Group Dynamics/Counseling



Montana State University- Northern

College of Education and Graduate Programs

CNSL 661 Group Dynamics/Counseling

3 credits

Instructor: Darlene Sellers, Ph.D.

Course Number and Title: CNSL 661 Group Dynamics/Counseling

Class Time/ Days/ Location: Havre Campus

Instructor’s Office Location: Cowan Hall 301

Office Hours: By appointment

Office/Contact Information: 1-800-662-6132, ext 3527

Course Catalog Description

An introduction to the theory and practice of group counseling and psychotherapy. Requires participation in an experimental quasi-group. Major theoretical models for group work are surveyed.

Connection to the Conceptual Framework

Constructivists contend that learners must make their own meanings from their experiences and their ways of understanding (see, for example, Marlowe & Page, 1998; Duckworth, 1987; Vygotsky, 1978; Ornstein & Hunkins, 1998; Heuwinkle, 1996; Kamii, 1985; Sexton & Griffin, 1997). In practice, individuals enter into counseling because they want their lives to be better, that is, they want to change. Thus, the concept of “change” is inherent to counseling practice and theoretical discussion. The significance of change leads to the question: “What are the defining qualities of change?” While this question connotes different meanings to different groups and individuals, it is critical to the field of counseling. In order to form responses to this question, we must first identify, within a complex social system, an appropriate focus and unit of change

Course Prerequisites

Graduate status is required for this course or permission of the instructor.

Course Detail and Rationale

The counseling program focuses on the mutuality of reflection, science, and practice. The curriculum provides students with opportunities to grow within their personal and professional experiences to enhance the linkages between psychology and professional practices. The primary goals are to (1) promote evaluation and reflection as an integral part of practice and (2) to provide learning opportunities for our students to develop the highest professional and ethical standards.

Connections to Candidate Outcomes and Teaching Strands

Through the continuous development of the Conceptual Framework, faculty have identified those candidate outcomes and teaching strands, which flow through our constructivist philosophy. These outcomes are correlated with valuable professional standards, including CACREP, NCATE, and Montana’s OPI Standards.

| |Candidates are curious and follow their curiosities in order to remain continually engaged in |

|Candidate Dispositions |learning. |

| |Candidates challenge their own taken-for-granted notions and seek deeper understanding. |

| |Candidates demonstrate an understanding of the importance of diversity and the impact |

| |diversity has in living rich, full lives. |

| |Candidates demonstrate the ability to take reasoned risks in order to do and learn more. |

| |Candidates demonstrate self-direction in their learning and practice. |

| |Candidates accept the role of professional. |

| |Candidates see value in community and the role of families in learning, developing, and |

| |changing. |

| | |

| |Candidates understand the significance of constructivist teaching, counseling, and learning |

|Candidate Skills, Traits, and |practices and demonstrate the ability to use their knowledge to create effective counseling |

|Habits |opportunities. |

| |Candidates practice reflective and critical thinking. |

| |Candidates are able to articulate their beliefs and develop methods and materials to act on |

| |these beliefs. |

| |Candidates are able to apply knowledge of social, physical, cognitive, and emotional |

| |development and processes to practice. |

| |Candidates understand the significance of and are prepared to create collaborative, |

| |cooperative, and inclusive counseling environments. |

| |Candidates are prepared to assume professional responsibilities. |

| |Candidates are able to develop effective means to engage families and communities. |

| |Candidates understand the ways their decisions, interactions, and behaviors impact the culture|

| |and climate of the counseling environment. |

| |Candidates are able to integrate educational and informational technology to enhance |

| |counseling experiences. |

| |Candidates incorporate multiple and appropriate assessment and evaluation practices. |

| | |

| |Candidates demonstrate a level of content knowledge that will enable them to challenge |

|Candidate Knowledge |learners, take advantage of teachable moments, and create opportunities for change to occur |

| |along with the construction of self-knowledge. |

| |Candidates exhibit knowledge of counseling practices, theory, and research. |

| |Candidates demonstrate knowledge of assessment and evaluation theory, research, and practice. |

| | |

| |Teaching is driven by questions, perplexities, and the diligent pursuit of understanding. As |

|Theory and Practice |we reflect on our theoretical understandings, application, and practice, we strive to |

| |understand our professional growth and stretch our understanding of the counseling process. |

| |Therefore, practice involves observing and reflecting on our thinking in order to clarify and |

| |know how to understand and how to apply theory. Thus, our practice involves reflection on the|

| |process of counseling theory and further reflection driven by our questions about the |

| |processes. Similarly, the more we engage in reflective theory driven practice, the more we |

| |are able to assess and evaluate our work. This examination leads to an increased understanding|

| |of the ways our clients and students approach tasks, where "glitches" occur in progress toward|

| |change and growth, what made an activity effective or productive, why we and others were |

