Chapter 13 and 14McKenna Dennstedt, Taylor Herrick, Amanda

Hillesheim, Laura Rudie

Chapter 13Working With the Individual and the Group

The Concept of Role in a Dynamic System • Sociology, social psychology, and anthropology approach the

problems of role through the use of special concepts and techniques (Shulman 2015).

• Individuals have different individual and social roles.

• Individuals tend to present themselves in different ways because of certain pressures and demands of others.

The Impact of Oppression on Social Role • The outer self of survivors of oppression represents their adaptive

behavior to the defined situation of oppression (Shulman 2015).

• Influences individual's true self-identity.

• Many characteristics can affect the interaction between individuals.

Formal and Informal Roles in the Group• For formal roles the essential idea is that group roles are

functionally necessary and are required for productive work (Shulman 2015).

• Every group also creates informal roles to help in its work, even though these might never be openly acknowledged (Shulman 2015).

• Informal roles often have individual step up and be a leader when they were not assigned that role.

The Scapegoat• One of the most common-and one of the most distressing-problems

in work with groups (Shulman 2015).

• The scapegoat is a group member who is attacked, verbally or physically, by other members (Shulman 2015).

• It is often seen that the negativity put onto the scapegoat reflects the individual who is doing the harm.

Strategies for Addressing the Scapegoating Pattern1. First, the group leader observes the pattern over time.

2. Second, group leaders must understand their own feelings in the situation to avoid siding with or against the scapegoat.

3. Third, by using the tuning-in skill, group leaders can attempt the search out the potential connections between the scapegoat and the group. What is about themselves that they don’t like or what issues are they al struggling with and are projecting onto the scapegoat?

4. If the group leaders are not clear about these connections, they can ask the group to reflect on the question.

5. Finally, the next step involves pointing out the pattern to the group and the scapegoat. Thus, the group leader asks the group to look at its way of working and to begin the struggle to find a more positive adaptive process (Shulman 2015).

The “Deviant” Member• The term deviant is used broadly to describe a member whose

behavior deviates from the general norm of the group (Shulman 2015).

• Deviant behavior is always a form of communication (Shulman 2015).

• Deviant behavior in a group may express a communication that has meaning for the group as a whole (Shulman 2015).

Can play an important social role

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Yb87wfjqD6s

Extreme Versus Mild Deviance• On the extreme end would be a client or group member who evinces bizarre

behavior that is totally inappropriate for the group (Shulman 2015).

• Found in meetings that multiple people can go to such as community meetings.

Deviant Behavior as a Functional Role• Can be viewed simply as a member who, for various reasons, feels a particular

concern or emotion more strongly than the others in the group do (Shulman 2015).

• The greater sense of urgency causes the deviant member to express the more widely held feeling (Shulman 2015).

• The deviant member of the group should not always be excluded from the group, for they could be addressing something others would not.

The Internal Leader• Group leaders who are unsure of their role often experience internal

leaders as a threat to their authority (Shulman 2015).

• The internal learner becomes a problem when they test the authority of the main group leader.

• In many situations the internal learner seems like the deviant but most times are not.

The Gatekeeper• A member guards the “gates” through which the group must pass

for the work to deepen (Shulman 2015).

• When the group discussion gets close to a difficult subject, the gatekeeper intervenes to divert the discussion (Shulman 2015).

• The gatekeeper is often the group member who has experienced the issue even more powerfully than the others and has the most to protect (Shulman 2015).

The Defensive Member• The defensive membe refuses to admit there is a problem, to take

suggestions or help from the group after a problem has been raised (Shulman 2015).

• The defensive member makes excuses for almost everything presented to the group.

• Individuals who are defensive usually express themselves in this way because of painful experiences.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vjSTNv4gyMM

The Quiet Member• The quiet member is one who remains noticeably silent over an

extended period of time (Shulman 2015).

• Often times the quiet member can create problems because the group does not know what they are thinking and can come off judgemental.

• Sometimes the reasoning for a quiet member is because they cannot relate to the situation.

The Monopolizer• The monopolizer is the person who talks a great deal.

• The monopolizer is usually the greatest problem for the group leader when they do not listen to others opinions and insight.

• A way to help the situation is to address the individual and ask if they can listen to others thoughts.

The Group-as-a-Whole• Describing the Group-as-a-Whole

• It is not easy to describe this second client called the group-as-a-whole. In part, the difficulty comes from the fact that we cannot actually see the properties that describe a group (Shulman 2015).

