Week 9: The Middle Stage
Once a group has met several times and is entering the middle stage of group progress, the clinical social worker should assess if the goals of the group plan are being met. This is especially important in groups that have a limited number of sessions. One of the ways a clinical social worker can keep the group on track is by preparing an agenda that parallels the needs of the members. Another way is by implementing strategies that create an atmosphere that feels safe for the members to share their personal stories. By the middle stage, the clinical social worker should have a familiarity with the different personalities in the group. This makes it much easier to implement strategies that empower the members and make them feel that they are received with positive regard.
Learning Objectives
Students will:
- Analyze the purposes of group types
- Analyze positive regard in group work
- Analyze strengths-based strategies
- Analyze empowerment strategies
Learning Resources
Note: To access this week’s required library resources, please click on the link to the Course Readings List, found in the Course Materials section of your Syllabus.
Required Readings
Toseland, R. W., & Rivas, R. F. (2017). An introduction to group work practice (8th ed.). Boston, MA: Pearson.
Chapter 9, “Treatment Groups: Foundation Methods” (pp. 264-294)
Chapter 10, “Treatment Groups: Specialized Methods” (pp. 295-335)
Farber, B. A., & Doolin, E. M. (2011). Positive regard. Psychotherapy, 48(1), 58–64.
Required Media
Laureate Education. (Producer). (2013b). Johnson (Episode 3) [Video file]. In Sessions. Baltimore, MD: Producer. Retrieved from https://class.waldenu.edu
Note: The approximate length of this media piece is 4 minutes.
Accessible player –Downloads–Download Video w/CCDownload AudioDownload Transcript
Discussion: Positive Regard
Carl Rogers, a humanistic psychologist, believed that individuals must feel accepted for who they are in order to have a high level of self-worth (Farber & Doolin, 2011). Rogers coined the term “positive regard” to explain this concept of feeling accepted. Also, he believed that positive regard is essential to personal growth and self-actualization.
For this Discussion, view the “Johnson” video (Episode 3).
By Day 3
Post your description of the purpose of this group. Explain the use of empowerment and strengths-based strategies. How does “positive regard” impact the group session in this video? How might you respond to Talia when she voices her skepticism of the usefulness of group sharing?
response
Lisa Dunlavy RE: Discussion – Week 9COLLAPSE
The Johnson video clip introduces a support group for sexual assault survivors. It appears that there is a facilitator and five group members. All members of this support group experienced sexual assault, and Talia is the newest member. Talia Johnson, a 19-year-old junior in college, was recently assaulted at a fraternity party. When she shared with the group, she placed a lot of blame on herself for what happened. In response to Talia, another group member explained that at first she blamed herself for what happened. With some time, this group member came to accept that she was not to blame. In this group, the group members empower each other by sharing their shared experiences and feelings. Tosland and Rivas (2017) explained that the primary goals of support groups include fostering mutual aid, helping members cope with stressful life events, and revitalizing and enhancing members’ coping abilities. Even in this short clip, there is effort being made to reach these goals. The use of empowerment and strengths-based strategies can help members interact, connect, and participate during group sessions.
Positive regard refers to the belief that treating clients with consistent warmth and in a highly regarding manner encourages psychological growth (Farber & Doolin, 2011). With psychological growth, clients can fulfill their potential. The facilitator for the support group used positive regard by responding with acceptance and providing support. According to Farber and Doolin (2011), positive regard can strengthen the client’s ego and belief in his or her capacity to be engaged in an effective relationship. Through positive regard, the facilitator engages in the therapeutic process and emphasizes the group’s purpose.
It’s important to show acceptance and support when Talia voices her skepticism of the usefulness of group sharing. My response doesn’t only make an impact on Talia, but also affects all other members of the group. It may be beneficial to revisit the purpose and goals of the support group, as well as individual goals. Talia can come to recognize that there are shared experiences, purpose, and goals for the group. This can contribute to establishing a comfortable environment for Talia to share.
References
Farber, B. A., & Doolin, E. M. (2011). Positive regard. Psychotherapy, 48(1), 58-64.
Laureate Education. (Producer). (2013b). Johnson (Episode 3) [Video file]. In Sessions. Baltimore, MD: Producer. Retrieved from https://class.waldenu.edu
By Day 5
Respond to a colleague who has a different response to Talia. Discuss the benefits of using a strengths-based strategy in this group setting.
Submission and Grading Information
Grading Criteria
To access your rubric:
Week 9 Discussion Rubric
Post by Day 3 and Respond by Day 5
To participate in this Discussion:
Week 9 Discussion
Assignment: Assessing Group Process 4: Group Project Goals
As a clinical social worker, evaluating the effectiveness of clinical strategies is an expectation of the NASW Code of Ethics (2017). Sometimes, clinical strategies and techniques that are effective in one setting may not work in another situation. It is important to understand what works and what doesn’t.
Also, self-assessment is an integral part of becoming a clinical social worker.
Describe the strategy (assigned in Week 7) you implemented in your Group Project.
- Describe the process and the level of difficulty/comfort you found in doing this Assignment.
- Explain how this strategy may or may not have empowered or supported the group.
- Describe the progress of the group in completing the project/goal.
At this point, the literature review and the advantages and disadvantages should be complete.
Group Process Assignments should integrate course concepts related to group process. Assignments should demonstrate critical thought when applying course material to your group experience. Support ideas in your Assignment with APA citations from this week’s required resources