| |uninspired by a task, and whether behaviors match our assessments. |

| | |

| |Furthermore, this ongoing, rigorous and systematic inquiry model into our own practices and |

| |the ways candidates learn guides inquiry for evaluation and assessment of candidates and their|

| |impact on students, faculty and their impact on candidates, and program performance. |

| | |

| |Learning activities are structured to demonstrate an authentic need for each learner’s |

|Diversity |contributions. Candidates are supported in moving their skills and thinking forward in ways |

| |appropriate to their personal intellectual needs and cultural contexts, and in ways that |

| |unify, include, and demonstrate the individual’s value to the community. This involves |

| |facilitating discussions in ways that invite candidates to put their ideas forward, engage |

| |their peers in conversations about those ideas, and, by working together, synthesize those |

| |ideas to create new concepts. They consistently monitor experiences to ensure all are |

| |contributing and learning. |

| | |

| |Technology does not drive instruction. Instead, its use is driven by a “need to know or do.” |

|Integrating Technology |The need, or desire, to know and do more and to illustrate and share what is known and done |

| |coupled with technology’s ability to meet these needs and desires make it a valuable |

| |instrument in knowledge construction. |

| | |

| |These standards include the construction of knowledge demonstrated through candidates' |

|Assessment |organization of information and consideration of alternatives, disciplined inquiry which |

| |includes content knowledge, processes, and written communications to elaborate understanding, |

| |and authentic value of the task in the classroom, the school, and the community. |

Course Objectives/Goals

This course will introduce you to group dynamics, group process theory, and leadership skills necessary to effectively lead groups. This will done using lecture, discussion, peer, group, and instructor feedback. Upon completion of this course you should be able to:

1. Understand dynamic processes inherent in groups.

2. Understand theoretical concepts related to group work.

3. Understand therapeutic factors (Yalom, 1995).

4. Be able to identify group leader competencies, roles and group member roles.

5. Co-lead a group, give and receive feedback from your peers, colleagues, and supervisors.

6. Be able to identify, discuss, and address Ethical issues related to group work.

7. Gain competencies in multi-cultural issues in group.

Course Requirements/Expectations/Evaluations

The course assignments are separated into three distinct sections: Theory, Practice, and Curriculum Development. Expectations and assignments are aligned with these sections. You are expected to be open to both providing and receiving feedback. Grades will be determined by the points earned from the theory, practice, and curriculum sections of the class. There are 370 points possible for the course. Please pay attention to the “grading criteria.” Grades will be assigned as follows:

Excellent = 93% to a 100% of total points possible.

Good = 83% to 92% of total points possible.

Satisfactory = 75% to 82% of total points possible.

Grading criteria: A = Excellent* performance on all course requirements

B = Excellent or good* performance on 70% of the requirements and satisfactory on remainder

C = Excellent or good performance on 50% of the course requirements and satisfactory* on remainder.

F = Performance less than “C” criteria

Evaluation of all work will be based upon thoroughness, quality of the content and technical presentation. Guidelines for evaluations will be provided. Peer evaluation, self-evaluation, and instructor evaluation will be incorporated for selected assignments.

This is a professional course. It is workshop centered, practice-oriented, and a safe place to explore new skills. The emphasis will be on analysis of your own counseling style and performance. This analysis will grow out of skills and theory presented in class. By the end of the course, you will be able to better conceptualize group dynamics, discuss how you view the group process, and implement group leadership skills.

Policy on Late Assignments and Incompletes

Late papers or projects will be accepted only if the instructor is notified timely and in advance of the due date. In addition, a late paper cannot earn a grade of A and a late penalty of 10 points per day late will be deducted. Incompletes are only allowed when 80% of the course has been completed with at least a C or better. Arrangements for incompletes have to be made before the last weekend of class. All incompletes must be completed by the end of the semester following the assignment of the “I” or the grade will be changed to an “F.”

Class attendance and participation

Class attendance is expected. This class requires a high degree of group dynamics and individual involvement. Therefore, attendance and participation are absolute requirements for a passing grade in this course. Any absences or tardies will result in failing the course unless prior arrangements have been made with the instructor.

Confidentiality and Ethics

This class involves group work, both in the community and among yourselves. It is your duty to maintain confidentiality for both your volunteer clients (the group) and your classmates. Keep in mind the legal limits of confidentiality. Obtain a hard copy of professional code of ethics.

Part 1 = Theory, 100 points

The first part of the class will cover the theory of group and provide practical information as to how to run groups. You have a choice at the end of the first weekend to write a paper or take an exam regarding the theory and practice of groups. You must let me know your decision in advance of the last weekend of class.

