Group Counseling Psychology Case Study

 

 

• Answer the seventeen questions in a “question and answer” format. It needs to be double-spaced WITH A FONT NO HIGHER OR LOWER THAN 12.
• GROUP COUNSELING CASE STUDY

You have been an intern for a mental health agency for the last eight months. Your supervisor has informed you that you will both lead a group starting next week.  Your supervisor will lead the group while your role is to observe the interactions of the participants. They have already been pre-screened to be part of the group.

The group consists of young adults who have considered but not attempted suicide and have experienced depression sometime in their recent past. The group includes two males and three females in the age bracket of 19-24. This is the background information you are given the week before the group begins:

Lorenzo – 21 years old, Latino background, was arrested at 18 for a minor assault offense and has had gang affiliation at an earlier time in his life. He has a 3 year old son with his ex-girlfriend, Anita.

Brian – 19 years old, Caucasian background, and comes from a wealthy upper class family. He was dismissed from his college after the first year for repeated drug abuse but the details are sketchy. His girlfriend of one year just recently broke up with him.

Tonya – 23 years old, African American background, and has experienced sexual abuse in her childhood. She has resisted authority in the past which has hampered her ability to keep a job for more than 6 months at a time.

Bethanne – 20 years old, Caucasian background, and had an abortion when she was 18 of which her parents do not know about. She has hinted at alcohol abuse but has never really disclosed any information. She has found that her faith is a strong vehicle for catharsis for most of her young adult life.

Janelle – 24 years old, Philippine American background, and comes from a family with low socioeconomic status and strong religious beliefs. Her family came to the US when she was 10 years old and she has suffered with bouts of depression ever since she graduated from high school. She still lives at home with her parents and works a part-time in the family business.

This will be the first time the group has come together. They have already been pre-screened to attend this group. It has been explained to you that this will be Lorenzo’s second attempt at group counseling because of his anger management conflicts in the past. He has since attended individual counseling and his counselor now believes he is ready to attend group counseling again.  Tonya initially did not want to attend the group but with professional counseling from her individual counselor, has agreed to attend.

As you prepare for the first group encounter, please answer the following questions:

What are some concerns that stand out to you concerning each of the individuals in this group?

What benefit will vicarious learning (p. 413) be for the group members?

How can the tool of universality benefit the members?

How can you utilize the tool of family reenactment?

How would the role of the counseling process affect the group’s goals?

Based on the list on pages 417-18, which titles(s) would best describe this group?

Based on the description on page 420, would this group be “heterogeneous” or “homogeneous?” Why?

During the initial stage of counseling, what would you want to accomplish?

If Lorenzo was labeled as an “aggressor,” (p. 425) what would you want to keep an eye out for?

If Tonya was labeled as an “obstructor,” (p. 426) what would you want to keep an eye out for?

Based on the list on pages 429-31, what diversity issues would you want to be mindful of with this group?

Who would you want to know about in regard to their “acculturation?”

Out of the “Survey of Supportive Disciplines” listed on pages 173-78, how would you utilize theology  or literature ?

Discuss the importance of Social Class (p. 184).

Which of the “Faulty Assumptions” listed in the textbook on pages 188-90 might apply to this group?

Why is the factor of “worldview” (pgs. 201-02) important?

Read the Diversity Issues in chapter 12 on pages 429-31. Describe the one that applies to YOU the most.