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Group counselors have an ethical and legal responsibility to inform group members of the potential consequences of breaching confidentiality. The leader should explain that legal privilege (confidentiality) does not apply to group treatment, unless provided by state statute (ASGW, 2008). In groups in institutions, agencies, and schools, where members know and have frequent contact with one another and with one another’s associates outside of the group, confidentiality becomes especially critical and also more difficult to maintain. In an adolescent group in a high school, for example, great care must be exerted to ensure that whatever is discussed in the sessions is not taken out of the group. Group leaders must avoid talking to parents and teachers without the appropriate permission of the participants. If some members talk about things that happened in the group, the group process will come to a halt. People are not going to reveal facts about their personal lives unless they feel quite sure they can trust both the leader and the members to respect their confidences.

We expect that members will want to talk about their group experiences with significant people in their lives. We caution them, however, about breaking others’ confidences in the process. We tell them to be careful not to mention others who were in the group or to talk about what others said and did. Generally, members do not violate confidentiality when they talk about what they learned in group sessions. But they are likely to breach confidentiality when they talk about how they acquired insights or how they interacted in a group. For example, Gerd becomes aware in a session that he invites women to take care of him, only to resent them for treating him like a child. He may want to say to his wife, “I realize I often resent you for the very thing I expect you to do.” This is acceptable disclosure, but describing the group exercise involving several women in the group that led him to this insight could break confidentiality guidelines.

Leaders may be tested by some members of the group. For instance, a counselor may tell group participants in a juvenile correctional institution that whatever is discussed will remain in the group. The youths may not believe this and may in many subtle ways test the leader to discover whether in fact he or she will keep this promise. Group leaders must not promise to keep within the group material they may be required to disclose.

Limitations to confidentiality should be outlined in the informed consent process, and in mandatory groups counselors should inform members of any reporting procedures required of them. Group practitioners should also mention to members any documentation or record-keeping procedures that they may be required to keep that affect confidentiality. The ACA (2014) guideline with respect to confidentiality is as follows: “Counselors protect the confidential information of prospective and current clients. Counselors disclose information only with appropriate consent or with sound legal or ethical justification” (B.1.c).

· Some cultures consider therapy to be shameful and only for mentally ill people. To minimize any risks of breaking confidentiality, avoid leaving phone messages or sending mail to members’ home addresses if they live with family members.

· Some group members may not have legal status or residency and may be guarded about providing personal information.

· Members who are seeking asylum or have refugee status may have significant trust issues and may give false personal information to protect themselves and their families.

· Some cultures promote sharing of all personal information with their families, and members could feel pressured to share details with their family members.

· Language barriers or reading difficulties may result in a member not fully understanding the importance of confidentiality and the consequences of breaches. Leaders should be sure that all members have fully comprehended this and other aspects of informed consent.

3-3dConfidentiality of Minors in Groups

A particularly delicate problem is safeguarding the confidentiality of minors in groups. Do parents have a right to information that is disclosed by their children in a group? The answer to that question depends on whether we are looking at it from a legal, ethical, or clinical viewpoint. State laws differ regarding counseling minors. It is important for group workers to be aware of the laws related to working with minors in the state in which they are practicing as well as local policies for those working in a school setting. Circumstances in which a minor may seek professional help without parental consent, defining an emancipated minor, or the rights of parents (or legal guardians) to have access to the records regarding the professional help received by their minor child vary according to state statutes.

A recent California statute allows minors who are 12 years or older to receive counseling if the practitioner determines that the minor is mature enough to participate intelligently in outpatient treatment or mental health counseling. The statute does require parental (or guardian) involvement in the treatment of the minor, unless the therapist finds, after consulting with the minor, that this involvement would be inappropriate under the circumstances. Therapists have the responsibility for noting in the client’s records whether they attempted to contact the minor’s parent or guardian, and whether this attempt was successful or unsuccessful, or why it was deemed inappropriate to make this contact. This law protects the right to seek treatment of certain populations of youth, such as young people from immigrant families, homeless youth, people who are gay, and young people from cultural backgrounds that do not condone receiving mental health services (Leslie, 2010).

Group leaders have a responsibility in groups that involve children and adolescents to take measures to increase the chances that confidentiality will be kept. It is useful to teach minors, using a vocabulary that they are capable of understanding, about the nature, purposes, and limitations of confidentiality. It is helpful to inform and discuss with minors in advance their concerns about confidentiality and how it will be maintained, especially in a school setting. It is critical to teach minors about the limits of confidentiality. Such practices can strengthen the child’s trust in the group counselor. It is a good idea for leaders to encourage members to initiate discussions on confidentiality whenever this becomes an issue for them.

