ABSTRACT
Self-understanding promotes change by encouraging individuals to recognize, to integrate, and to give free expression to previously dissociated parts of themselves. When we deny or stifle parts of ourselves, we pay a heavy price: We feel a deep amorphous sense of restriction; we are “on guard”; we are often troubled and puzzled by inner, yet alien, impulses demanding expression. When we can reclaim these split-off parts, we experience a wholeness and a deep sense of liberation (Yalom, 1985, p. 86). Any school, community, or institutional setting is a microcosm of group work. Formal and informal groups already exist for the purpose of furthering the educational process and promoting community involvement. These communities include task-oriented groups to complete projects, cooperative learning groups, groups to organize and plan social events, groups to learn new athletic skills, groups to socialize, assessment groups to scrutinize curricula, and community projects groups.
