School-Based Group Intervention Programs for Children of Divorce As previously discussed, several children suffer from a number of negative effects as a result of parental divorce. Group counseling has long been looked upon as an effective intervention program to treat children with parents going through divorce. Counseling groups are believed to assist in reducing children’s feelings of isolation and shame that so many tend to experience, along with providing effective peer support (Yauman, 1991). Counselors facilitate these group counseling programs in order for children to discuss their feelings allowed with other students going through similar situations. “Such groups provide an opportunity for much needed and desired peer validation as …show more content…
Group counseling can help to decrease children’s misbehavior in school, as well as improve their school work and overall attitude. On an individual level, short-term group treatment is considered to be the most effective in helping children to develop adaptive processes for coping with a significant span of problems, (Crespi & Borges, 2006). Thus, even brief school-based group intervention programs can be effective for students, even on a long-term basis. The majority of articles emphasized the importance of attending to the favorable aspects of the divorce in each child’s life (Yauman, 1991). Highlighting the positive facets in the divorce can lessen the negative facets that come with the divorce. Applying the many techniques of group counseling can help each child internally with coping with the divorce, which then transitions into the many …show more content…
“Competent school counselors are cognizant of the research on interventions for specific problems, this enables them to use the most effective interventions to address certain populations within their comprehensive school counseling programs” (Connolly & Green, 2009). However, realistic expectations of the school counselors must also be set. Although it is important for school counselors to meet their own expectations in facilitating intervention programs in schools, not every child is as receptive to these programs. In terms of working with children of divorce, children divorce groups generally serve the purpose of diffusing children’s feelings and offer peer group support in the organic school setting (Sonnenshein-Schneider & Baird, 1980). It is vital for school counselors to provide each student with the necessary patience that is required in conjunction with each intervention program that it is facilitated. School counselors are not only expected to consult with the students who they are working with in terms of informing and debriefing, but to also consult with the parents and teachers of those particular students. Consultation is considered an integral element of a school counselor’s comprehensive, developmental program (Connolly & Green, 2009). Consultations further inform
Family therapy is often needed when families go through transitions such as separations between parents and divorce. According to research, “the power of family therapy derives from bringing parents and children together to transform their interactions” (Nichols, & Davis, p.18), as problems need to be addressed at their source. The children who are the most vulnerable, when parents decide to separate, exhibit symptoms which are exaggerations of their parent’s problems (Nichols, & Davis, p.18). Frank and Walt Berkman are the examples of how children cope and adapt to the stressors of family separations such as marital separations and
Group counseling is a viable new option emerging in the school setting. It can be effective and cost-effective for the schooling system by addressing a larger number of students and can be used to address a multitude of topics that children often face. One benefit of group counseling in the school setting is that it teaches children important socializing skills with their peers, as students often learn best from each other (Pérusse, 2009). It provides support, assists with emotional and problem-solving skills, and empowers children to be help each other as well as receive help from their peers (Thompson, 2012). The group setting may be perceived as less threatening, it helps bridge the gap in trust for children by providing a safe environment in which children can connect with others, and it allows for interactions that builds on social skills and the development of empathy for others (Thompson, 2012).
It is my goal to become a school counselor in a local high school. As a school counselor, it is also important to try and understand the different experiences that children go through in order to get through to them. After studying the different counseling theories, I have discovered that each theory is valid and there are ideas and techniques that I would use out of each of them. However, there are some theories more than others that I would use to guide me daily as a school counselor. Modern day counseling is equipped with a wide variety of therapies, techniques and approaches. The purpose of this essay is to compare and contrast three approaches of therapy. Also in this essay the views of the person and the Therapeutic process will be discussed. The three models that are going to be compared are Adlerian, Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), and Solution Focused Brief therapy (SFBT). This essay is going to highlight the similarities and differences of the models and their main focus, and how the three models will help the clients choose goals that best fit their environment and resources. The main goal of using these models is to help people.
During the rehab process, patients receive much more than therapy and counselling. They learn a lot about addiction and what it takes to stay on the path of recovery. In many cases, they also learn the value of having one or more support groups. For many years now, counselors have placed a great deal of value on promoting the idea of "one addict helping another addict." In fact, who would know more about the recovery process than someone who has successfully lived it?
Looking for new and more effective ways to treat the issues of their clients, counselors and therapists may often begin to consider leading a group therapy session. Group therapy is a form of therapy in which a therapist either treats or provides psychoeducational skills to a small, carefully planned target group of individuals in an effort to ameliorate the issues and dysfunctions of each individual in that particular group of patients together (Scheidlinger, 2004). In this group, therapists often utilize some of the psychotherapy theories such as Gestalt, transactional analysis, psychotherapy or psychodrama which they often use to treat clients individually.
