frequently engage in self-disclosure as a way to enhance relationships and create a sense of mutuality within the group. Focus on awareness, contact and experimentation. Create an atmosphere and structure in which the group’s own creativity and inventiveness can emerge. Employing a wide range of interventions and experiments Promote and create a nurturing environment – the clients can feel free enough to try out new ways of being and behaving.
Therapeutic techniques for group counselling
The techniques and experiments are different. Techniques – exercises or procedures that are often used to bring about action or interaction. Experiments – evolve out of what is occurring within a member or members in the present moment, and the outcome is unknown. There are 8 techniques:
1. Paying attention to language 2. Nonverbal language 3. Internal dialogue 4. making the rounds 5. Fantasy approaches 6. Rehearsal 7. Exaggeration experiment 8. Dream work
Techniques
1.
Paying attention to language
It You Questions Qualifiers and Disclaimers Can’t Statements Shoulds and Oughts
Cont… Techniques
2. Nonverbal language • Voice tone, pitch, and volume • The speed of delivery • Eye contact • Mannerisms • Subtle gestures • Hand movements • Body language
Cont… Techniques
3.
Internal dialogues
The empty chair technique – using 2 chairs, the client sits in one chair and become fully ‘top dog’ and shift to the other chair and become fully ‘underdog’.
Top dog – righteous, authoritarian, moralistic, demanding, bossy, and manipulative. Underdog – play the role of victim; defensive, apologetic, helpless, weak, and powerless.
The client role playing the technique by himself/herself. It will help the client to get in touch and experience the conflict more fully – the conflict can be solved by he client’s acceptance and integration of both sides.
Cont… Techniques
4.
Making the rounds
Involves asking a person in a group to go up to others in the group and
either speak to or do something with each person.
Purpose – to confront, to risk, to disclose the self, to experiment with new
behaviour, to grow and change.
To know each member in the group, in a way will gain trust and self-
confidence among themselves.
Cont… Techniques
5. Fantasy approaches
Can be used when members are too threatened to deal with a problem in concrete terms. Useful in dealing with negative expectations, which often result in a sense of paralysis. Useful and safe way to explore members’ fear about involving themselves in the group.
Cont… Techniques
6.
Rehearsal
The clients rehearse the new behaviour with the counseling. Helps the client to become aware of the expectations of others, of the degree
to which they want to be approved, accepted, and liked.
7.
Exaggeration experiment
The client is asked to exaggerate his/her movements or gestures, to makes
the inner meaning clear.
E.g.: if a client reports that his/her legs are shaking, the counselor may ask
the client to stand up and exaggerate the shaking and then put words to the shaking limbs.
Cont… Techniques
8.
Dream work
Gestalt approach does not intend to interpret and analyze dreams.
Instead, the intent is to bring dreams back to life and relive them as though they are happening now.
The dream is acted out, the dreamer becomes a part of his/her dream. The client will make list of all details of the dream and invent dialogue. Purpose to create awareness towards the client’s own feeling.