It is important to work cooperatively with parents and legal guardians as well as to enlist the trust of the young people. Imagine you are leading a group for teens, and the grandparents of one of your members comes to see you after school and insist on knowing what their grandchild is talking about in group sessions.

· What are your initial concerns when thinking about how you would respond to the grandparents?

· What legal and ethical concerns or obligations do you have?

· What do you need to consider in terms of the relationship you have with the teenager as well as with the grandparents?

· Will the cultural background of the grandparents and the teen influence your response in any way?

A group counselor working with children may be expected to disclose some information to parents if they insist on it, or a leader of a group of parolees may be required to reveal to the members’ parole officer any information acquired in the group concerning certain criminal offenses. It is a good policy for leaders to let members know when they may be required to testify against them in court.

3-3eSummary Guidelines Regarding Confidentiality

Group leaders would do well to consider certain ramifications of confidentiality. Here are some summary guidelines concerning confidentiality in groups:

· Confidentiality is crucial to the success of a group, but the leader can do little to guarantee that the policy on confidentiality will be respected by all members. Leaders can only ensure confidentiality on their part, not on the part of others in the group.

· Group leaders must become familiar with the local and state laws that will have an effect on their practice. This is especially true in cases involving child molestation, neglect or abuse of older people and children, or incest.

· Group leaders describe at the outset the roles and responsibilities of all parties and the limits of confidentiality (APA, 2010, Standard 10.03).

· Members should be told about the limits of confidentiality so they can determine when, what, and how much personal information they will reveal in group sessions.

· Leaders have the responsibility of helping members, as well as parents or guardians of minors, understand the importance of maintaining confidentiality and for protecting the personal disclosures of other members.

· It is a wise policy to ask participants to sign a contract in which they agree not to discuss or write about what transpires in the sessions or talk about who was present.

It is imperative that the group leader emphasizes at various stages of the group’s evolution the importance of maintaining confidentiality. This issue needs to be introduced during the individual screening interview, and it should be clarified at the initial group sessions. At appropriate times during the course of the group, the leader can remind the members not to discuss identities or specific situations. If at any time any member gives indications that confidentiality is not being respected, the leader has the responsibility of exploring this matter with the group as soon as possible.

3-4The Role of the Leader’s Values in the Group

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As a group leader, what values of group members would you be inclined to challenge, even if members made it clear that they did not want to modify such values? How would you react if someone questions your values?

We can increase our effectiveness by becoming aware of the values we hold and the subtle and direct ways we might influence group members. We are better able to help clients discover what is right for them if we can appreciate their worldview and work to understand their value system. We may hold a very different set of values, but our ethical obligation is to assist group members in meeting therapeutic goals consistent with their worldview and values, not our own. The focus of group process is on the client. Our clients, not us, live with the consequences of the changes they make in a group. If members acknowledge that what they are doing is not enabling them to get what they want from life, then a group context is an ideal place for them to develop new ways of behaving.

3-4aEthical Aspects of Working With Values

The ACA’s (2014) Code of Ethics reminds us to be aware of our values: “Counselors are aware of—and avoid imposing—their own values, attitudes, beliefs, and behaviors. Counselors respect the diversity of clients, trainees, and research participants and seek training in areas in which they are at risk of imposing their values onto their clients, especially when the counselor’s values are inconsistent with the client’s goals or are discriminatory in nature” (A.4.b). Members often bring a number of value-laden issues to a group: religion, spirituality, sexual orientation, abortion, divorce, and family problems. The purpose of the group is to help members clarify their beliefs and examine options that are most congruent with their own value system. Group counseling is not a forum in which leaders impose their value perspectives on members, nor is it a forum for any of the members to impose their values on others.

Values are often conveyed in a subtle way, even without conscious awareness. For instance, you may be firmly convinced that the following values are universal and good for us all: autonomy, freedom to make one’s own choice, equality in relationships, and independence. But some group members are likely to adhere to a different set of universal values: interdependence, cooperation, loyalty to family, duty and obligation to parents, and putting the welfare of the family above self-interests. If you assume these members would be far better off by changing their values, you are likely to do them a disservice. Although you may not directly impose your values on them, your interventions could be aimed at getting them to do what you think is best for them. For example, assume that you hold a value that women should be primarily responsible for child care. You have a female client who expresses guilt over not being with her children more because of work. You might encourage her to work less or to stay home to alleviate her guilt. Because of your own biases, you might miss having her explore further the origin and meaning of her guilt.

