Clinical III. Session 14

Practice with Groups Spring 2020 Assignment #1

Step 1:

1. What is the purpose for taking this course?

I work for an agency that takes care of unaccompanied minor that crossed the border from different countries, mainly from El Salvador, Honduras, Guatemala and Mexico. Minors are under ORR (Office of Refugee and Resettlement) care, ORR mandate that minors received 90 minutes of group therapy weekly to help in their adjustment to a new environment, acculturation and trauma during journey. Say what this group looks like. This is a reciprocal group where I am the mediator and I guided the members. Even thought I am the authority there’s interaction between me and the group members and we support each other. Are you leading it? The group that we conduct in the agency are always lead by 2 people, skills trainer and myself. The skills trainer its in charge of one part of the group content and I incorporate the clinical aspect of the topic. Purpose of the group is to help minor adjust into their new life in U.S and their acculturation purposes. Also, we conducted group that provide minor tools to manage anxiety, depression, and any other mental health condition. Content, always included a topic to teach skills to hel their adjustment process like; navigate in the subway, navigate in the school etc. Also, a clinical aspect such as how to manage anxiety in case the minor get lost in the subway. Structure, when conducting group I go over roles and norms, what is expected from each member such as respect to each other, we provided snacks and instructed them when is the time for a beak to enjoy the snacks. Members, the member are unaccompanied minors that crossed the border mainly form El Salvador, Honduras, Guatemala and Mexico. This minor are in our long term foster care program because they don’t have a family member that can received (sponsor) them here in U.S. Minor qualified for this type of program because they have some type of legal relief and we help them with that. Challenges you see. The challenges that I faced during group is that some of the minors don’t respect the rules, some of them used their cell phones while group is in session. Any guidance in leading? I didn’t receive any guidance.

When I saw this class available and inquired about the content, I received a lot of positive feedbacks. Thanks for sharing this. By taking this class I can implement the knowledge in my field placement and work. After the first class I was able to start gaining knowledge that I can implement when conducting groups. WONDERFUL. Specifics? I was able to create rules when conducting group. I informed the minor that ORR requires them to have a minimum of 1 hour and 30 minutes of group session weekly. These minors lived with foster parents and they are allow to go by themselves to the agency, sometimes when we schedule groups when they are off form school they can make any excuse in order for them not to attend. Consequences of not attending groups is that they don’t get a monthly gift card that the agency provided to them.

I will like to be able to provide support and solutions to the members of a group and to be able to work towards the goals of each one. Good

Step 2:

1. Need: I can see that my needs are educational, practical and personal. Educational because I can implement the knowledge obtain in the class in any social work-related position such as; school, hospital, private practice etc. Practical in our daily life with coworkers, family and more with my own child. I can be implementing techniques learned in this class without them noticing. Love this Personal same reason as how practical can be, to help my love one when needed.

2. Purposes: As a social work intern the knowledge, skills, abilities that I can gained are multiple. The connection with my needs is that I will be able to implement what I leaned in this class in my field work. How specifically? After I graduate I want to apply for a clinican position in my agency, by taking this class now I will have the experience to dondut grou[ps every week that is one of the responsibilities of the clinicians, and also I will have the experienced when I finished my MSW and will be able to apply for a clinical position in the agency, or elsewhere.

3. Use of self: I don’t have skills as a leader of a group, I been a member. In my current field placement, I was asked to run a group What kind/type? I can say that our groups should always be remedial because members need to know that theres an authority and that even though we interact and support each other they need to respect me as a leader. Get all the details you can up front- meaning: requirements or guidelines you’ll have to follow. Then you can start planning as you learn. Great opportunity. Think about NEED. What is the need you can identify- this will get you to purpose- goal to pursue. We’ll get to this soon and I requested to observe one before I can lead. Good. Notice leadership and group reactions/ response. After the first class I already started to think about things that I can implement to run groups, such as; to establish rules and norms to members of the group. GREAT.

4. Special Interest: Issues that I will like to explore are trauma, family separation, acculturation, adjustment to new environment, PTSD, BPD, and many more that I can share during the class. ABSOLUTELY

Think about how to put all- or much- of the above into a single statement of purpose- with strong end result. What do you want to achieve?