GROUP COUNSELING

Marjory Levitt, Ph.D. 						CN PSY 5519 
Weiss Hall, Room 312						Tuesday 1:00-4:00
Office: 227 Ritter Annex						Spring 2008
Telephone: 215-848-7889 					Email: mlevitt@temple.edu 
Office Hours by Appointment 	 

DESCRIPTION OF THE COURSE
The purpose of this course is to explore the functions of group counseling in meeting client and student needs. Attention to both the practice of effective group leadership skills and effective group participation skills will be addressed. This course is designed to provide you with an immersion in groups in many forms. We will be consciously exploring the process and function of many types of intentional groups during the semester including large group, in-class task groups/learning groups, an experiential group, and more. Students are encouraged to extend this training and sensitivity to group process, function and content into the university community and personal life as well for a truly profound immersion experience. 

Emphasis will also be placed on facilitating your self-awareness as an evolving professional, developing skills to address the complex demands of group counseling in multicultural environments.  Readings, discussions, assignments, small group meetings and other experiential opportunities will be an aid in your self-exploration. To reach this ultimate goal, you will be expected to take an active part in this course.
Due to the emphasis on experience, lateness and absences cannot be made up.  

Group Counseling
1)	Introduce the theory and practice of group counseling.
2)	Introduce students to professional standards and practice of group treatment. These objectives will be met through class lectures, class participation, papers, observations of functioning groups outside of the classroom, and readings.
3)	Provide students the opportunity to intensively explore a group modality of choice.  
4)	Provide an in-vivo experience of group process, including the development of group participation and leadership skills. 
5)	Provide an environment in which multicultural group leadership skills may be explored and developed.

The objectives above will be met through class presentations, and participation in the experiential component of the course. Class will be divided into two sections: 
1)	A lecture/discussion/role-play component (1:00-3:00pm)
2)	An experiential component (3:00-4:00pm)

It is expected that students will read all assigned readings and be prepared to discuss them in class. Students may be selected at random by the professor to lead a discussion of the readings.

REQUIRED TEXT   (available only at Zavelle's bookstore)

Corey, G. (2008) Theory and practice of group counseling (7th Ed.). Belmont, CA: Thomson/Brooks Cole.

OTHER REQUIRED READINGS:

See Page 6 for details

SUGGESTED READINGS:

The following books are recommended for students who are serious about learning the principles and practice of group psychotherapy:

Donigian, J. & Hulse-Killacky, D. (1999).  Critical incidents in group therapy. (2nd Ed.). Belmont, CA: Wadsworth/Brooks Cole.

Yalom, I. D. & Leszcz, M. (2005).  The theory and practice of group psychotherapy. (5th Ed). NY, NY: Basic Books

COURSE REQUIREMENTS

REACTION PAPERS	(100 total points)
Four (4) reaction papers will be required during the course of the semester. They should be three to five pages, typed, double-spaced, with strict adherence to APA (2001, 5th ed.) format guidelines.  Ongoing integration of relevant material from class readings and your own research is expected.
Pre-Assessment Paper – (Points = 20) A “pre-assessment” paper will focus specifically on your personal and professional goals and expectations of the course. Please identify concrete and measurable goals for yourself in either numerical or bulleted form.

An example of a concrete and specific goal: (this could be a personal or a professional goal)
	I will work to overcome my fear of speaking in front of a group.
Measures:  
I will speak at least once in the discussion portion of the class (large group).
I will initiate conversation at least once in each small group meeting.  
I will make note of each occurrence of the above in my notebook.
          Your goals should relate directly to this class and what you expect to learn in it.

Group Presentation Experience Paper – (Points = 20) This paper will focus specifically on your group experience during preparation for your presentation to the class. It should also include an assessment of the presentation performance. 
		In addition, please discuss: 
A)	How leadership emerged in your group;
B)	Conflict resolution (or lack of conflict and/or resolution of conflict) in your group
C)	Whether your group was better at task/function or better at process
D)	Please utilize data from your readings to support your conclusions and observations
	Note: The Group Presentation Reaction paper will be due no later than one week after your presentation to the class.

