ABSTRACT
Group work can be integral to effective counseling practice. Group approaches recognize the ecological validity of modern life, which involve interpersonal relating processes (problem-solving, negotiation, community building). Competent group workers are skilled at facilitating meaningful interactions that address a diversity of member concerns within a mutually supportive environment. This chapter provides an introduction to concepts in group work consistent with Council for Accreditation of Counseling and Related Educational Programs standards for best practice as specified by Association of Specialist in Group Work (ASGW) practice standards. The chapter also provides a review of theoretical and empirically validated foundations of effective group work including a discussion of dynamics of effective group processes, and key therapeutic factors that contribute to group effectiveness. Strategies discussed will include practical issues related to the dynamics of different group typologies, recruiting, screening, and selecting members and providing for opportunities to develop group leadership skills as part of the counseling students’ coursework.