Richardson, Christina D. Rosen, Lee A. “School-Based Interventions For Children Of Divorce.” Professional School Counseling 3.1 (1999): 21. Vocational and Career Collection.Web. 26 Feb. 2014
On most occasions, divorces leads to children shifting from one district school to another leading to emotional disruption since they require emotional adjustments. After divorces, when there are second families, there are the unique problems of step families (Howe, 2012). Children may not be comfortable with step families since they may treat them unequally compared to their own children. Research has shown that most children suffer silently under the care of step parents. Subsequent marriages are less likely to work out than first marriages and hence it may require further adjustments to the lifestyles of the children. Studies that even though the subsequent marriages may work for the parents, the same success does not always trickle down to the children and hence they end up getting a raw
Groups help those that have been taken advantage of to talk about what happened to them with people in the group, in doing so they can sense sensitive liberation. The other participants can support each other by centering on solving any current, challenging conducts if they tried to do by themselves would be tough. "Victims of abuse whether it is physical, psychological, sexual, or neglect have a number of common characteristics such as low self-esteem, self-blame, unresolved anger, and an inability to trust". Talking about what happen with those who have gone through the same thing and people relating with each other is a huge beneficial meaning. When people who suffer from being abused join a group; it aids them to halt the progression of seclusion which is very mutual in this type of group helping them to relate in a strong, energetic method. So often the people of the group have become fighters to gain their freedom from the abuse. They start to think of the group as fresh families where the parents are supportive and as they grow they help others gain their freedom. When the group is formed it is suggested that only six people are allowed in the group; giving each victim to have time to talk and relate with each other.
Once the group has established its existence and set up group norms, first and foremost, it is the interaction between members and how they negotiate the interchange of the group norms that lead them to therapeutic success. Displaying acceptance, support, universality, advice, interpersonal learning, altruism and hope among the group members is the goal of the group. Affecting change is possible when considering these therapeutic factors when group members express their feelings.
This past week has been interesting at my internship site (multiple locations) and as member of a support group in Dr. Sartor’s class. Not only did I get to see group therapy in action, I had actually learned something about myself and the bias of my emotions. During group session, I felt confident in my anger and frustration that I ranted about a situation that occurred at my internship site (Acorn Daycare) with a student client and a teacher. Along with the incident, my emotions had magnified about the unpreparedness I had felt on a quiz that I had finished taking. While I shared with the group, it was a relief to see the group members’ faces of concern, as it made me feel that my emotions were valid and were aligned with what had happened.
It can be concluded that the complex changes in life circumstances that an adolescent experiences throughout and after a divorce can alter relations with one or both parents. Main factors such as children feeling caught between parents and inappropriate parental divorce disclosures can effect parent-child relations in both positive and negative ways. Overall, learning how to communicate in a constructive manner has proven to allow parents to minimize negative effects of divorce on their adolescent children and maintain healthy relations. Future research studies need to be conducted in order to determine which communication strategies work best to prevent negative relations between adolescent children and their divorced parents, assuming the relationship was intact prior to the separation.
Why do I need group therapy when recovering from stimulant addiction? Staying away from stimulants after going through a rehabilitation or treatment program is hard, so seeking out a solid support group to provide group therapy for stimulant addiction is an often necessary step towards long-term recovery. The pull to return to stimulant use can be strong, but attending meetings with a support group full of people who are struggling with the same things can strengthen the resolve of someone recovering from stimulant addiction and help them to stay clean. Stimulant support groups can help recovering addicts remain committed to being drug-free in several ways. Encouragement Life in general can be quite discouraging, but life without stimulants can seem awful for
Group therapy is considered one of the most resourceful forms of therapy. The benefits to group therapy can be both cost-effective and a great means of support (Corey, Corey & Corey, 2014). The process of experiencing ideas and viewpoints expressed by your peers allows group members to become more susceptible to the counseling procedure. Group counseling also helps individuals to feel a sense of belonging due to similar situations and experiences shared by the group. The sense of support from group members can be an excellent means towards developing long-lasting relationships and developing communication skills needed to move forward during the counseling phase. In this paper, I will discuss my experiences throughout the group-counseling phase.
This assignment was conducted with myself as the counsellor and Olivia, a fellow classmate, as the client. A fifteen minute counselling session occurred and was recorded, in order for students to be able to critically analyze their counselling skills. Olivia felt the need to talk with a counsellor due to the pressure she is experiencing trying to fit all of her commitments into her weekly schedule. Olivia is currently struggling with splitting her time between her family, friends, school, and new fitness goals. Throughout this counselling session various techniques were used in the beginning stage, action stage and ending stage of the counselling session. These techniques were used throughout these stages of counselling to gain information
In the world we live in today, divorce has unfortunately become a normal thing in our lives. Many married couples are getting divorced for many reasons; problems in the marriage, either a spouse having an affair, a loss of feelings, and many other types of complications. Many divorces involve children who are young and due to their age do not understand what is really going on. We all know someone who has dealt with divorce. Children are the ones who are typically affected the most by the divorce and they will have to learn to cope with their parent’s divorce at such a young age, affecting them in positive or negative ways.