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Group Counseling
Introduction
Why does group counseling work?
What do I talk about in group?
Ground rules
How do I sign up?
Current groups
The first question
that many students have is "Just what is group counseling, anyway?" The short
answer is, group counseling is one of the forms of counseling that are offered at
the Furman Counseling Center. That might sound obvious, but it is important to understand what is
meant by that statement: the counseling work that happens in groups is just as meaningful
and "real" as that which takes place in the individual counseling context.
In group
counseling, approximately eight individuals meet face-to-face with trained group
therapists. During the group meeting time, members are responsible for talking about what
is troubling them. Discussion flows according to what members would like to talk
about -- the group leaders do not, for the most part, assign topics for the group to
discuss. Members are encouraged to give support and feedback to others, and to
work with the responses and associations that other members' contributions bring up for
them.
Feedback involves expressing
your own feelings and thoughts about what someone else says or does, or about what is
happening in the group as a whole. This kind of interaction between group members is
encouraged, and provides each person with an opportunity to try out new ways of relating
to herself and others. It also provides members with an opportunity for learning more
about their own interpersonal styles.
Group work usually
begins with a focus on the establishment of trust. Members work to establish a
level of trust that allows them to talk personally and honestly. Group trust is enhanced
when all members make a commitment to the group.
One of the things
that makes the group therapy situation unique is that it is a closed and safe system.
People who join groups must agree to keep the content of the group sessions confidential.
What people talk about or disclose in groups remains strictly among the members of the
group. It is not appropriate for a group member to disclose events of the group to an
outside person.
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Why
does group counseling work?
There are a number of reasons
that group counseling can be a powerful experience:
During group counseling, people begin to
see that they are not alone. Many times people feel isolated with their problems. It
is encouraging to hear that other people have similar feelings or difficulties, or have
even worked through a problem that deeply disturbs another group member.
When people come into a group and interact
freely with other group members, they usually re-experience some of the difficulties that
brought them to group therapy in the first place. Under the skilled direction of a group
therapist, the group is able to give support, provide new perspectives, and/or offer
alternatives to the person in such a way that the difficulty becomes resolved.
Group is an ideal setting for exploring
social or interpersonal difficulties -- and most of the concerns that bring students to
counseling have an interpersonal component. The group experience allows a
person to better understand her interpersonal concerns, and to develop new ways
of relating to people.
In a climate of trust, people feel free to
care about and help each other. New members are often amazed at how much their
contributions help other members. In turn, by helping others, we learn about and
help ourselves.
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What
do I talk about when I am in group counseling?
Talk about what
brought you to the Counseling Center in the first place. Tell the group members what is
bothering you. If you need support, let the group know. If you think you need
confrontation, let them know that, too. You'll get the most from the group if you can tell
people what you expect of them (and if you are having trouble identifying exactly what you
need, you can talk about that). In addition, you will probably be most
helped and satisfied if you talk about your feelings. The safety of the group permits
expression of feelings which are often very difficult to express outside the group.
When we talk about revealing our feelings,
we are talking about self-disclosure. Self-disclosure is an
important part of group counseling, and relates directly to how much people get from the
group. Of course, how much you talk about yourself will depend upon your own comfort
level. Group is not a place where people are ever forced to tell
their deepest and innermost thoughts. You are ultimately the person responsible
for how much you share.
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Ground
Rules
There are six
ground rules for participation in a group at the Rosemary Furman Counseling
Center:
The group sessions are CONFIDENTIAL. Group
members, like the leaders, are bound ethically not to disclose the contents of the group
sessions.
It takes some time to get to know the
group, and to really give yourself a chance to become a member. For this reason, and to
protect the group from "drop-ins" (students who come once and then disappear),
we ask that, if you join a group, you agree to attend at least eight sessions.
If you have decided at some point that you
have gained as much as possible from the group, or that the group isn't for you, we ask
that you come one last time to the group and say goodbye.
It is the responsibility of each person to
talk about her reasons for being in the group.
Having a feeling and acting on it are two
different things. You can talk about any feeling in the group. Acting out these feelings,
however, is not acceptable. This is true whether feelings are acted upon oneself or
another person.
If you are going to miss a session, please
let the group leaders know at least 24 hours in advance.
If you have any further questions about the
groups offered at the Counseling Center, please call (212) 854-2092.
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How do I
sign up?
To be part of a group, just call 854-2092 and
speak to our administrative assistant. She will arrange for you to meet with the
Counseling Center's group leaders, who will be happy to give you more information and
answer any questions that you have.
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Current
Groups
Relationships Group
Some students describe feeling isolated and lonely and they are not sure why. This group
is for students whose connections with others (friends, family, colleagues, romantic partners)
feel tenuous and not as secure as they would like. This group will also address family issues that
preoccupy and hamper students' happiness as they forge a new life on their own. Safe and honest communication
between group members is a major focus of this group with the goal of strengthening the members' ability
to connect with people outside the group.
Group leaders: TBA
Body Balance Group
A confidential support group for people with body dissatisfaction, food or weight
preoccupations, rigid exercise routines, compulsive over or under eating, or purging
behaviors. The goals of the group comprise minimizing and eliminating disordered
eating behaviors and strengthening regard for and appreciation of one's body.
Group leader: Julia Sheehy, Ph.D.
Coping With Loss
Coping With Loss is a support group for students who have lost a parental figure and are experiencing
emotions associated with grief that make it difficult to enjoy "college life." In this group everyone
can understand what you're going through. While we do talk about serious issues, we also laugh, share
good fortune, and exchange ideas.
Group leader: Giselle Harrington, M.Ed.
Healthy Habits
A support group for worry warts, people pleasers, and
punctilious perfectionists. The focus of this group is to share concerns
about these tendencies, provide helpful techniques to reduce these habits,
and practice them together in our group.
Group leaders: TBA
Students in Recovery
Being a student and being in recovery can be a challenge, but it can also be an exciting and rewarding experience.
Through the Alcohol and Substance Awareness Program (ASAP),
this group offers support to students who are at various points in their process of recovery. Open communication
is facilitated by a comfortable and non-judgmental environment in which students can share their experiences,
frustrations, and successes with others who really understand.
Group leader: Hilary Colenso, Ph.D.
Daughters of Alcohol and Substance Users
If you grew up in a household with a parent who abused alcohol or drugs, you are not alone. According to a
January 2000 study by the National Institute on Alcoholism and Alcohol Abuse, one out of four people come from
a family where one or both parents abuse alcohol and other drugs. Although now in college, many students
continue to deal with problems at home, whether it is their own feelings of guilt or shame, concern about
siblings, and the demands of parents. This group offers a safe and confidential place to discuss these
and other concerns with other students who really understand.
Group leader: Hilary Colenso, Ph.D.
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