Paper Option:

The paper is to be no more than 6-8 pages and written in APA format. In order to write this paper you are to imagine that you are an enthusiast of group work and plan to write an article for publication. You’ve been working long hours for the last few weeks reading everything you can about groups and you need a break. It’s summer and you decide to go to “happy hour” at a local establishment to relax on a Friday afternoon. After you arrive,, you’ve finally begun to relax when you overhear a conversation about “group dynamics”. You look over and see Yalom and Corey sitting at a nearby table discussing the idiosyncrasies of their theories on group. You hear them talking about concepts their theories have in common and ways in which they differ. As a group enthusiast who is researching for an article on group, you ask them if you can listen in on their conversation. They agree. What a night!

Immediately following this encounter, you rush home to work on your notes so that the information is still fresh in your mind. You decide to write about the (1) history of groups; (2) how Yalom and Corey became interested in group work; (3) how they define their theory of group; (4) how groups work—from each of their perspectives; (5) what the important components of group are according to them; (6) how Yalom’s and Corey’s theories are (a) similar, (b) different; (c) who is and isn’t appropriate for group according to each of them, and (d) how a group leader determines who is to be included in the group. You conclude your paper about the (7) future direction the profession is taking for groups, and (8) ethical concerns and considerations when running groups. See the rubric attached for this assignment.

(Note: We will discuss your chance “encounter” in class with others who have had a similar experience.)

Bibliography. Begin to collect and organize resources to assist you in building competencies and skills in group theory, development of curriculum, and practice. It is expected that you will have at least 10 annotated bibliographies of internet sources and other resources in an electronic format by the last class.

**Exam Option—in lieu of theory paper

The exam will consist of 75 multiple choice/short response items from assigned readings. You will have one hour to complete the exam.

Part 2 = Practice & Experiential Groups, 120 points

Practice in group class. You will be paired with a partner in order to co-lead at least one group during class meetings. (See sign up sheet for practice group schedule.) Following each group session, you will meet with the other co-leader for debriefing and planning. Then, the co-leaders will meet with the instructor for supervision and to process experiences as a co-leader.

Experiential group. You will be a group member in an experiential group led by the instructor. You are required to write a process log that contains two parts: Part I is to be copied and handed out to your fellow classmates and instructor, and Part II is to be copied handed in to the instructor. Each part (Part 1 and 2) is worth 10 points per log. There is no page limit on the logs. You will be awarded full credit if your log is submitted on time, contains all components, and demonstrates reflection and professional growth in group process.

PROCESS LOG FORMAT

Section 1—Make a copy of your process log for each person (including you, classmates, and instructor) after each group session. Please create a template for the process log that follows the guidelines below:

Each of these areas (in the box) that you will address is more fully explained below.

Theme of Group deals with what you think the group was about.

Your reactions to group include your thoughts about group.

Your feelings about group are expressed here with specifically identified feelings and that link to your “doing/acting” in the group.

Personal Feedback: Address each member of the group, including the instructors. For example:

Jane—I liked what you had to say today. But, I thought you gave in too easily when Joe confronted you. I felt a need to protect you.

Joe—It was hard watching you confront Jane. I was surprised that I felt anger with you for confronting her. I wanted you to be more gentle with her; I thought you could have said what you said differently.

John—You were really quiet today. I wondered if you were experiencing similar thoughts because I was quiet too. I hope you find the courage to share what is on your mind. I hope I do too.

Darlene (instructor)—I did not like it when you put Jane on the hot seat. I felt that you lacked support for her. I liked it when you encouraged me to say what I thought, but I was afraid you would be upset if I said I did not want to say anything.

My goal for group: (Insert here what you’ve decided in what you’d like to learn as a result of group)

My Action Plan: Tomorrow I will speak up and say one thing in group about something I do not like.

Section II—To be copied handed in to instructor at the end of each day as a summary of the day’s sessions.

This part is an account of the group in action along with your theoretical understanding of what is occurring in group (e.g. the group process). Do not make this is a verbatim account of what has been said during the day’s work. Rather, it is a synthesis that is reflective and evaluative in nature about group processes and dynamics. You may use examples of dialogue in the group if it helps to clarify your point.

Additionally, this is an opportunity to record your reactions and feelings in writing, which are perhaps not shared with others. Please note that the instructor will NOT raise these issues in the group; you are responsible for raising the issues that you feel are important. I will give you feedback regarding your reactions, but will not breach your confidentiality on what you journal to me. This can provide you the opportunity to further explore your self-awareness, build courage, and practice expressing yourself in ways that may ultimately help you share more openly in group. This journaling exercise should permit you to understand what evokes your feelings, assist you to recognize your personal psychological interaction, and become aware of your values, attitudes, and perceptions.

In addition, there are two evaluation forms provided to assist you in processing this course. It is required that you submit these along with your logs. You may want to keep a copy for yourself. The forms will not be returned to you.

