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Recommended: Research proposal for group counseling

The main purpose of this article was to explain the benefits that group members could experience when using therapeutic letters in a group counseling setting. The article explained how counselors can use therapeutic letters with substance abusers who are experiencing resistance and ambivalence in a counseling group. The main focus of this study was to explain the impact that therapeutic letters have on substance abusers, who are exhibiting negative behaviors or attitudes towards treatment and seemed to have desire to change, but are not quite committed to change(Hagedorn, 2011). The study measured how the implementation of experiential activity, in this case, the therapeutic letter called, “letter to my substance” can be beneficial to substance abusers in a counseling group. However, the article also explains to the readers the technique and provides samples to understand the approach more clearly. In addition, the author explained that the therapeutic letter can be beneficial for other clients that are experiencing problems with sex, gambling, and eating disorders (Hagedorn, 2011).
In this article, Hagedorn (2011) mentioned that resistance and ambivalence to change is not only a problem that counselors can experience in a group of substance abusers, but it can also be experienced in many other counseling groups with members experiencing different issues, such as depression or anxiety. Although, resistance and ambivalence can be found in members of counseling groups, the group leaders are responsible to explore the issue with group members by using experiential activities or other beneficial approaches in the group. Hagedorn (2011) explained that an exploration of the benefits of therapeutic letter writing for substance ...

... middle of paper ...

... also the samples and an explanation of the process that a counselor should do with this activity in a group setting. It is important to mention that even if this article provided information and steps to process, a group leader must understand and research more information into the process of narrative therapy before implementing this activity to group members. This article made me realize the importance that group leaders have the necessary emotional maturity to handle all the mixed emotions that substance abusers can experienced by using this activity and be aware of their emotional reactions to what is being process by the group members at all times.

Works Cited

Hagedorn, W. (2011). Using Therapeutic Letters to Navigate Resistance and Ambivalence: Experiential Implications for Group Counseling. Journal Of Addictions & Offender Counseling, 31(2), 108-126.

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