Group Formation

If I could start a therapy group, I would select middle school girls who lost their mothers, emphasizing dealing with their losses and strengthening their emotions. Individuals in this population can experience problems with identity, expressing emotions, and feeling isolated from peers during their developmental years (Alvis et al., 2022). Participants would have the chance to share their emotions, discuss what they have experienced, and learn strategies to deal with their grief. According to Malhotra et al. (2024), the counselor needs to take into account the client’s age, stage of development, previous trauma, and willingness to participate: Group Formation.

A counselor should also ensure that group members have the necessary skills, are emotionally ready, and will fit well with the group’s goals before allowing them to join. Participants who have not dealt with past trauma that might interrupt group activities or who are disruptive or aggressive might not be appropriate (Self-Brown et al., 2021). It is important to ensure that each person can helpfully exchange feedback because giving and getting feedback is crucial for group growth during norming and performing.

This allows everyone to interact freely and meaningfully, creating a good therapeutic environment (Seidman et al., 2022). A balanced group structure helps the development of all members during any stage of the group.

To implement this group, I would collaborate with my site supervisor to find suitable referral sources, including school counselors, pediatric clinics, and grief support groups. I would interview each participant individually to find out how emotionally ready they are, determine if the group would be a good match for them, and how positively they can interact. Six to eight middle school girls would participate in weekly, hour-long meetings for eight to ten weeks.

My priority at the forming stage would be establishing trust among participants and preparing for challenges. When the group reaches the norming and performing stages, I would organize activities and discussions to encourage the expression of emotions, provide feedback from peers, and develop skills. At the end of the group, I would lead a formal adjourning phase that supports members in reflecting on the group’s experience and personal growth.

References

Alvis, L., Zhang, N., Sandler, I. N., & Kaplow, J. B. (2022). Developmental manifestations of grief in children and adolescents: Caregivers as key grief facilitators. Journal of Child & Adolescent Trauma, 16(2), 447–457. https://doi.org/10.1007/s40653-021-00435-0

Malhotra, A., Baker, J., & Mars, J. A. (2024, October 29). Group therapy. PubMed; StatPearls Publishing. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK549812/

Seidman, A. J., Wade, N. G., & Geller, J. (2022). The effects of group counseling and self-affirmation on stigma and group relationship development: A replication and extension. Journal of Counseling Psychology, 69(5). https://doi.org/10.1037/cou0000614

Self-Brown, S. R., Osborne, M. C., Lee, N., Perry, E. W., & Kinnish, K. (2021). Exploring the impact of trauma history on the mental health presentations of youth who have experienced commercial sexual exploitation and trafficking. Behavioral Medicine, 48(4), 1–19. https://doi.org/10.1080/08964289.2020.1865255

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Unit 6 Introduction
This unit revisits student learning in the exploration of the various types of groups used in counseling and therapy.  The instructor will introduce the discussion during the synchronous learning session.  You will participate in the online synchronous learning discussion, which includes sharing your experience of leading / or co-leading a group in your field experience.

Group Formation

Unit 6 Discussion: Group Formation
If you could create a therapeutic group what population (middle school girls who have lost their mom) or targeted issue (grief group; pet loss) would you focus on? Talk about what considerations a counselor should include when creating a therapeutic group. Include in your discussion who should be included and who should not be included. When forming a group, should you consider if someone can receive feedback and give feedback? How would go about creating your group and implementing it?