ence in behavior modification. Group work can help participants find better ways of responding to the life challenges that brought them to the group in the first place.
When I started this course, I was already aware of the potential benefits of group therapy. I had witnessed several groups at work, including one that brought together women dealing with the complexities of domestic violence. I saw how the initial act of joining the group gave members a sense that their problems were not unique and were, therefore, solvable. I saw how members learned to support one another and to develop solutions and coping mechanisms for others that they had not originally considered as applying to their own circumstances. I saw how the groupÆs eventual dissolution acted as a kind of ôlight at the end of the tunnel,ö encouraging members to look beyond the work of the group to finding more permanent ways of dealing with their individual lives.
I am a white, middle class, middle-aged woman looking to establish a career in counseling after raising a family. When I began my studies, I was resuming undergraduate studies that had never had a specific focus and that had been interrupted by the demands of a personal life that took me away from an organized academic life. Returning to college and choosing a major was a daunting task, and, although I have always had an interest in psychology, counseling, and social work, I was not confident that I would be able to keep up and master all the diverse aspects of this complex field. Specifically, when I selected a course in group processes, I thought initially that I was taking on an entirely new subject of study.
Instead, I was surprised to realize that I have been studying for this class my whole life. Every high school prom committee meeting, PTA gathering, city council session, marketing focus group, and every other organization in which I have ever participated was experience in group wo...