This paper is a detailed examination of my theoretical orientation to group work and the ways it has changed as a result of my involvement in this course. It considers the personal qualities that I bring to involvement and interaction in group processes, as well as the what I learned from two textbooks (the second edition of Group Techniques by Gerald Corey, Marianne Schneider Corey, Patrick Callanan, and J. Michael Russell and the sixth edition of Groups: Process and Practice by Marianne Schneider Corey and Gerald Corey) and how my own involvement in a number of groups has had an impact on the evolution of my attitude about the effectiveness of working as part of a group. It looks at a diverse range of techniques and leadership styles that I have experienced and studied, and evaluates each one for its personal relevance. It examines related issues, including ethnicity, ethics, and the ages of the groupÆs participants, as they relate to group work. Finally, it uses the stages through which the texts posit that groups pass in their formation, work together, and conclusion of their work, and discusses how I have experienced these stages in a number of different kinds of situations.
Groups are a fundamental structure for accomplishing a wide variety of human tasks. Corey and Corey (2002) write, ôGroups are the treatment of choice, not a second-rate approach to helping people change . . . Groups are designed to remediate specific problems or to prevent problemsö (p. 7). In counseling, groups can help individuals understand that others share the same problems and can empower them by encouraging them to help others find solutions that can also be applied to their own situations.
Corey and Corey (2002) observe, ôMany of the problems that bring people to counseling are interpersonally rooted and involve difficulties in forming or maintaining intimate relationshipsö (p. 7). Working within groups can provide practical experi...