3-4bDealing With Conflicts of Values

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When you find yourself struggling with an ethical dilemma over a values conflict, the best course to follow is to seek consultation in working through the situation so the appropriate standard of care is provided (Kocet & Herlihy, 2014). If group leaders disclose their personal values, easily influenced and dependent members may want to please the leader at all costs and hence assume the leader’s values automatically. If you are having difficulty maintaining objectivity regarding a certain value, consider this your problem rather than the client’s problem. Supervision or personal counseling can help you to understand why your personal values are entering into your professional work in an inappropriate way. At times you may be faced with ethical issues over sharp differences between your own values and certain values of some members of your group. For example, members from some cultural groups may use physical punishment to ensure obedience and conformity of their children to certain cultural values. It may be challenging for you to acknowledge their views of punishment as normative in their culture, or you may want to intervene by encouraging more positive parenting practices.

Cultural diversity affects the issues that members bring to a group and the ways in which they might be either ready or reluctant to explore these issues. As a group counselor, it is of paramount importance that you sensitize yourself to the clues members often give indicating that they would like to talk about some aspect of how their culture is affecting their participation in the group. You need to determine with group members what particular behaviors they are interested in changing. Even if you prize being direct and assertive, it is not your place to insist that members embrace your view of desirable behaviors. Leaders need to work with members to help them identify what they hope to get from the group.

3-5bEthics and Standards of Preparation and Practice

Group counselors who base their practice on aspirational ethics will need to involve themselves in opposing all forms of discrimination and oppression and be committed to challenging inherent inequities in social systems. Social justice is “the fair and equitable distribution of power, resources, and obligations in society to all people, regardless of race, gender, ability status, sexual orientation, and religious or spiritual background” (Hage, Mason, & Kim, 2010, p. 103). Social justice issues often surface when people from diverse backgrounds participate in a group. Groups with social justice themes acknowledge and empower people from diverse social identities. These groups also create identity-affirming environments that advocate for the empowerment of marginalized individuals and communities (Hage et al., 2010).

Counseling for social justice requires a paradigm shift.

A social justice perspective involves thinking about the therapeutic enterprise and ethics beyond a traditional framework. It calls upon group counselors to recognize and address issues of social privilege and hierarchical power structures both as a part of the group experience and in daily life (Hage et al., 2010). Counseling for social justice requires a paradigm shift. Traditional helping paradigms focus on changing an individual’s thoughts, feelings, and behaviors, whereas the social justice model looks beyond the individual to other highly influential factors in the lives of clients (Chung & Bemak, 2012). To be able to translate this paradigm shift into one’s practice of group work, it is necessary to acquire a set of social justice and advocacy competencies. The counseling profession “must move beyond the traditional helping paradigm . . . [and be] proactive in advocacy and social change” (p. 42).

Social justice practice, training, and research are interdependent. Effective training is necessary if group workers hope to understand and address the multiple layers of complexity involved in social justice group work. Hays, Arredondo, Gladding, and Toporek, (2010) discuss ways of integrating social justice in group work. To integrate social justice effectively, it is essential that group workers be mindful about social justice components within a group. Hays and colleagues offer the following recommendations for integrating social justice in group work:

· Group leaders must find new ways of developing groups that will promote equity, access, participation, and harmony.

· Leaders must promote egalitarianism by educating group members about their rights and assisting them in assuming an active role in bringing about social change.

· Leaders should focus on how client systems influence group process and outcomes and conduct a cultural assessment of all group members.

· Group leaders can empower the members of their groups by building on the strengths of individual group members and the resources of the group as a whole.

An overarching theme is the centrality of multicultural competence as a basis for doing effective social justice–oriented group work. To deepen the leaders’ awareness of social justice as a basic value, it is necessary for supervisors to create a climate that encourages open discussion of social justice topics.

3-7Special Issues Pertaining to Sexual Orientation

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The ethics codes of the ACA, the APA, and the National Association of Social Workers (NASW) clearly state that discrimination on the basis of minority status—be it race, ethnicity, gender, or sexual orientation—is unethical and unacceptable. Included under sexual minority status are people who are lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, or are questioning their sexual orientation (Goodrich & Luke, 2015). Working with lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and questioning (LGBTQ) individuals presents a challenge to group counselors who hold more traditional values and must guard against imposing their own values and attitudes on group members. Group leaders have a right to their own values and beliefs, but as counselors it is neither our role nor our right to impose these value judgments or beliefs on our clients. Group members who identify as LGBTQ come to us with a history of victimization and fear of abandonment. As group leaders, we cannot meet them with judgment and possible rejection. We understand that this duty to serve the LGBTQ community and its members may come into direct conflict with some counselors’ religious, moral, and ethical standards. As with all cases in which our personal values conflict with our ethical duties, it is essential for clinicians to work with supervisors, colleagues, or through personal counseling, to find ways to separate their personal beliefs from their duty to clients.

