PSYC222N: Group Dynamics & Counseling

This course will provide a study of therapeutic interventions as carried out through a group.The course design includes academic discussion of group processes and dynamics. Theory will be incorporated into application for students to increase their awareness of their group roles and increase their leadership and group problem solving abilities. This course is a combination of didactic and experiential activities. Students are exposed to the various theories of group work, the basics of group process and professional and ethical issues involved in group counseling. Emphasis is placed on determining how students can incorporate the best of each of the models into their own personalized eclectic model-one that is consistent with their philosophy and suits them personally. One aim of this course is a didactic or teaching purpose that focuses on learning how groups function, learning about group dynamics, and acquiring specific skills necessary to effectively lead groups. The other aim is to provide a climate of support and challenge that will encourage students to get personally involved to the extent that they will be given some tools to continue taking an honest look at themselves as persons and to assess how their personal characteristics might either facilitate or inhibit their ability to lead groups.