Part 3 = Application/Curriculum Development, 150 points

There are two components to Part 3 of the class. The first component is to determine what type of group you would be interested in developing a curriculum for (e.g. eating disorders, anger management, abuse group, test anxiety group, etc.). You are to choose an area that is separate and distinct from your classmates. (We will go over this in class to make sure there is no overlapping of ideas.) Then, you are to research group work on the area you are interested in and find at least three research-based professional journal articles that discuss the merits of group work in that area. You are to write a proposal for the group you are interested and argue the merits for the group that you are interested in—using research to support your concept (the lit review). The proposal must include: (1) the group target; (2) logistics--where you will hold the group, time, dates, etc., how you will operate the group (e.g. weekly, bi-weekly, if in a K-12 school: will kids need to be pulled from classes, is this an out-patient setting, etc.); (3) who the clients are—age, gender, etc.; (4) identify the competencies expected for the group leader(s). Proposal = 75 points.

The second component is to develop the curriculum for the group that you have researched, proposed, and now have approval to develop. The curriculum is to incorporate a 5-8 week group. Your curriculum must include: (1) title of the group curriculum ;( 2) lesson-plan format for each weekly session (i.e., supplies needed, purpose of each session, goal(s) of each session, a description of the activities of each session) and (3) process questions for the session, and (4) evaluation of the group. A bibliography of resources used for developing the curriculum in required. You must develop your own curriculum—copy and paste will not be accepted. Curriculum = 75 points.

This Curriculum Project should include: (1) title page, (2) table of contents, (3) Part I: Proposal, (4) Part II: Curriculum, and (5) Bibliography page that sites references for both Part I and Part II. Submit the project on a floppy disk with an additional hard copy that is single-spaced to be copied for class members. Refer to rubric for this assignment.

Group Curriculum Plan Format

Elements necessary for group curriculum project:

• Objective for the Group

• Objective for each Group Activity

• Assessment of Group Members’ Readiness for each group session/activity

• Guided Practice (modeling) activities (describe, if needed)

• Group activities to meet objectives of this group session

• Closing activities for the group activity AND closing/ending group activity

• Materials/facilities needed for each group activity/session

• Multicultural-Diversity Considerations for Group Curriculum

• Individual member’s assessment 

• Overall group session evaluation rubric

Candidate Portfolio Connections

Students who have been admitted to MSUN counselor education master’s program may choose to submit a portfolio to meet the program’s exit requirements. Any work intended for inclusion in the portfolio should be reviewed and critiqued by the instructor, and include a reflective narrative that is tied to this section of the master’s program and your practice in the field.

Course Texts and Bibliography

Required:

Corey, M.S., & Corey, G., Haynes, R. (most recent edition). Groups in action: Evolution and challenges. Pacific Grove, CA: Brooks Cole.

Recommended:

Yalom, I.D. (any year). The theory and practice of group psychotherapy (any edition). New York, NY: Basic Books.

Additional videos are available on reserve at the library.

Course Policies

Responsible academic behavior is expected of all candidates involved in learning at higher institutions. Guidelines for academic integrity are included within the MSU-Northern Catalog. Breaches of integrity include cheating, fabrication, facilitating academic dishonesty, and plagiarism.

Evaluation Form

Part 1: Paper Option

|Element |Possible %age |%age Earned |

|On time and self-rating attached |10 | |

|Technically correct and properly |15 | |

|formatted |*No more than 3 errors | |

|All aspects/parts of the assignment |40 | |

|addressed | | |

|Organization clear and prepared |15 | |

|Critical thinking, evidence of |20 | |

|synthesis & integration of Yalom & | | |

|Corey into discussion | | |

| Total points |100 | |

Note: Attached this rating scale with your self-rating to your work.

Evaluation Form

Part 3: Group Curriculum

Section I: Proposal

|Criteria |Possible Points |Points Earned |

|On time and self-rating attached |10 | |

|Technically correct and properly |15 | |

|formatted |*No more than 3 errors | |

|All aspects/sections of the assignment|40 | |

|addressed | | |

|Organization clear and prepared |10 | |

|Critical thinking, integration of |10 | |

|research | | |

|Clear, strong rationale and |15 | |

|justification for group | | |

| Total points |100 | |

Section 2: Curriculum Development

|Element |Possible Points |Points Earned |

|On time and self-rating attached |10 | |

|Technically correct and properly |15 | |

|formatted |*No more than 3 errors | |

|All aspects/sections of the assignment|40 | |

|addressed | | |

|Organization clear and prepared |15 | |

|Practical, complete, usable session |20 | |

|plans | | |

| Total points |100 | |

Note: Attached this rating scale with your self-rating to your work.

Notes:

-----------------------

Name:

Group theme:

My reactions:

My feelings:

Personal Feedback: (List members names and instructor’s name below):

My goal for group:

My Action Plan:

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