• A collection of individuals (Shulman 2015).

• The group as an Organism• When attempting to describe something as complex as a group, using a model is

helpful. A model, as discussed in Chapter 1, is a concrete, symbolic representation of an abstract or real phenomenon (Shulman 2015).

• To develop a model to describe a group, we must find an appropriate metaphor (Shulman 2015).

• Focus on the group’s developmental, internal, and external tasks (Shulman 2015).

Developmental Tasks for the GroupGroup formation tasks

• The group needed to develop a working contract that reflected the individual members’ needs as well as the service stake of the sponsoring setting (Shulman 2015).

• This consensus reflects the common concerns shared by members as well as an agreement as to where the work might start (Shulman 2015).

Meeting individual members’ needs• Members feel a sense of belonging and develop a stake in the work of the group

when they can perceive that their own related needs are being met (Shulman 2015).

• If the members do not feel a sense of belonging, they often feel the need to remove themselves from the group.

The Relationship to the Leader: The Authority Theme● Authority theme - relationship between the

leader and the group members (Shulman, 2015).

● Focuses on aspects to be dealt with during the life of the group:

○ The leader's role in control, responsibility, and status as an outsider.

○ The group’s reactions to the leaders demands, limitations, and caring.

● As authority issues are handled, groups can start to work on the relationships among members (intimacy phase) (Shulman, 2015).

https://image.slidesharecdn.com/teambuildingandleadershipskills-13357750126751-phpapp01-120430033839-phpapp01/95/team-building-and-leadership-skills-25-728.jpg?cb=1335757223

The Bennis and Shepard Model - The Issue of Authority● Addresses themes of authority and intimacy

● Personalities typically found in the group:

○ Dependent member - afraid of the leader and their authority.

○ Counterdependent member - wants the leader to take responsibility for the group.

● First major phase of group development: Dependence phase

○ Dependence-flight

○ Counterdependence-flight

○ Resolution catharsis

● Barometric event - group takes responsibility and develops internal leadership when there is a passive leader (Shulman, 2015).

Issues of the Authority ThemeWho owns the group? Members should not let the

authority of the leader get in the way of their rights.

The group leader as the outsider Leader doesn’t have proper life experience that applies to the main idea of the group.

The group leader’s demand for work Some angry members = job well done

The group leader’s limitations Leaders can’t solve members’ problems.

The group leader as a caring and giving person Seeing the leader act empathetically inspires powerful responses and mutual flow of positive affect.

https://s-media-cache-ak0.pinimg.com/originals/5c/b4/96/5cb496e117071b21c4422e707cdef2d6.jpg

Group Member Relations: Intimacy Theme (Bennis and Shepard Model)Second phase in group development: Interdependence phase Enchantment-flight Disenchantment-flight Consensual validation

Personalities found in the group: Overpersonal Counterpersonal

Can only reach this phase if authority issues are dealt with first.

Stone Center: Intimacy and Relational ModelRelational model consists of 3 main

constructs (Shulman, 2015):

Paradox - contradiction that contains a truth

Connection - joining in relationship through fully experiencing the other's presence

Resonance - “a resounding; an echoing”

Recommendations to dealing with anger between members (Shulman, 2015):

Don’t cut off confrontation too early

Don’t allow for confrontation to continue for too long

Empathize with and validate the feelings of each member

Point out communalities in the group

Refer to overarching purpose of the group

Developing A Culture for WorkGroup norms - rules of behavior that have been accepted by group

members (Shulman, 2015).Should be consistent with those necessary for realization of its goals.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MqtXCRW5pmo

Taboos - social prohibitions related to conventions or traditions (Shulman, 2015).

http://www.trendntech.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/10/taboo.jpg

Bion’s Emotionality TheoryWork Group

Consists of mental activity related to a group’s task.

Members come together under basic assumption to do/avoid work.

Can easily turn into a dependent group (get help from leader).

Basic-Assumption Group

Members act as if their behavior is motivated by a shared assumption about the purpose of the group (Shulman, 2015).

