This document summarizes key points from Chapter 2 of The Group Counselor, which introduces common issues for beginning group leaders and the characteristics of effective group facilitation. Some important skills for group leaders are active listening, reflecting, clarifying, and summarizing. Effective leaders also have qualities like courage, caring, belief in the group process, openness, and self-awareness. While co-leadership has advantages like decreased burnout, the main disadvantages come from poor selection of or lack of communication between co-leaders. The chapter concludes with a self-assessment for leaders to evaluate their strengths and growth areas.

1. The Group
Counselor
Chapter 2

2. Main
objectives:
Chapter 2
● to introduce common issues
facing beginning group leaders
● to identify the main
characteristics of effective group
leaders
● to describe the major skills
required for effective group
facilitation
● to present the advantages and
disadvantages of co-leadership
of group

4. Group Counselor as a Person
● One of the most important tools for a group leader is the
ability to create relationships with group members.
● As a group leader, you bring your personal qualities,
values, life experiences to the group.
● The person that you are becomes a catalyst for change
in the group setting,
● Self-understanding = less harm to a group.
● One of the things to remember is that there is no
guarantee for a successful group. New OR experienced.

5. Anxiety
● Expect this as a new group leader!
● Use your anxious energy in such a way that it propels you
and does not paralyze you. How? Stinking thinking, stick
true to your values, creativity, check in with yourself, were
there things that you were going to say, but did not? Get
supervision. Use your thoughts and reflect to the client
how their behavior impacts you, as the counselor.
● Defensiveness = increased defensiveness on the client's
part. This can stem from anxiety.

6. Characteristics of an Effective Group Leader
● Courage – Willingness to be vulnerable, admitting mistakes, confront
others and be willing to work out conflicts, to examine your life, be
emotionally impacted by others and attempt to draw upon
experiences to identify with them and to be direct and honest.
● Laugh!
● Willingness to model - This helps to teach desired behaviors. Model
different ways to say things, model conflict resolution, feelings words.
● Presence - Be with your group without becoming overwhelmed. Allow
yourself to feel your emotions – this helps your ability to empathize.

7. Characteristics of an Effective Group Leader
● Caring, goodwill – Sincere interest in the welfare of others.
● Belief in the Group Process
● Openness
● Allowing criticism without becoming defensive - Model the
behavior that feedback is okay. Be flexible, keep your
boundaries.
● Being able to identify with a client's pain - reflecting on your
own experiences can help with this. How have you survived
your past?
● Self-care - help you to tap into your strengths.

8. Characteristics of an Effective Group Leader
● Self-awareness – Power, privilege, limitations, needs, values, feelings,
goals, motivations.

9. Group Leadership Skills
● Active Listening – Listening to more than just
the words. What stops you from listening?
Thinking of what to say next, how will I look,
my role?
● Reflecting – The emotional tone.
● Clarifying – distinguishing feelings, thoughts
and what the issue is with the client.

11. Group Leadership Skills Continued...
● Summarizing – Themes/elements to help the
conversation continue.
● Facilitating - Involving,
safety, encouragement, Interactions, support,
connection
● Confronting – Help group members convey
emotions, avoid labeling others, help work
through challenges.

12. Coleaders- Advantages and Disadvantages
● Advantages:
○ decreases burnout
○ less overwhelming to respond to
group needs
○ group can happen if one is absent
○ helpful with countertransference

13. Coleaders- Advantages and Disadvantages
● Disadvantages are usually due to:
○ poor selection of a coleader
○ random assignment to another
leader
○ failure of the two leaders to meet
regularly outside of group

14. Class Discussion: Group Leaders
● Chapter 2 has a section dealing with the personal
characteristics of the effective group leader. Select
what you consider the top three most essential
characteristics.
● In your small group, discuss the degree to which you
see yourself as possessing these characteristics.
● Explore some potential personal blocks that could
hamper your effectiveness as a leader.
● What might you do to overcome some of these blocks?

15. Self Assessment (page 52)
● At the end of Chapter 2 is a self-assessment of
the group leadership skills discussed in the
chapter.
● Identify a few of the areas where you see your
main strengths.
● Also identify some of your limitations and areas
you need to develop.
● Discuss some ways you might work on your
weakest skills.

16. Assignment:
For next class...
● Read Chapter 3
● Choose a
psychological
risk for group
members (p.g
66- 68) and
share with the
class the one
that you chose
and why