We can understand the difficulty that interns and therapists face with deep value conflicts, but the bottom line is always the same: In therapy it is not about us; a client’s needs and welfare come before our own. The relationship is not an equal one, nor is it one in which we as clinicians are required to feel comfortable with our clients’ choices. We step into our role as therapist to serve our clients and to help them resolve conflicts, heal, and grow in the ways that are most congruent with their values, not our own. In our opinion, it is not appropriate for group leaders to disclose their values when it comes to topics such as abortion, religion, divorce, and same-sex relationships. We prefer to be invested in the process with our clients rather than being wedded to a specific outcome. In some circumstances it may be appropriate and even facilitative to self-disclose, but we caution leaders to weigh heavily the costs against the possible benefits of making certain disclosures regarding their values. Reflect on the purpose of the disclosure, and ask yourself whether you are more likely to regret making a self-disclosure or not disclosing. If you do not work to keep your values from becoming overt judgments or hidden agendas, you are likely to break the code of ethics and standards guiding our profession. Consultation with a peer or supervisor may help you realize the potential benefits or consequences of self-disclosure.

The American Psychological Association’s Division 44 (APA, 2000) has developed a set of guidelines for psychotherapy with lesbian, gay, and bisexual clients. In many respects lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender clients share common ground with heterosexual clients in groups, but some ethical concerns increase (Goodrich & Luke, 2015). Group practitioners who work with LGBTQ clients have a responsibility to understand the unique concerns these clients may bring to the group and are expected to develop the knowledge and skills to competently deliver services to them. We need to be willing and able to listen deeply to our clients and to encourage them to help us to understand their unique experience of the world. Being able to do this often involves continuing education, seeking supervision, and being willing to consult.

The Association for Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender Issues in Counseling (ALGBTIC, 2008) lists these attributes of effective group counselors:

· Counselors are sensitive to the dynamics that occur when groups are formed that include only one representative of any minority culture.

· Counselors establish group norms and make interventions that facilitate the safety and inclusion of LGBTQ group members.

· Counselors strive to establish group norms and create a climate that allows for voluntary self-identification and self-disclosure on the part of LGBTQ clients.

· Counselors take an active stance when other members express either overt or covert disrespect of LGBTQ group members.

3-8Ethical Concerns in Using Group Techniques

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Group techniques can be used to facilitate the movement of a group and to deepen and intensify certain feelings. Although it is unrealistic to expect that leaders will always know exactly what will result from an intervention, they should know how to cope with unexpected outcomes. It is extremely important for group leaders to have a clear rationale for using each technique. This is an area in which theory can be a useful guide for practice.

Techniques can be abused or used in unethical ways. Here are some ways leaders might employ techniques unethically:

· Using techniques with which they are unfamiliar

· Using techniques to enhance their power

· Using techniques whose sole purpose is to create intensity between members or within the group

· Using techniques to pressure members, even when they have expressed a desire not to participate in an exercise

· Using techniques to alter a group member’s personal values or beliefs

Group leaders have a responsibility to exercise caution in using techniques, especially if these methods are likely to result in the release of intense feelings. It is important that the leader has had appropriate training to cope with the powerful feelings that can be triggered by certain role-playing activities. For example, guided fantasies into times of loneliness as a child or physical exercises designed to release anger can lead to intense emotional experiences. If leaders use such techniques, they must be ready to deal with any emotional release. Group leaders need to become aware of the potential for encouraging catharsis to fulfill their own needs. Some leaders push people to express anger, and they develop techniques to bring about this catharsis. Although these are legitimate feelings, expressing anger in the group may satisfy the leader’s agenda more than it meets the needs of the members. This question ought to be raised frequently: “Whose needs are primary, and whose needs are being met—the members’ or the leader’s?” If you push members to express intense emotion, do you know what to do once emotions are released?

Group leaders need to understand the potential adverse effects of certain techniques. One way for group leaders to learn is by taking part in groups themselves. By being a group member and first experiencing a range of techniques, a therapist can develop a healthy respect for using techniques appropriately to meet clients’ needs. In our training workshops for group leaders, we encourage spontaneity and inventiveness in the use of techniques, but we also stress the importance of striking a balance between creativity and irresponsibility.

Group techniques are a means to an end, not an end in themselves.

The reputation of group work has suffered from the actions of irresponsible practitioners, mostly those who use techniques randomly without a clear rationale or without any sense of the potential outcome. If the group leader has a strong academic background, has had extensive supervised group experience, has participated in his or her own therapy or personal-growth experience, and has a basic respect for clients, he or she is not likely to abuse techniques. Group techniques are a means to an end, not an end in themselves. For a more in-depth treatment of using group techniques in an ethical and effective manner, see Group Techniques (Corey, Corey, Callanan, & Russell, 2015).

