Group Leadership in Counseling

Views of Group Counseling Leadership

Most authors agree that group counselors are leaders (e.g. Polcin, 1991; Conyne, Harvill, Morganett & Morran, 1990). However, there is disagreement regarding views of counselors as leaders. For example, Hansen, Warner, and Smith (1986) have pointed out that some authors feel that counselors should be authoritarian leaders (exerting control from a position of status) while others believe group leaders should take a more democratic leadership role (group-centered, non-directive role). Such views are developed from a focus that is fixed on the position of the counselor as a leader.

Still other views focus on counselor leadership behavior from the standpoint of relationship. According to Peterson and Nisenholz (1987), such views focus on the interpersonal skills of group counselors, emphasizing those leadership tasks (e.g. self-disclosure, giving and receiving feedback, and so forth) that assist in forming an effective helping relationship.

Other authors' views of leadership focus on leader actions. Such views emphasize the functions of the group leader through specification of those actions attendant to each function. For example, Yalom (1985)

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psychotherapists/counselors often have deep feelings of empathy, sympathy and compassion for people in general. These feelings are unconditional in that they persist despite others' negative qualities. (10) Interpersonal relations - Effective psychotherapists/counselors tend to have deep, interpersonal relationships with others through they may be selective in choosing friends. (11) Democratic - Effective psychotherapists/counselors do not discriminate on the basis of class, education, race or color; rather, they respect everyone as potential contributors to knowledge. (12) Ethics/Morals - Effective psychotherapists/counselors are highly ethical, able to clearly distinguish means from ends. (13) Sense of humor - Effective psychotherapists/counselors have a philosophical, unhostile sense of humor. (14) Creativity - Effective psychotherapists/counselors tend to be create with a novel and direct way of looking at things. Additional insight into the attributes of psychotherapists/counselors may be obtained by noting that many people who enter the field of counseling as students have already had experience in the helping professions as teachers, nurses, or ministers. Further, many of the same attributes that have made them ei
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Approximate Pages = 8 (250 words per page)

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