Who Do We Really Want To Let In? Patient Selection Who Do We Really Want To Let In?

YAVIS Young Attractive Verbal Intelligent Socially Competent

SOLEN Socially Distressed Older Loners Emotionally Unattractive Nonverbal

How do counselors select clients for group? They don’t, clients are selected for them and then deselect themselves out!

Exclusion Criteria braindamaged paranoid hypochondriacal substance addicted psychotic sociopathic

Focus: Can The Client “DO” Group? Can the client develop trust? Can the client develop relationships? Can the client interact in a manner that is honest and open? Can the client interact in a manner that will not harm others?

Other Contraindications Crisis- better treated as crisis! Acute Suicidal- detrimental to other members nonattenders- zap vitality and motivation

Dropouts Less Psychologically Minded More Somatic Complaints Therapist liking and ability to empathize** Lower SES? In crisis- leave when crisis resolves High deniers- leave when confronted Isolates who disrupt the group very angry withdrawn and nonparticipatory “They functioned on a different level of communication from that of the rest of the group. They remained at the symptom-describing, advice-giving and -seeking, or judgemental level and avoided discussion of immediate feelings and here-and-now interaction.” Fear of emotional contagion- voyeaurs are good

Criteria for Inclusion Motivation Interpersonal concerns for which the client accepts some responsibility Clients who cannot readily “see” themselves Ability to disclose and be active= popular

Preparing Members for Here and Now Counseling Unabashedly Stolen from Sklare, Keener & Mas- University of Louisville

Active Membership Is Essential For Growth Membership Criteria and Roles should be well defined Pre-group Traing reduced anxiety, promotes action, increases self-exploration, cohesion & interpersonal interactions Increase expectations and Hope Use written information after 3 sessions to increase “here and now” interaction

Create Awareness of Behavioral Expectations Help members: focus on present avoid blaming avoid making suggestions avoid dependency

Pregroup Meeting Teach about sumbling blocks: Reduce Dropouts feeling puzzled, discouraged frustration over sharing time annoyance with the leader keeping info secret subgrouping Reduce Dropouts

Overpreparing? It is possible to overprepare and therefore “do” some of the work the group needs to do itself

Norms of Group Behaviors and Possible Leader Responses

“You” Language teach members not to use de-personalizing language you speech dilutes self-expression avoids responsibility allows members to incorrectly speak for others

“We” Language discourages individual thinking inhibits confrontation by creating false “we” provides support where none may exist

Questioning are declarative statements hidden by sender allows false activity because questioner is hidden increases defensiveness and resistance

Speaking in the Third Person avoids direct contact and other’s response signals that person being discussed is somehow deficient disguises some other issue

Approval Seeking signals self-doubt member seeking support passively

Rescuing When members are interrupted from expressing thoughts and feelings, chance of resolution is diminished increases dependency opportunity for growth is removed

Analyzing allows distancing from group elevates the member to superior position minimizes member’s own problems evokes resentment in others