3-9Competence and Training of Group Counselors

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Experienced as well as beginning group leaders must provide only those services and use only those techniques for which they are qualified by training and experience. It is our responsibility to market our professional services to accurately represent our competence. Although we encourage you to think of creative ways of reaching diverse populations, we also emphasize the need for adequate training and supervision in leading groups with such members. If we lead groups that are clearly beyond the scope of our preparation, we are practicing unethically and are at risk for malpractice.

3-9aCompetence as an Ongoing Developmental Process

Different groups require different leader qualifications. Some professionals who are highly qualified to work with college students are not qualified to lead children’s groups. For example, professionals who are trained to lead psychoeducational groups may lack either the training or the experience necessary to administer group therapy to an outpatient population. The basic question is: Who is qualified to lead this type of group with this type of population?

Professional competence is not arrived at once and for all. Rather, professional growth is an ongoing developmental process for the duration of your career. The “Best Practice Guidelines” (ASGW, 2008, A.8) provide these general suggestions for increasing one’s level of competence as a group worker:

· Remain current and increase knowledge and skill competencies through activities such as continuing education, professional supervision, and participation in personal and professional development activities.

· Seek consultation and supervision to ensure effective practice regarding ethical concerns that interfere with effective functioning as a group leader.

· Seek appropriate professional assistance for personal problems or conflicts that are likely to impair professional judgment or work performance.

Competent group workers have reasons for the activities they suggest in a group. They are able to explain to their clients the theory behind their group work and how it influences their practice. They can tell the members in clear language the goals of a group, and they can state the relationship between the way they lead the group and these goals. Effective group leaders are able to conceptualize the group process and to relate what they do in a group to this model. They continually refine their techniques in light of their model.

3-9bProfessional Training Standards for Group Counselors

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For proficient group leaders to emerge, a training program must make group work a priority. Various professional organizations have identified training standards for group counselors. The “Professional Standards for the Training of Group Workers” (ASGW, 2000) specifies two levels of competencies and related training. A set of core knowledge competencies and skill competencies provide the foundation on which specialized training is built. At a minimum, one group course should be included in a training program, and it should be structured to help students acquire the basic knowledge and skills needed to facilitate a group. These group skills are best mastered through supervised practice, which should include observation and participation in a group experience.

The Council for Accreditation of Counseling and Related Educational Programs (CACREP, 2016) identify the following standards specifically devoted to group work in which students in counseling are to develop a set of competencies:

1. theoretical foundations of group counseling and group work

2. dynamics associated with group process and development

3. therapeutic factors and how they contribute to group effectiveness

5. approaches to group formation, including recruiting, screening, and selecting members

6. types of groups and other considerations that affect conducting groups in varied settings

7. ethical and culturally relevant strategies for designing and facilitating groups

8. direct experiences in which students participate as group members in a small group activity, approved by the program, for a minimum of 10 clock hours over the course of one academic term

3-9cAdjuncts to a Training Program

We highly recommend three types of experience as adjuncts to a training program: personal (private) psychotherapy, group therapy or a self-exploration group, and participation in group supervision.

Personal Psychotherapy for Group Leaders

It is important for trainees to get involved in their own personal counseling, both individual and group. They can explore the biases that might hamper their receptiveness to clients, any unfinished business that might lead to distortions in their perceptions of group members, other needs that might either facilitate or inhibit the group process, current conflicts, and ways they can fully recognize and utilize their strengths. In short, group counselors demonstrate the courage to do for themselves what they expect members in their groups to do.

Self-Exploration Groups for Group Leaders

We have discovered that participation in a self-exploration group (or some other type of interactive process-oriented group) is an extremely valuable adjunct to a group leader’s internship training experiences. Beginning group leaders typically experience some anxiety regarding their adequacy, and their interactions with group members frequently lead to a surfacing of unresolved past or current problems. A therapeutic group provides an opportunity for trainees to explore these personal issues. In addition to the therapeutic value of this kind of a group, it can be a powerful teaching tool for the trainee.

Group Supervision for Group Leaders

Group supervision lends itself to a variety of role-playing approaches that enable trainees to become aware of potential countertransference issues and to acquire alternative perspectives in working with group members they perceive as being “difficult.” A trainee can assume the role of a member of his or her group by role-playing this member while the supervisor demonstrates other ways to deal with a group member who displays problematic behavior. Other trainees in the supervision group can assume various roles for one another, which often generates rich discussion material after a situation is enacted. Role-playing techniques tend to bring concrete situations to life. Instead of merely talking about problems with clients, trainees can bring these concerns to life by enacting them in the here and now.

