Group Leadership Skills
Leading a group of individuals who have suffered trauma can be difficult because the shared stories may result in further trauma to some of the members. Assessing the members and deciding how they will introduce themselves at the first meeting can be a difficult task. Helping these members begin the group therapy process is the first step in facilitating the group.
For this Discussion, watch the video of the “Levy” group session. The video can be watched by going to the following website, clicking on Levy tab, and watching Episode 6: http://mym.cdn.laureate-media.com/2dett4d/Walden/SOCW/MSWP/CH/mm/homepage/episodes.html.
Answer each question below in a separate paragraph. Should be in APA format and include references and in text citations to support your information. Each paragraph should have it’s own references and in text citations from 2013-present.:
· Your evaluation of the group’s social worker’s leadership skills, using at least two items from each of the three categories found in the Toseland & Rivas (2017) piece (facilitation of group processes, data gathering and assessment, and action). Utilize the internet to find data on Toseland & Rivas (2017) piece (facilitation of group processes, data gathering and assessment, and action).
· Suggest another way the social worker might have initiated the group conversation.
Reference
Toseland, R. W., & Rivas, R. F. (2017). An introduction to group work practice (8th ed.). Boston, MA: Pearson.
· Chapter 4, “Leadership” (pp. 97-134)
· Chapter 5, “Leadership and Diversity”
Discussion 2: Group Intervention – Week 6
When leading a group, it is the responsibility of the clinical social worker to find a way to enable all members to benefit from the experience. Although some members may not benefit, it is important for the clinical social worker to identify the positive aspects that he/she is witnessing. This strategy may create a feeling of empowerment for the members.
For this Discussion, it may be helpful to review the video of the “Levy” group session again. The video can be watched by going to the following website, clicking on Levy tab, and watching Episode 6: http://mym.cdn.laureate-media.com/2dett4d/Walden/SOCW/MSWP/CH/mm/homepage/episodes.html.
Answer each question below in a separate paragraph. Should be in APA format and include references and in text citations to support your information. Each paragraph should have it’s own references and in text citations from 2013-present.:
· Your description of at least three benefits that are evident in the “Levy” group video.
· Describe ways this group session has been effective in helping the members of the group.
Discussion 3: Involuntary Group Members – Week 8
Involuntary members have been ordered to attend a group in exchange for some reward. Many times, this is a result of judicial system intervention. Often, these members are not interested in participating and getting to know others. The clinical social worker must understand the potential issues or problems that arise within a group of involuntary members and ways to address these issues. It can be especially difficult to create a sense of empowerment when these members have been mandated to attend.
For this Discussion, pay particular attention to the Schimmel & Jacobs (2011) piece (in attachments).
Answer each question below in a separate paragraph. Should be in APA format and include references and in text citations to support your information. Each paragraph should have it’s own references and in text citations from 2013-present.:
· Your description of the strategies for working with involuntary group members presented in the Schimmel & Jacobs (2011) article.
· Describe ways you agree and/or disagree with their strategies.
· How might you handle the situations presented in the article differently?
· Explain ways these strategies promote empowerment.
Reference
Schimmel, C. J., & Jacobs, E. (2011). When leaders are challenged: Dealing with involuntary members in groups. Journal for Specialists in Group Work, 36(2), 144–158.
Discussion 4: Positive Regard – Week 9
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). The video can be watched by going to the following website, clicking on Johnson tab, and watching Episode 3: http://mym.cdn.laureate-media.com/2dett4d/Walden/SOCW/MSWP/CH/mm/homepage/episodes.html.
Answer each question below in a separate paragraph. Should be in APA format and include references and in text citations to support your information. Each paragraph should have it’s own references and in text citations from 2013-present.:
· 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?
Discussion 5: Task Groups – Week 10
Group work is a commonly used method within school settings. Because peer interaction is important in the emotional and social development of children, the task group can serve as a wonderful therapeutic setting and tool; however, many factors should be considered when implementing this type of intervention.
For this Discussion, read the Van Velsor (2009) article (in atachments).
Answer each question below in a separate paragraph. Should be in APA format and include references and in text citations to support your information. Each paragraph should have it’s own references and in text citations from 2013-present.:
· Your understanding of task groups as an intervention for children.
· Use the model for effective problem solving to compare and contrast (how to identify the problem, develop goals, collect data).
· How does this model differ from a traditional treatment group?
· What are the advantages and possible disadvantages of this model?
· Describe how you might use this model for adults.
· What populations would most benefit from this model?
Reference
Van Velsor, P. (2009). Task groups in the school setting: Promoting children’s social and emotional learning. Journal for Specialists in Group Work, 34(3), 276–292.
Discussion 6: Termination with Families and Group – Week 11
Intervention endings are a critical part of social work practice. Because endings may create strong emotional reactions, the termination process starts from the first session. Successfully terminating family sessions or group sessions promotes learning for clients to take with them moving forward.
Answer each question below in a separate paragraph. Should be in APA format and include references and in text citations to support your information. Each paragraph should have it’s own references and in text citations from 2013-present.:
· Include a comparison of the termination process between treatment groups and family sessions.
· Explain how you would evaluate readiness to terminate group and family treatment, identifying similarities and differences between the evaluation of the two types of treatment.
· Describe the techniques you would use to terminate a treatment group and how these may be the same or different than the techniques you would use to terminate a family intervention.