Initial Sessions - SAGE Publications

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CHAPTER 5

Initial Sessions

C hildren and adolescents typically (like most of us) come to the first session of a psychoeducational group with conflicting emotions: some excitement and enthusiasm mixed with apprehension and anxiety. It is critical at this point for group leaders to use behaviors in the categories of Executive Functions and Caring to help students acclimate to what is expected of them in groups and identify specific behaviors to help them get the most out of the group experience. A little bit of anxiety is not a bad thing.

The analogy of test anxiety is useful in describing the power of groups and can be shared with beginning group members as a metaphor. If students are not anxious at all about a test, they may not study for the test and they might fail. On the other hand, students may study for a test but get so anxious when it is time to take the test because of the negative things that they tell themselves (e.g., I am dumb, stupid, I don't know the material) that their anxiety may interfere with recall of the material and they may also fail. In the case of student test-taking behavior, a moderate level of anxiety seems most helpful. There is enough anxiety to motivate the student to study but not enough anxiety to interfere with remembering what was studied. Effective group work is similar in that students need to have a little anxiety in order for them to be motivated to try out new behaviors and learn different skills, but the anxiety should not be so overwhelming that it prevents them from attending the group and/or participating.

In this chapter, activities will be described to help group members connect with each other, and to provide information to lessen the anxiety. It is helpful to note the parallels between group stages and relationship development. When people first meet, they are a little hesitant to share and tend to be polite. As the friendship develops, people begin to act a little more naturally, perhaps sharing more of their positive and negative emotions, behaviors, and reactions. Strong friendships develop when friends are able to be who they are, expressing both positive and negative emotions, making mistakes, and giving honest feedback. For group leaders, it is important to observe where group members have trouble with the tasks inherent in each group stage. This may predict where they may struggle in relationships as well.

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Identification of these difficulties and interventions to teach specific skills is a major responsibility of the group leaders. Some children and adolescents easily connect to each other (a task of the initial stage) but have a harder time expressing negative emotions and giving honest feedback (the tasks in the middle stages). For others, the tasks of terminating, saying goodbye, and acknowledging how other group members have helped them are more difficult.

Regardless of the length of the group, the first session must be devoted to the establishment of ground rules and goals for the group, introduction of members to each other, and explanation of the purpose of the group. It is also helpful to include some review of important topics discussed in the first session as part of the opening and review in the second session. This chapter will discuss the initial stage of group, focusing on major tasks, therapeutic factors, and leadership behaviors. Possible pitfalls of initial sessions and examples of activities that may be used are also included.

Goals and Tasks

The first sessions are organized around getting group members to know each other and identifying of the focus of the group. It is recommended that at least two sessions be introductory sessions, although with a shorter group (fewer than 8 sessions), one session may be all that can be allotted. The major goals of initial sessions are described, followed by a general outline for a first group session.

Introduce Group Members to Each Other

Even though in a school setting potential group members may often know each other, it is still important to spend some time having them introduce themselves and self-disclose something that casual contact in school would not indicate. In addition, it is important to recognize that some students may have already developed interactional patterns with each other that are not positive or will not contribute to a safe and caring group environment. Thus, one of the goals in an initial session is to help students interact both positively, and potentially differently, from how they have typically acted toward each other outside of group. One way to do this is to emphasize unique aspects that each child or adolescent brings to group and how each will contribute in the group. From the very beginning, it should be emphasized that the rules of interaction within this group may be different from those in other places in which they normally interact, such as in the classroom (e.g., group members are not expected to raise their hand when they wish to talk) or on the playground (e.g., bullying and name calling are not allowed in this group).

An initial icebreaker should include each group member's name to make sure that everyone knows names (and how to pronounce them correctly). A number of activities ask group members to state their name and make some kind of selfdisclosure. The self-disclosure may be rather superficial (e.g., something that makes me happy . . .), but it establishes the norm that in this group, self-disclosure is expected. For example, each student introduces himself or herself, and then repeats the names of those who have already introduced themselves (to reinforce their

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names) and their disclosure. Such a system encourages students to disclose sooner rather than later simply so that they don't have to repeat as many names. It is often helpful for the group leader to go first to set the tone for the activity and model the kind of self-disclosure desired. In one icebreaker, group members are asked to state their name along with a feeling that begins with the same letter as their first name. I would say, "My name is Janice and I am a little jittery today about starting this group." Associating the feeling with the student may help to remember the name. Such an activity also reinforces the group norm of self-disclosure, particularly of feelings, and allows the group leader to link members together, emphasize universality, and also to address initial anxiety directly within the group. If I began this activity, I would disclose my first name, and because group leaders typically wouldn't do this in a group in the schools, I would acknowledge this discrepancy as part of how we may sometimes act differently in group than at other times and places in school. For adolescent groups particularly, if there is a strong need to connect with them, I might tell them it was OK for them to call me by my first name in the group, again emphasizing how we would interact differently within the group, and also the collegiality and importance of working together.