Although a supervision group is not a therapy group, it can lead to insights and awareness. Trainees can learn a great deal about their response to criticism, their competitiveness, their need for approval, their jealousies, their anxieties over being competent, their feelings about certain members of the group they lead, and their power struggles with coleaders or members of their group. Trainees can gain insights into their personal dynamics, such as potential areas of countertransference, which can influence their ability to competently facilitate groups. By identifying areas that can lead to countertransference, trainees are in a position to do further work in their own therapy outside of the group.

3-9dEthical Issues in Training Group Counselors

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One controversial ethical issue in the preparation of group leaders involves combining experiential and didactic methods in training. We consider an experiential component to be essential in teaching group counseling courses. Struggling with trusting a group of strangers, risking vulnerability, receiving genuine support from others, developing good working relationships with peers, and being challenged to examine the impact of one’s behavior on others are all vital learning experiences for future group leaders. We think group experience for leaders is indispensable, if for no reason other than that it provides an understanding of what clients face.

Although it is common practice to combine the didactic and experiential aspects of learning in group work courses, doing so requires educators to address a number of ethical considerations, such as learning to work effectively within the context of multiple roles. In experiential training, participants engage in self-exploration and deal with interpersonal issues within the training group as a way of learning how to best facilitate groups. It is our position that the potential risks of experiential methods are offset by the clear benefits to participants who become personally involved in experiential group work as a supplement to didactic approaches to group courses. Many group work educators see a need for an experiential component to assist students in acquiring the skills necessary to become effective group leaders.

Managing Multiple Roles as an Educator

Although there have been some ethical problems in the attempt to train using experiential approaches, we do not think this warrants the conclusion that experiential approaches are inappropriate or unethical. Overcorrection of a problem of potential abuse does not seem justified to us. Teaching group process by involving students in personal ways is the best way for them to learn how to eventually set up and facilitate groups. We agree with Stockton, Morran, and Chang (2014) who point out that there is a fine line between offering experiential activities and safeguarding against gaining information that could be used in evaluating students. Faculty who use experiential approaches are often involved in performing multiple roles, and they need to exercise caution so that they offer training opportunities that will be ethical and efficacious (Stockton et al., 2014). When experiential activities are used, faculty can preface the activity by discussing the boundaries and limitations of student self-disclosure while promoting the importance of self-reflection throughout the process.

The Benefits of Experiential Group Training

The CACREP (2016) standards require students to gain at least 10 hours of experience in a small group as a group member. This requirement is typically met by structuring an experiential group as part of a group counseling course. Students often have an opportunity to be part of a group experience and at times to facilitate the process of this group. In an experiential learning environment that involves extensive self-disclosure and dual relationships between instructors and students, students need to know they can trust their instructor’s skill, ethics, and professionalism. Students engaged in experiential training must be willing to engage in self-disclosure, to become active participants in an interpersonal group, and to engage themselves on an emotional as well as a cognitive level.

Research on including experiential groups in a training program has increased over the past decade. St. Pierre’s (2014) survey of ACA members found that a key factor contributing to students feeling comfortable in the group experience is the perception that the instructor is competent. McCarthy, Falco, and Villalba (2014) “believe strongly in the ability of students to overcome their initial reluctance to share more openly and trust each other, particularly since this is what they will ask of members when they lead groups” (p. 187). Luke and Kiweewa (2010) found that participation in experiential groups has many benefits in the areas of personal growth and awareness in addition to offering opportunities for learning about group process. In a qualitative study of an experiential group led by doctoral students, Ieva, Ohrt, Swank, and Young (2009) found that the master’s students experienced personal growth, professional growth, and a better understanding of the group process, self-awareness, empathy for future clients, and an enhanced ability to give and receive feedback.

Keeping the Purpose of the Group Course in Perspective

It is essential to keep in mind the primary purpose of a group counseling course, which is teaching students leadership skills and providing an understanding of how group process works. Although the main aim of a group course is not to provide personal therapy for students, participating in such a group is inevitably a therapeutic and growth-enhancing learning experience. Encouraging students to make decisions about what personal concerns they are willing to share and to determine the depth of their personal disclosures leads to a more productive group experience that reinforces the importance of empowering their clients and group members to determine the nature and extent of their own self-disclosures.

A group course is not designed to be a substitute for an intensive self-exploration experience, yet learning about how groups function can be enhanced through active and personal participation in the group process. If students take personal risks, they are bound to be uncomfortable at times. Being willing to explore the meaning of their discomfort rather than seeking comfort at all costs can provide insight into how their future clients may be feeling as they begin counseling. If the leader is capable, professional, and well-acquainted with complex experiential group issues such as dual relationships, the leader will provide a safe group space. The facilitator should keep in mind the main purpose and objective of the training group and the best interests of the participants.

