The purpose of this course is to help students develop the minimum knowledge and skills competencies identified by the Association for Specialists in Group Work. These competencies are listed below.

"Completion of core group work training competencies does not prepare a counseling professional to independently assume responsibility for conducting any of the specializations included in the ASGW training standards (e.g. task groups, psychoeducational groups, counseling groups, psychotherapy groups). Additional focused training is required for independent practice in a group work specialty." (from ASGW Training Standards as posted at http://www.uc.edu/~wilson/asgw/rainbow.htm; emphasis added).

Core Training Knowledge Competencies

1. Deliver a clear, concise, and complete definition of group work, of each of the four group work specialties (task groups, psychoeducational groups, counseling groups, psychotherapy groups) the distinguishing characteristics of each, the commonalties shared by all, and the appropriate instances in which each is to be used and for what specific purposes.
2. Identify the basic principles of group dynamics.
3. Discuss the basic therapeutic ingredients of groups.
4. Identify the personal characteristics of group workers that have an impact on members; knowledge of personal strengths, weaknesses, biases, values, and their effect on others.
5. Describe the specific ethical issues that are unique to group work.
6. Discuss the body of research on group work and how it relates to one's academic preparation in either school counseling, student personnel education, community counseling, or mental health counseling.
7. Define the process components involved in typical stages of a group's development (i.e., characteristics of group interaction and counselor roles.
8. Describe the major facilitative and debilitative roles that group members may take.
9. State the advantages and disadvantages of group work and the circumstances for which it is indicated or contraindicated.
10. Identify principles and strategies for recruiting and screening prospective group members and detail the importance of group and member evaluation.

1. Encourage participation of group members.
2. Observe and identify group process events.
3. Attend to and acknowledge group member behavior.
4. Clarify and summarize group member statements.
5. Open and close group sessions.
6. Impart information in the group when necessary.
7. Model effective group leader behavior.
8. Engage in appropriate self-disclosure in the group.
9. Give and receive feedback in the group.
10. Ask open-ended questions in the group.
11. Empathize with group members.
12. Confront group members' behavior.
13. Help group members attribute meaning to their experience.
14. Help group members to integrate and apply learnings.
15. Demonstrate ASGW ethical and professional standards in group practice.
16. Keep the group on task in accomplishing its goals.

Go to Top

Faculty Home Page