Introduce Group Members to the Purpose and Structure of the Group

Once group members have introduced themselves, it is important to talk about how the group works and what will make this group safe. The major topics include how groups work, ground rules, the role of the group leader, procedural information, and typical interventions and activities. Much of what group leaders discuss will have already been introduced to group members in previous contacts (screening or preparation sessions) verbally and sometimes in writing. The examples of handouts for the preparation sessions in Appendix K have been worded so that most children and adolescents should be able to understand what is being said and include a general explanation of how groups work and the role of the leader

Group members should be informed in the first session, as well as in screening interviews and preparation sessions, when the group will meet, for how long, and where. Specifics such as how they will get to the group (e.g., a pass will be sent, a teacher will bring them, the school counselor will pick them up, whether they should enter the counseling room or wait in a waiting area, etc.) should also be reiterated.

A brief summary of how group will work should focus on problem solving, roleplaying, and giving feedback to each other as ways to learn and practice new behaviors, along with a description of specific activities related to group goals that will be used. The role of the group leader is best described as a facilitator of the group with the job of keeping members on task, introducing relevant topics and activities, and helping members to work together. Leaders should also emphasize that group members will be the experts on themselves and the ones who need to evaluate which interventions and skills work best for them. It is also sometimes useful to explain the structure of the group session--opening, working, processing, and closing--so that the group members are aware of and anticipate the transition between topics and activities. My favorite example of elementary students internalizing and anticipating

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the structure of the group session is the second grader who said to me, "I think we need to move on to processing now. We only have 7 minutes left." Providing the structure of a group session for students serves as a cognitive organizer; in some ways, you have given them the questions that will be asked on the test (during processing). They just need to find the answers in the working part of the session, so as part of that, group members may be consciously asking themselves, "What am I learning?" "What skills seem to work best for me?" "How am I feeling as I'm doing this new behavior?" All of these questions are good for students to consider.

There is a poem titled "Remember" that emphasizes how group members can listen to each other, not give advice, and help members to find the answers and their own solutions.

"Remember . . . We are here to listen . . . not to work miracles. We are here to help people discover what they are feeling . . . not to make feelings go away. We are here to help a person identify their options . . . not to decide for them what they should do. We are here to discuss steps with a person . . . not to take the steps for them. We are here to help a person discover their own strength . . . not to rescue them and leave them still vulnerable. We are here to help a person discover they can help themselves . . . not to take responsibility for them. We are here to help people learn to choose . . . not to make it unnecessary for them to make difficult choices. We are here to provide support for change!!!"

--Anonymous

The initial session should also include a discussion of ground rules to ensure safety of the group members and help make the group productive. Discussion, rather than lecture, is to be emphasized. The goal here is for group members to create the guidelines for a successful group so that they take ownership of rules and so that the ground rules are stated in their own words. The analogy of the swimming pool and how pool rules are necessary for everyone to be safe often works well. Students could even begin by stating the rules posted for swimming pools and then translate them into the rules for their group. For example, one person at a time on the diving board could be translated into one person speaks at a time, and no roughhousing could be translated into everyone should be respectful. It is often helpful to write (or have group members write) the guidelines on a blackboard or notepad. The list of ground rules can be displayed each time the group meets as a concrete reminder. The group leaders can add or clarify any ground rules that are necessary that group members do not mention.

As a follow-up to the initial discussion of ground rules and to reinforce them, an activity that could be used in a later session is to have the group members create a banner with the name that they want to call their group on the top, the group

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guidelines written by the members as the center, and each of the group members' names or symbols around the edges. The banner can then be displayed prominently during each group session and referred to as needed. Making decisions about the group name, how the rules should be worded, and how the banner should be created helps group members to begin to work together, communicate with each other, and decide how to handle disagreements.

Nonnegotiable ground rules such as confidentiality and how interactions will occur (only respectful comments, only one person talks at a time) should be discussed in the screening interviews and presented in writing to children, adolescents, and their parents whenever possible, and then emphasized again in the first session. Typically, students will bring up the topic of confidentiality, and the group leaders can add more details related to limits of confidentiality. These are typical group guidelines:

? Be on time ? Attendance

- Everyone is expected to be here each session. Let the leaders know beforehand if you will miss or be late

- Frame this as the group will miss you and worry about you if they don't know where you are. Sometimes, other group members worry that they might have offended a member in the previous session by something they said if that person doesn't show up for the next group session

? Confidentiality - What is said in group, stays in group - You can talk about what you learned but not how you learned it (e.g., "I realized that I do get angry but don't tell people," not "I realized I don't tell people how angry I am when Alisha told me in group that I wasn't talking to her that day") - Limits of confidentiality for the leader include when someone is going to be harmed (self or other) or as required by a court of law

? Be respectful of others - One person talks at a time - No name calling - It is OK to disagree and for others to express different opinions - Share reactions to what is happening to each other - Use "I" statements

? Take risks - Participate - Share your reactions and feelings - Try new behaviors in group - Try new behaviors outside of group

Another important issue that often comes up, and is related to confidentiality, is how group members will greet each other outside of group. This is an important topic to discuss because each member needs to decide what he or she wants to say

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