Counseling Focused on Existential Issues - Report Example

Group Counseling Group Organization Plan Affiliation: Group Counseling Organization Plan (Hope Group) Target Group: Geriatric Population (elderly) Areas Addressed: Existential issues like death, death anxiety, the meaning of life, and grief counseling Title: Counseling Focused on Existential Issues Goal/Objective: The group counseling will involve offering geriatric care to the elderly people that are in the capacity of fearing death or experiencing death anxiety so as to make them live a happy life. At the end of counseling, this population should be able to live a death fearless life, whereby they would start appreciating the positive meaning of life again. The process also aims at grief counseling to those group members that happen to have lost their loved ones. Statement of Purpose: Hope Group is an independent nongovernmental counseling group with the aim putting smiling faces to all people in the society irrespective of the background, social class, political, and cultural differences. We specifically offer geriatric care with the aim of bring back happiness in this population. We focus on addressing existential issues that the target group would at one-time experience in their daily lives. The reason for choosing this group: We chose on this population in that it is the appropriate population that has the tendency of developing a fear towards death as they keep on aging. As this group has already accomplished many issues involved in life stages, the last aspect is death, which ends up making some of them fearful and developing anxiety when facing this subject. Particular, the same group tends to suffer most by the death of their loved ones; hence initiating a counseling program for them would help in making them realize on the positive meaning of life and live the remaining part of their life fearlessly of the upcoming circumstances. Overview of Theory of Existential Counseling The existential theory is subject to derive way back from the existential philosophy movement that existed in the nineteenth century. Several individual were instrumental in the development of existential therapy, namely Bugental, Frankl, May, and Yalom (Sharf, 2004). The theory is applicable to the field of counseling in that it focuses on identifying the true meaning of life, which ends up promoting the clients well-being. Even though existential counseling is not a kind of technique driven therapy, there is room for employing techniques from other forms of therapy in an effective manner with an existential therapeutic focus. The existential theory thus appear to be applicable to the wide variety of situations surrounding counseling whereby clients are seeking to find a resolution on issues that concern the ultimate ‘meaning of life’ (Miars, 2002). In a broad outlook, existential therapy provides encouragement to the clients into developing a full comprehension of the meaning of life to them as individuals on their own, while at the same time creating the purpose of existence in the universe (Blair, 2004). Through the existential theory, there is a suggestion that a counselor needs to develop an individual style of offering counseling that bases primarily on a single theoretical perspective (Corey, 2009). For example, the American Counseling Association’s (ACA) Code of Ethics (2005) stipulates that a counselor needs to promote on his or her client’s personal growth and development, which also includes the development of healthy interpersonal relationships, while at the same time honoring diversity of the client’s cultural values (Masco & Rosen, 2008). In this regard, it thus justifies on the collaborative nature of the counselor to a client relationship, hence making this type of theory be appropriate for Hope Group to implement. Setting: The group therapy secessions will take place from a reasonable soundproof room that has enough space to accommodate a few chairs. Hope Group intends to ensure that the environment is friendly for all clients attending existential therapy. The procedure of choosing members Group members to join the therapy program will be a heterogeneous one, whereby it will be a team of having different forms of backgrounds, different ages, different cultures, and of varied careers. The effective group leaders will participate in screening all potential members for the program before their acceptance is complete. The process of screening will allow leaders in selecting members while members will also have time to select leaders and groups. The ideal group will comprise of eight to twelve participants, which allows members to have an adequate time of expressing themselves without feeling the need of forming sub-groups. The chosen leaders will utilize on the pre-group interviews that will help in identifying fears related to the upcoming groups. Effective feedback and explanation will be helpful in clarifying and correcting any misunderstandings (Spinelli, 2002). All members that meet the qualification for entering the program must show their willingness to be cooperative in the entire program by obeying the rules governing the entire program. Plan for marketing the program: The management team of Hope Group will engage in direct marketing strategy, whereby the team will be talking directly with the elderly in the entire community. There will be visitations to the nursing homes with the same purpose of marketing the program by explaining to people and make them know that this program exists. There will be a need to print out some flyers to display in strategic locations as the initiative of making the program popular with locals. Specific leadership skills necessary to run this group: At Home Group, anyone that qualifies for a role in leadership needs to meet the essentials attributes to affect leadership. These attributes entail personal qualities, constancy, active listening skills, firm identity, personal confidence, creativity and flexibility, a high level of integrity, and ability to trust others. A good leader needs have a sense of humor, and empathy as well (Szasz, 2005). We choose leaders that have the potential of converting conflicts and resistance into becoming a positive energy that will eventually power the entire group. A good leader should also have the knowledge of dealing with disruptive group members, have the potential of cooling down on the runaway affect or be able to turn a crisis back to an opportunity. SESSION PLANS Stage 1: Dependency or forming At this stage, it is apparent that group members remain unsure of their own being and thus look upon to their leaders or other group members in providing directions. The purpose of this stage will be to give the members an opportunity of exploring their true self in the group and thus start establishing some trust. Stage 2: Conflict or storming The kind of storming or conflict may be overt or covert. The type and the amount of conflict that will be subject to generate has a direct relation to how much jockeying for the position occurs within the group. It is part of the counseling process within a group activity. Stage 3: Cohesion or norming One can define this stage as the spirit of ‘we-ness.’ At this stage, members will start getting closer psychologically and appear to be more relaxed. Everyone needs to feel included in a group, hence creating room for the commencement of productive sharing. Stage 4: Performing At this stage, all group members need to begin engaging in the main work of the group. Interdependence develops while group members begin assuming the wide variety of their constructive roles and similarly work on the personal issues. The level of comfort increases at this stage while it is the prime time for solving individual problems and fears. Stage 5: Adjournment Adjourning is all about termination. It is the final activity involved to bring the group to an end. Issues regarding the loss in separating from a group may occur. Similarly, celebrations on the accomplishments of goals also remain to be the primary focus to consider in this stage. Check in and checkout process The check-ins need to explain the purpose and preparedness of joining the counseling program, types of groups to consider, the amount of time to take on sessions, cautions, and the framing of questions. At the framing of questions, self-descriptive question will be subject to present to the members, such as things that the group members hope in accomplishing, things that interest them, any concerns facing them, what the group members are up to, among many other factors. The check-outs needs to provide a quality check on the accuracy of the counselor’s responses during the program. Things to consider may include; ensuring that clients answer their questions, expressions are individual, the counselor does not give directive solutions, and decisions are of individual consent, among other check-ins. Evaluation of the effectiveness of the group The members will be able to evaluate the effectiveness of a group by reflecting on individual participation and on what they have been able to achieve in the entire activity. Finally, a leader will evaluate the effectiveness of a group by conducting a survey, going through a checklist, conducting a documented review, observation, and looking at focus groups. Informed Consent Form PROJECT TITLE INTRODUCTION Dear client, you are hereby invited to join this program to look at existential issues facing the elderly in society. Please, you should take anytime that you wish into discussing this study with people you feel make an impact to your life, such as family and friend. The final decision of accepting or declining this project is up to you. In this program, we are offering group counseling to all those facing fear or anxiety of death, together with grief counseling whenever applicable. WHAT IS INVOLVED IN THIS PRORAM? Upon making the decision of joining this program, you will be requested to comply with our rule and regulations through the entire process. We think the entire process will take about four weeks. Remember, you have the right to stop participating in the program as per your wish. In case you make the decision to stop, you will not lose on any benefits. RISKS This program does not have any risks, but in case they are present, they exist in a form that we cannot predict. BENEFITS OF ENGAGING IN THE PROGRAM We expect that the program will help you as an individual in regaining the sense of self and develop a positive attitude towards life. However, we do not guarantee that you will personally be able to experience the benefits from this program. Other people might experience the benefits later on in their lives. CONFIDENTIALITY As Home Group, we will take these measures in keeping the client’s information confidential; NO referring to clients through their individual names, NO discussion of program outside cession, NO paper gets out of cession, and protecting information from any form of unauthorized disclosure, tempering or any form of damage. THE RIGHTS OF A MEMBER Participation in the program is entirely voluntary. A member has the right of participating or leaving the program at any time. Any form of such decision will not amount to any penalty and will not harm on your relationship with the counselor. You may withdraw from the program by informing the group leader on such decision with some reasons for termination of the program. CONTACT FOT QUESTIONS OR PROBLEMS Call -------- at -------- or email ------- at ------ in case you have any questions or problems about the program. Also, use the same contacts when reporting physical or psychological discomforts, any injuries, or reporting something unusual. Consent of subject Signature of Representative or Subject Date -----------------------------------------------------------. References American Counseling Association. (2005). ACA Code of Ethics and Standards of Practice. Washington, DC: Author. Retrieved from http://www.americancounselingassociation.org/resources/codeofethics.htm. Blair, R. (2004). Helping older adolescents search for meaning in depression. Journal of Mental Health Counseling, 26(4), 333-347. Corey, G. (2009). Theory and Practice of Counseling and Psychotherapy. (8th ed.). Belmont, California: Thomson Books. Masco, N. & Rosen, D. (2008). Assessment of existential meaning and its longitudinal relations with depressive symptoms. Journal of Social and Clinical Psychology, 27(6), 576-599. Miars, R. (2002). Existential authenticity: A foundational value for counseling. Counseling and Values, 46(3), 218-225. Sharf, R. (2004). Theories of Psychotherapy and Counseling: Concepts and Cases. (3rd ed.). Pacific Grove, California: Brooks/Cole. Spinelli, E. (2002). The therapeutic relationship as viewed by existential psychotherapy: Re- evaluating the world. Journal of Contemporary Psychotherapy. 32(1), 111-118. Szasz, T. (2005). What is existential therapy not? Existential Analysis. 16(1), 127-130. Retrieved from PsycINFO database. Read More