Working Stage of a Group
- Characterized by the commitment of members to explore significant problems they bring to sessions.
- There is no fine line between stages and this is especially true of the movement from transitional stage to working stage. (Example p.228)
- Some groups never evolve to the working stage, but significant work happens at every stage.
- Important to remember that not all members will be on the same level of readiness. This is true for all stages of group therapy.
Coleader Issues
Therapeutic Factors that Operate in a Group
- Ongoing Evaluation of the Group
- Discussion of Techniques
- Theoretical Orientations
- Self-Disclosure Issues
- Confrontation Issues
Self Disclosure and the Group Member
Confrontation
- At the working stage self-disclosure is more frequent and more personal
- Too much or too little disclosure can be counter-productive
- Members are able to deepen their self-knowledge through disclosing themselves to others. If disclosures are limited to safe topics, the group does not progress beyond a superficial level.
- People tend to project their own feelings onto those who keep themselves unknown.
Feedback
Cohesion and Universality
Basic part of any healthy relationship. A lack in confrontation can result in stagnation.
- Caring Confrontation- examine discrepancies between what they say and do, become aware of potentials that are dormant, and find ways of putting insight into action
- Sensitive Confrontation- helps members develop the capacity for self-confrontation.
- leads to deeper levels of intimacy in a group
- increase motivation for change
- greater insight into how one's behavior affects others
- increase willingness to take risks
- group members evaluating their experience in group more positively
- The process of interpersonal feedback encourages members to accept responsibility for the outcomes of a group and for changing the style in which they relate to others
Disclosure is not
- telling stories of one's past in a rehearsed manner.
- being open to the extent that nothing remains private.
- expressing every fleeting feeling or reaction
Appropriate Disclosure
- related to purpose and goals of group
- determine what and how much members want others to know about them
- which stage is appropriate for the level of deepness
Task of Working Stage
It is important to teach members how to give and receive feedback.
- Easier to hear difficult feedback when there is a balance of positive/supportive feedback and corrective feedback
- Feedback needs to be given in a clear, caring, and personal manner.
- Climate for support
- Bonding
- Sharing of experiences
- Mutuality within the group
- The togetherness that unites members
- A sense if belonging, warmth, and closeness, and caring and acceptance
Self-Disclosure as Group Leader
Catharsis
Energy is tied up in withholding threatening feelings.
- headaches
- stomach pains
- muscle tension
- high blood pressure
The question is not whether leaders should disclose themselves but, rather, how much, when, and for what purpose.
- by remaining anonymous, the leader limits the reaction of group members to projections
- by revealing to much, the leader can cause the group to leave feeling sorry for them.
Hope
When these tied up feelings are released, members feel a tremendous physical and emotional difference.
the belief that change is possible.
Power
Emerges from recognition that one has untapped internal reserves of creativity, courage, and strength
Members that are forced to be in group may feel hopeless and convinced that nothing will really change.
This strength is not the power over others; rather, it is the sense that one has the resources necessary to direct one's own life.
Caring and Acceptance
Willingness to Risk and to Trust
Hope is therapeutic because it gives members confidence that they have the power to choose to be different
Demonstrated by listening and being involved.
- tenderness
- compassion
- support
- and even confrontation
- Risk involves opening oneself to others, being vulnerable, and actively doing in a group is what is necessary for change.
- Members willingness to reveal themselves is largely a function of how much they trust the other group members and the leader.
- The group may stay on a plateau for a time and then return to an earlier developmental phase characterized by issues faced during the initial and transition stages.
- Periods of stagnation are normal and can be expected, yet, if they are recognized, they can be challenged and moved through.
LEADER INTERVENTIONS WITH WORKING WITH FEAR
Group Norms and Behavior
Deepening Trust
Choices to be made
Safety within a group can become an issue even at a later stage of its development, and trust will need to be reestablished.
- Group norms that were formed in earlier stages are further developed and solidified.
- Group Cohesion- primary characteristic of a well-functioning group, actually fosters action-oriented behaviors such as self-disclosure, giving and receiving feedback, discussion of here-and-now interactions, constructive confrontationm and translating insight into action.
Members may close of because
- Disclosure vs Anonymity
- Honesty vs superficiality
- Spontaneity vs Control
- Acceptance vs Rejection
- Cohesion vs Fragmentation
Working and Nonworking Group
- intensive work threatens them
- they have doubts about the validity of what they have experienced
- they have second thoughts about how involved they want to remain
- they are frightened by the display of conflict between members or the expression of painful experiences
- anticipating the eventual end of the group and are prematurely winding down
- Members may become more aware of their apprehensions as the group progresses.
- Fear us addressed differently at each stage.
- Group members normally express a range of apprehensions.
- Some mentioned are fear of being seen as stupid, incoherent, weird, and selfish.
- How the leader handles each fear depends on their relationship with the member.
Homework
- Growth and progress will look different depending on the type of group and it's members.
- Court ordered sex offenders growth in group will look different than the growth of graduate students, such as ourselves.
The group is not an end itself; rather, a place where people can learn new behaviors, acquire a range of skills in living, and practice these skills and behaviors both during group and outside of group.
Initial Stage
Working Stage
Progressing to the working stage
Interventions are aimed at providing encouragement for Grace to say more about her fear of being judged and to talk about how this fear is affecting what she is doing in the group.
Transition Stage
- When Grace discloses her fear during the working stage, we want to look for ways to involve the entire group.
- By expressing feelings that have been kept to themselves, members move out of the transitional stage.
- They acknowledge reactions and perceptions, clear up projections and misunderstandings, and work through any possible conflict.
- Interventions used with Grace's fear are geared to the level of trust that has been established in the group, quality of our relationship with her.
- Grace makes the statement, "I'm afraid people in here will be critical," we are likely to encourage her to identify ways in which she has already inhibited herself because of her fear of judgement.
- She can be asked HOW she experiences her particular fear in this group.
- Leader's interventions can assist members to move deeper into the working stage.