Group Observation Paper – (Points = 40) This paper will discuss your feelings and reactions based on your observation of four consecutive sessions of the same group. For observation, you may choose among self-help groups (e.g., AA, Al-Anon) supervision groups, or any other ongoing group of your choice. If you have doubts about the appropriateness of your chosen group, please consult the professor.
		In addition, please discuss:
A)	The goal(s) and purpose(s) of the group
B)	Group leadership (if any) and group dynamics
C)	Your perceptions of the group’s effectiveness in meeting members’ needs
D)	Group norms and ground rules
Integrate relevant readings from class and your own research, using APA Publication Manual (5th Ed.) standards. You will be given materials that describe what to observe in a group. Please familiarize yourself with this information before you observe your groups.

Post-Assessment Paper – (Points = 20) A “post-assessment” paper will focus on the following:
A)	How did you measure up according to the goals and expectations you identified in your Pre-Assessment paper?
B)	What is your assessment of your personal leadership style 
C)	What have you learned from the course?
D)	What worked and did not work about the course? Include the single most important event that contributed to your personal learning.

PRESENTATION/GROUP ACTIVITY (100 points)

Students will be divided into groups of three or four for a presentation/group activity. Each group will choose a theoretical approach and one category/type from the lists below to present to the class. Group presentations should be primarily experiential in nature. Each group will provide handouts for the class and the presentation should last about one hour (including a 20 to 30 minute role-play, group activity and/or experiential group with time for questions from your classmates afterward). In addition to informational handouts, prepare a bibliography of references you consulted.

THEORETICAL APPROACH 
(Choose one)	
Adlerian	
Behavioral	
Existential	
Gestalt	
Person-Centered (Rogerian)	
Psychoanalytic	
Psychodrama	
Psychodynamic	
Psycho educational	
Rational Emotive Behavior Therapy (REBT)	
Reality	
Transactional Analysis (TA)	
Cognitive - Behavioral	

CATEGORY/TYPE (choose one)	
Self esteem, career, mood disorders, couples	
Compulsions, drug/alcohol and other addictions, eating disorders, personality disorders	
Life change, developmental issues, aging, gender specific (e.g. men's or women's groups)	
Separation/individuation, anger, survivors of abuse, personality disorders	
Gay, Lesbian and Bisexual, coming out groups sexual dysfunction, lifestyle/life choices race/ethnicity, family, couples	
 Depression, personality disorders, anxiety	
Inpatient Hospital and other institutionalized populations.	
Issues related to suicide/loss, grief, other quality of life concerns, terminal or chronic illness, older adults	
Anger management or other behaviorally specific management skills	
People with Disabilities, chronic mental illness, career change	
Race/Ethnicity, issues of immigration, cultural dislocation, life cycle changes	
 Couples, families, older adults, work stress.	

For example, a presentation group might choose to do a gestalt group with survivors of sexual abuse, or might choose an eating disorders group with a psychoeducational approach, etc.  The tables above are not exhaustive.  If your group wants to explore an area not listed above, please check with the professor. The grade for your presentation will include thoroughness and appropriateness of the presentation; quality of handouts, feasibility of the proposal you submit; and successful integration of theory and practice. Unless unusual events occur, every member of each group will receive the same grade. Limit the didactic (lecture) portion of your presentation to no more than 10 minutes.

CLASS ATTENDANCE AND PARTICIPATION (100 weighted points)
Students are expected to attend class on time and to participate fully in all activities. This expectation includes interactive lectures, student presentations, and any experiential portions of the class. If for any reason you are unable to attend class, please contact the professor in advance. Again, the experiential nature of this course makes your prompt attendance at each class very important. Absences result in the loss of points from your total grade. Likewise, excessive lateness will also result in the loss of points. 

GRADES
Letter grades for the semester will be based on the total number of weighted points you receive:

COURSE CONTENT	
Reaction Papers	100 points	
Presentation/Group Activity	100 Points	
Attendance and Active Participation 	100 points	
TOTAL	300 points	

GRADES	
	A	276-300	
	A-	270-275	
	B+	264-269	
	B	246-263	
	B-	240-245	
	C+	225-239	
	C	210-224	

Assignments that are late and/or incomplete will be reduced by one letter grade for each day that they are late. No exceptions!!

Students are encouraged to volunteer to lead an introductory icebreaker.  More details and examples of icebreakers will be provided in class.

Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) Statement.
It is Temple University’s policy to provide reasonable accommodations to students with disabilities under the ADA.  At the beginning of each semester, any student with a disability should inform the course instructor if instructional accommodations or academic adjustments will be needed.  For more information about the ADA and academic accommodations or adjustments, contact the Office of Disability Resources and Services at 215-204-1280.  In addition, any special needs should be made known to the instructor within the first week of class.

Student and Faculty Academic Rights and Responsibilities Policy
Freedom to teach and freedom to learn are inseparable facets of academic freedom. The University has a policy on Student and Faculty and Academic Rights and Responsibilities (Policy #03.70.02) which can be accessed through the following link: http://policies.temple.edu/getdoc.asp?policy_no=03.70.02.

AS A COURTESY TO OTHERS
CELL PHONES AND PAGERS SHOULD BE OFF DURING CLASS

ADDITIONAL REQUIRED READINGS (subject to change):

1)	Kottler, J.A. (2001). The world of groups. Learning group leadership: An 	experiential approach. Boston: Allyn and Bacon.
a.	What to Observe in a Group I
b.	What to Observe in a Group II
2)	Bennis, W.G., & Shepard, H.A. (1978). A theory of group development, in L.P. 	Bradford (Ed.), Group development (2nd Ed.). San Diego: University 	Associates.

Select any two articles from the list below to read. Be sure to read your chosen articles and be prepared to discuss them in class on March 25th.

Clark, A.J. (2002). Scapegoating: Dynamics and interventions in group 	counseling. 	Journal of Counseling & Development, 80, 271-276.
Eidelson, R.J. & Eidelson, J. I. (2003). Dangerous ideas: Five beliefs that propel groups 	toward conflict. American Psychologist, 58(3), 182-192.
Furr, S.R. (2000). Structuring the group experience: A format for designing 	psychoeducational groups. Journal for Specialists in Group Work, 25(1), 29-49.
Livneh, H., Wilson, L.M., & Pullo, R.E. (2002). Group counseling for people with 	physical disabilities, pp. 435-468. In D. Capuzzi & D.R. Gross (2002). 	Introduction to group counseling (3rd ed.). Denver: Love Publishing.
Miller, J.L., House, R.M., & Tyler, V. (2002). Group counseling with gay, lesbian, and 	bisexual clients, pp. 469-500. In D. Capuzzi & D.R. Gross (2002). 	Introduction 	to group counseling (3rd ed.). Denver: Love Publishing.
Shechtman, Z., Hiradin, A, & Zina, S. (2003). The impact of culture on group 	b. Journal of Counseling & Development, 81, 208-216.
Truneckova, D. & Viney, L.L. (2007). Evaluating personal construct group work with 	troubled adolescents. Journal of Counseling & Development, 85, 450-460.

CLASS SCHEDULE
DATE/
Icebreaker	TOPIC	READINGS	
1/22	Introduction and orientation to the course	Self Knowledge Exercise	
1/29	Review: 	1) Chapters 1, 2 & 3
	2) Reading #1 (including handouts)	
	3) Video – Yalom outpatient group I
Preassessment Reaction Paper Due	Chapters 1, 2 & 3, Reading #1, including handouts a & b	
2/5	Review: 	1) Chapters 4 & 5
	2) Reading #2	Chapters 4 & 5, Reading #2	
2/12	Review: 	Chapters 17 & 18	Chapters 17 & 18	
2/19	Review: 	Chapters 6 & 7	Chapters 6 & 7	
2/26	Review: 	Chapters 8 & 9 	Chapters 8 & 9 	
3/4	Review: Chapters 10 & 11
Video – Yalom outpatient group II	Chapters 10 & 11	
3/11	Spring Break - No Class!		
3/18	Review: 	1) Chapters 12 & 13
	2) Role-plays
Group Observation Reaction Paper Due	Chapters 12 & 13 
	
3/25		1) Article Discussion
	2) Role-plays	 Selected articles (2)	
4/1	Group Presentation
Role-plays		
4/8	Review: Chapters 14 & 15
Group Presentation
Role-plays	Chapters 14 & 15	
4/15	Review: 	Chapter16
Group Presentation
	 	Chapter 16	
4/22	Group Presentation
Role-plays		
4/29	Role-plays

Post Assessment Reaction Paper Due
		
5/6	Wrap-up, Summary, and Closure	Self Knowledge Exercise