Rooted in the idea of a group unconscious capable of acting even withoutthe group members’ awareness (Shulma n, 2015).

https://image.slidesharecdn.com/lmsuinteractiveeducation2011-120204113834-phpapp01/95/lmsu-interactive-education-elyssebeth-leigh-25-728.jpg?cb=1328356116

Chapter 14Endings and Transitions With Groups

Ending Phase of Group PracticeThere are 3 decisions to make:

Decide whether they are prepared to engage

Members agree to take some responsibility

Whether to deal with issues

“ Delucia-Waack (2006) suggests the importance of addressing endings even in psychoeducational groups and addresses factors that may cause leaders to ignore the importance of this phase.” p 623

Consolidate their learning and develop strategies for transferring what they learned in the group to daily life

Dynamics and Skills of EndingsFlow of Affect in the Ending Phase

• Pain associated with ending a relationship

Guilt may surface as well

• Things may have been left unsaid

• Clear up misconseptions

• Understanding that their may be cultural barriers

• Positive feedback enables both

members to value what has taken place

Timing and the Ending Phase• Depends on length of relationship

• Cues mark the beginning of the ending phase

• Strategize about how to make sure they don’t end prematurely

Stages of the Ending PhaseDenial

• Members appear to ignore the imminent end of the group

Anger

• Emerges in direct and indirect forms

• Focused on group leader

• Group members feel they are abandoning them

• Adults can express anger by missing group sessions

Mourning

• Apathy and a general tone of sadness happens in this stage

Trying it on for Size

• Operate independently of the group leader or spend a great deal of time talking about new groups or leaders

• Need to sit back and watch and be pleased iwth how they had learned to depend on and use one another

Farewell-Party Syndrome• Appear to protect the group by avoiding discussing it’s negative aspects

• Group may ask for feedback on how group has functioned

• Suggests throwing an actual farewell partin in attempt to avoid the pain of the ending

Show to be substituted for saying good-bye

Group Leader Strategies With Regard to EndingBring ending to group members attention

Stages should be pointed out as group experiences them

Group leader can bring personal feelings and recollections to the group

Discuss ending feelings

Be specific as they evaluate their work

Reach past farewell-party syndrome to encourage members to share negative feedback

Not everyone will experience the ending in the same way

Group Leader Strategies With Regard to Transitions• Members continue with other group

leaders

• How have members learned and can use their learning in their new experience

• If members found group helpful how can they find similar sources?

• Some situations can take form of a physical transition

• Group leader should search for the subtle connections between the process of the ending and the substitute work of the group

https://youtu.be/4NxMtG4Jp98

The Group Leader Takes a Leave of Absence: Transitioning to an Interim Leader

Primary leader needs to take a leave of absence and intends to return, with the group lead by an interim leader

5 steps need to be planned and implemented when a leave is known about in advance

Providing ample time for the announcement of the primary leaders leaving

Developing a system of transfer through meetings between the interim leader and primary leaders

Introducing the group members to the interim leaders

Processing group members feelings and reactions about the transfer

Reintroducing the group members the the primary leader when the leave of absence ends and the interim leader departs

Three Additional Group Illustrations 1.Ending with Hearing-Impaired Teenager’s Group - This illustration consists

of a group of teenagers who are hearing-impaired. The leader’s goal is to help prepare and comfort the group in the transition of getting a new leader.

2.A Support Group for Patients with Multiple Sclerosis - When a leader is leaving the support group for people with MS they will try to initiate powerful, vulnerable conversations about intimacy and loss.

3.Adult Female Survivors of Childhood Abuse: Ending Over Time - Just like the ending and transition phase for the other illustrations, this takes time as well. As a leader for this type of support group, it is important to reminisce on previous conversations, not to bring up bad feelings but to point out the courage and growth each individual has undergone. Resiliency should be talked about and they should be reminded that they not only survived, but they fought it.

Ethical Issues Related to Endings Working in a group setting can be difficult for a variety of reasons. The survey that was done by the American Group Psychotherapy Association talks about different scenarios that can cause ethical issues to arise. Some of these scenarios include:

● Over one quarter of the respondents in the group setting experienced verbal or acting out appeals from members to extend the group and felt the need to extend the group in response to members getting more symptomatic even though they understood the ethical issues involved in changing the agreed-upon framework (Shulman, 2016).

● Another scenario is when someone leaves unexpectedly from the group, and the group members want an explanation even though they know the group leader needs to protect that client’s privacy.

● Extending off of the previous scenario, the same protocol goes if a group member were to commit suicide.

● There is also conflict and ethical issues apparent during endings because many group members think that the ending of therapy should be jointly decided by the therapist, client, and group.