The Advantages and Disadvantages of Group Counseling - Case Study Example

Treatment Plan Treatment Plan For Sarah`s treatment, the best treatment plan is specifically evidence-based to tackle the problems that she has in a group counselling setting. The treatment should address social phobia since she avoids social contact with anyone. Depression; Sarah is depressed because of the death of her father and what happened to him. Sarah has shown disruptive behaviors like the fits of anger and acting out at home. Communication has also been an uphill task between Sarah and her mother. Sarah has been affected enormously by her father`s death, therefore, it identifies the cause of overweight, poor complexion, and poor hygiene habits. It is important to consider what a good group counseling can assist Sarah to cope with the death of her father and learn the importance of having friends. Also, to learn the importance of socializing and talking out issues affecting her. Group counselling, in the case of Sarah, mainly intends to heal the new family structure after the loss of her father`s life, who seemed to have been very close to her. Therefore, it is up to the group to assist her to know that her mother is now there with her to assist her and talk to her. The group is set to assist her manage the crisis situations in her life. The intention of group counselling is finding solutions to problems that are existent through sharing with one another. The Advantages and Disadvantages of Group Counseling Sarah has the potential of improving in a group setting to help her deal with the trauma of losing her father, and also, assist with her other trauma-based problems like improving her personal communication and social skills. The advantages of group counselling for Sarah are fundamental for improving her social skills. Sarah has an awkward relationship with her friends because she withdraws from communicating with them, as well as a non-existent communication with her mother, and also, learning new ways from the members of the counselling group that assist her in coping with her acting out and fits of anger (Prout & Brown 2007). Sarah can benefit from group counselling as she is bound to realize that she is not alone. Group counselling is a great eye opener for Sarah to realize that there are others like her who experience the same problems as she is, and hence, develop a sense of understanding and coping with the problems. Group counselling gives the participant a better understanding and a wider perspective of the problem. The disadvantages in group counselling do not have effective leadership for the clients that are debilitating to the group members. It can result to worsening of the group member`s problems. There is bound to be problems in reaching out to express the problems they experience in some of the members and the seriousness of the group usefulness by the interpersonal effectiveness and participant of all the members. Group Preferences and Ethical Issues The best group for Sarah to join is one that is set to help girls. It is evident that girls need careful handling to do because the environment is stressful, especially if one of the parents is recently deceased. The group should give Sarah and the rest of the group members a good approach in daily interactions, coping with bad moods and social interactions, as well as improving their self-esteem. Also, the group should give a good approach in improving other co-curricular activities such as games and other initiatives that help in self-exploration and in self-improvement (Prout & Brown 2007). Getting feedback in a sharing environment is a known catalyst for developing Sarah`s constructive and supportive environment for her friends, as well as communication with her mother. A group counseling setting is assistive for clients like Sarah, who have weight and complexion problems. Group counselling has the capabilities to assist Sarah workout with the assistance from her fellow group members. Group activities such as journaling and art therapy are the best for troubled teens to express themselves and develop confidence. Assistance for clients like Sarah is important to help in making decisions that are healthy, for instance, maintaining cleanliness. Sarah has this problem, and therefore, the help is of value to improve her cleanliness. The ethical issues in school-based are very complicated because the subject of concern is teens. There is a wide spectrum of psychosomatic problems that children have and the numerous interventions, and the question is whether group-based counselling is a good intervention approach. A group based intervention is a good approach, and it offers a means that is proactive for countering trauma. Group Experiences Disruptive behavior happens a lot in group counselling because some individuals are not set to change or accept change and the assistance offered in the group settings. These individuals are noticed to interrupt the progress of others persistently by leading them towards the wrong direction instead of towards a progressive, and positive improvement in the problem experienced. Some of these behaviors involve a physical threat; hence making those progressing in fear to continue contributing to the group (Prout & Brown 2007). The physical threat involves harassing and insulting some members who are making progress towards those that are not making progress and do not seem to fit in the group. Sometimes, other issues like too much weight contribute to the alienation of some members because they are laughed at and abused. Poor leadership is also another cause of negative regressive behavior, especially when the leader of the group does not give everyone a chance to express the feelings bottled up deep inside. Leadership and management of the group contribute towards the personal development or regressive behavior, this depends on the activities and plans and rules enforcement impacts many habits of the participants. Identifying regressive behavior and assisting to make a positive step is a significant part in mitigating the habits that members show. For Sarah to face these challenges and its impacts, she needs courage to focus on the objectives of the group, and reach out to express the opinion that previously needs expressing, but hard to express. For the leaders to assist Sarah, there is a need to state the goals