The focus of a small group for trainees can be on what is happening in the here and now. There is rich material in what takes place among members in a group. For example, some people find dealing with conflict quite difficult and uncomfortable, perhaps due to the way conflict was handled in their family of origin. By encouraging members to directly address the conflict in the group and work toward its resolution, trainees can see the value of working through conflict (rather than avoiding it) and have a corrective experience. Students can profit, both personally and professionally, by learning how to manage conflicts as a group member. Counselors-in-training need to understand their own reactions to conflict and see the conflict resolution process being modeled in a healthy and constructive manner. If members openly and honestly learn to deal with one another, they will make great strides toward learning how to facilitate a group and how to improve their own interpersonal functioning.

Dealing With Problematic Student Behaviors That Emerge in a Group

1. to the individual student who displays problematic behavior,

2. to the other students in the experiential group, and

3. to the training program.

A multitude of problematic behaviors can disrupt the cohesion of a group and impede the learning of the other members. Behavior patterns such as these can be identified and explored in an experiential group:

1. members who habitually give others advice, yet remain unknown;

2. members who are hostile and make it difficult for others to feel safe;

3. members who are judgmental and critical;

4. arrogant members who are convinced they can learn little in an experiential group;

5. members who monopolize time in the group; and

6. members who have a difficult time attending to others.

The group format provides excellent opportunities for learning to deal with challenging behaviors. One effective intervention is to simply invite other members to provide here-and-now feedback to the member exhibiting the problematic behavior. The instructor or group facilitator must block unproductive interactions while this feedback is being delivered to prevent the group member from being scapegoated or overwhelmed with negative feedback. It is important to remember that the point is for the group member to understand the impact of his or her behavior, not to cause the member to become even more defensive. As difficult and tense as it might be in the moment, everyone in the group may benefit from the experience of successfully working through the conflict.

When a student trainee manifests problematic behaviors in the group setting, the instructor is responsible for giving the student honest and sensitive feedback about his or her behavior, providing suggestions on how to remediate problematic behavior, and explaining the policies and processes established to remediate the situation. For this to be effective, the instructor needs to be reasonably skilled at switching from the group leader role to the counselor-educator gatekeeper role, and back to the group leader role. Some behavior patterns may persist, and the student may not be open to self-reflection and change. Group work instructors have a responsibility to protect the other group members, and this may involve scheduling an individual meeting with the student to discuss how his or her interactions are detrimental to the group process and to provide support to help the student continue to make gains both personally and professionally through the experience.

Informed Consent and Experiential Learning

Shumaker, Ortiz, and Brenninkmeyer (2011) recommend that experiential groups include a detailed informed consent process and train students in learning what constitutes appropriate self-disclosure in such a group. Clear guidelines must be established so students know their rights and responsibilities. We echo the importance of a thorough informed consent process and recognize that it puts pressure on both the instructor and the students as it requires honesty, maturity, and professionalism. Even with safeguards in place, students may be hesitant to share meaningful personal information if they have an undue fear of the gatekeeping function of the experiential part of the group class. Group leaders should be prepared to understand and process this hesitation in a way that respects students’ concerns. In addition, systematic self-reflection on the part of the instructor is a critical component for promoting a positive experiential group experience.

At the first class meeting of a group course we teach, we discuss some of the potential problems, challenges, and benefits inherent in a course that combines academic and personal learning. We tell the students that the experience of leading groups, even under supervision, often touches them in personal ways and brings to the surface their own personal struggles. Students become aware of the rationale for them getting involved in personal ways in learning group counseling. Students learn that they will not be able to encourage their future clients to deal with pain in their lives if they have not become aware of their own unresolved personal issues and dealt with their own personal pain. We encourage students taking the group course to consider seeking some form of personal counseling as a way to deal with the personal concerns that may emerge for them as group trainees.

3-10Guidelines for Ethical and Legal Practice

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Most professional organizations affirm that practitioners should be aware of the prevailing community standards and of the possible impact on their practice of deviation from these standards. Ethical and legal issues are frequently intertwined, which makes it imperative that group practitioners not only follow the code of ethics of their profession but that they also know their state’s laws and their legal boundaries and responsibilities.

Those leaders who work with groups of children, adolescents, and certain involuntary populations are especially advised to learn the laws restricting group work. Issues such as confidentiality, parental consent, informed consent, record keeping, protection of member welfare, and civil rights of institutionalized patients are a few areas in which group workers must be knowledgeable. Because most group workers do not possess detailed legal knowledge, it is a good idea to obtain some legal information concerning group procedures and practices. Awareness of legal rights and responsibilities as they pertain to group work protects not only clients but also those who conduct groups from needless lawsuits arising from negligence or ignorance.

3-10aLegal Liability and Malpractice

Group counselors who fail to exercise due care and act in good faith are liable to a civil suit. Professionals leading groups are expected to practice within the code of ethics of their particular profession and to abide by legal standards. Practitioners are subject to civil liability for not doing right or for doing wrong to another. If group members can prove that personal injury or psychological harm is due to a group leader’s failure to render proper service, either through negligence or ignorance, then this leader is open to a malpractice suit. Negligence consists of departing from the “standard of care”; that is, breaching the therapist’s duty in providing what is determined as commonly accepted practices of others in the profession that leads to injury to the client.

3-10bLegal Safeguards for Group Practitioners

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The key to avoiding a malpractice suit is to maintain reasonable, ordinary, and prudent practices. The group leader guidelines that follow are useful in translating the terms reasonable, ordinary, and prudent into concrete actions.

1. Take time and exercise care in screening candidates for a group experience.

2. Give the potential members of your groups enough information to make informed choices about group participation, and do not mystify the group process. Develop written informed consent procedures at the outset of a group, and make sure that you review this information with the members. Doing this will go a long way toward building a trusting climate.

3. Obtain written parental or guardian consent when counseling minors in groups. This is generally a good practice even if not required by state law. However, know that if a parent or guardian denies this consent, the minor will not be able to participate in the counseling group.

4. Keep records of group sessions in compliance with codes of ethics and institutional policies. Keep relevant notes on each group member and each group session, especially if there are any concerns about a particular member.

5. Be aware of those situations in which you legally must break confidentiality. Explain to members the limits of confidentiality, such as when it must be breached.

6. Restrict your scope of practice to client populations for which you are prepared by virtue of your education, training, and experience.

7. Be aware of the state laws and the ethical guidelines of various professional organizations that limit your practice, as well as the policies of the agency for which you work. Inform members about these policies, and practice within the boundaries of these laws and policies.

8. Make it a practice to consult with colleagues or clinical supervisors whenever there is a potential ethical, legal, or clinical concern. Clearly document the nature of the consultation.

9. Have a clear standard of care that can be applied to your services, and communicate this standard to the members. The best safeguard against legal liability is to practice good client care.

10. Document reasons for a group member’s termination and any referrals or recommendations given.

11. Do not promise the members of your group anything you cannot deliver. Help them realize that their degree of effort and commitment are the key factors in determining the outcomes of the group experience.

13. Make it a practice to assess the general progress of a group, and teach members how to evaluate their individual progress toward their own goals.

14. If you work for an agency or institution, have a contract that specifies the employer’s legal liability for your professional functioning.

15. Learn how to assess and intervene in cases in which group participants pose a threat to themselves or others, and be sure to document actions taken.

16. Recognize when it is appropriate to refer a group member for another form of treatment.

17. Remain alert to the ways your personal reactions might inhibit the group process, and monitor your countertransference.

18. Be careful of meeting your own needs at the expense of the members of your group.

19. Incorporate established ethical standards in your practice of group work. Following the spirit of the ethics code of your professional organization is important.

20. The best way to protect yourself from a malpractice suit is to take preventive measures, such as not practicing outside the boundaries of your competence and creating collaborative relationships with the members of your groups.

21. Attend risk management workshops periodically with the goal of familiarizing yourself with current standards of practice.

22. Realize that you will never be completely safe from a potential claim or lawsuit, regardless of how competent and ethical you are. However, proactive risk management strategies can lessen the possibility of such claims. Carry malpractice insurance.

This discussion of ethical and legal issues relevant for group work is not intended to increase your anxiety level or make you so careful that you avoid taking any risks. Leading groups can be a risky as well as a professionally rewarding venture. You will make some mistakes, so be willing to acknowledge and learn from them. By making full use of supervision, you not only learn from what may seem like mistakes but you also minimize the chances of harming clients. Being frozen with anxiety over needing to know everything or being afraid to intervene for fear of becoming embroiled in a lawsuit only creates a bigger problem. It is a disservice to treat group members as though they were fragile and, thus, never challenge them. Perhaps the best way to prevent a malpractice action is by having a sincere interest in doing what is going to benefit your client. Be willing to ask yourself these questions throughout your professional career: What am I doing, and why am I doing it? And how would it be if my colleagues observed my professional behavior? For a more detailed discussion of ethical and legal issues, see Corey, Corey, Corey, and Callanan (2015).

Several useful resources for risk management practices that can be applied to group work are Kennedy, Vandehey, Norman, and Diekhoff (2003), Bennett, Bricklin, Harris, Knapp, VandeCreek, and Younggren (2006), and Wheeler and Bertram (2015).