and follow up with the members on a personal level, explicitly tell the members of the consequences of inappropriate behavior. The behavior Sarah needs to tone down is the fits of anger and acting up. She needs to associate herself with members that make progress in order to avoid being pulled back. Identification and Communication The identification of Sarah for counselling was done by her mother when she approached us to offer her daughter psychological help. It is essential to note that the mother had done what she thought she could to help her daughter, but realized her inability. The fact that she requested help for her daughter means that her daughter needed professional help. Sarah, therefore, requires someone who has the same problem to speak to. Someone who will not judge her and instead open to her and share a similar or an experience that is the same problem oriented. I felt she indeed is ready for group counseling, and the group is the best platform for intervention. The most appropriate intervention-based methods for helping Sarah to be communicative in group counselling is taking psych education handouts and worksheets. These are meant to identify the strengths and weaknesses of Sarah, and the most appropriate way to improve the weaknesses and bring balance in ways of controlling the strengths and weaknesses to attain a better relationship with others. Other ways are personal improvement quizzes that identify stress levels. For Sarah, she mostly needs effective and non-effective communication quizzes. She also needs integrative therapy that involves mostly talking to other group members (Peterson, Esplanade & Peterson 1995). Group Pressure and Conformity A group pressure to conform is a part that every teen undergoes and needs self-definition to face and come through safely. However, if this happens to a traumatized teen, it has the capabilities of disorienting the person, if the person has been precluded by the group and is trying to remain accepted despite the cost of being the group`s scapegoat. During group treatment, the target is to get the individual an identity that they stand for, and an image of their own and not that of a group. Scapegoating of other individuals in groups happens a lot and to assist people like Sarah, who opt to reclusiveness is to have self-definition in the physical confrontation because of traumatic experience that causes withdrawal. For Sarah, the death of her father in unclear ways and probable knowledge of taunting individuals who make fun of such matters, if a person they are making fun of has not joined a group or is refusing to join the group of those taunting him or her. Therefore, Sarah needs to be prepared psychologically by finding her identity and making choices on her own and not decisions made by groups. In the avoidance of group thinking, Sarah needs to be open to advice from others, and sharing an opinion that is right to her and doing what makes sense and is right. Sarah needs to develop a high self-esteem as individuals known to conform to groups are individuals who have low self-esteem. Another way to avoid being normatively and conforming to the group is being aware of one`s actions. If already confirmed, Sarah needs to have idiosyncrasy credits that allow her to avoid doing things with serious consequence (Peterson, Esplanade & Peterson 1995). The ethical issues in group counselling are identifying the reasons for an individual wishes to join the group. The act is to prevent the use of dubious means to gain membership or assisting an individual to get a membership because of fear of someone, who could harm the enrolling individual. Another is to let an individual leave the group on their own by letting the individual leave by letting the leader know the reason for leaving, as well as the group members. Practitioners need to prevent violation of privacy, confidentiality, power, as well as psychological risks involved. The practitioner needs to understand the cultural values of the clients. The practitioner needs to use a multicultural approach in assessing, diagnosing and treating plans to prevent harming the clients. Risk Behavior Risk behaviors among teens contribute a lot to deviant behavior, and eventually these behaviors are as a result of deprivation and disorganization. A transition period is most traumatic without the help of a grown up, community norms, family history, and family management. These behaviors are risky for teens, and therefore, the family needs to be there to support them and as said before, it is very traumatic for teens without an identity or those that have undergone a traumatic event. These are normally very vulnerable. For a leader to reduce the risk behaviors, the group members have to bond, have self-identity and esteem, psychological help and norm changing. There is a course to support behavioral change not only for parents, but the entire society. For a school-based counselling approach, it is very effective to support each other in the group and claim responsibility for each other (Peterson, Esplanade & Peterson 1995). The act means that every member should assist the other even when they are not in a group or at school. The best approach is to bond and share situations honestly to encourage such responsible behavior. Develop positive friendships that stay meant for positive development, as well as assistance during moments of difficulty. The intention is to provide assistance and support for each other with the oversight of the group leader. Conclusion A treatment plan of this sort that is adopted by the school is important, and is going to assist the traumatized students to cope with problems and make positive improvements towards successful psychological treatment of students. The advantages of group counseling for Sarah are fundamental for improving her social skills. The ethical issues in group counseling are identifying the reasons for an individual wishes to join the group. References Peterson, J. S., Esplanade, P., & Peterson, J. S. (1995). Talk with teens about feelings, family, relationships, and the future: 50 guided discussions for school and counseling groups. Minneapolis, MN: Free Spirit Pub. Prout, H. T., & Brown, D. T. (2007). Counseling and Psychotherapy with Children and Adolescents: Theory and Practice for School and Clinical Settings. Hoboken: John Wiley & Sons. Read More