ABSTRACT
This chapter discusses the aspects of trauma groups that are important to social workers. Things to consider when facilitating trauma groups include: planning for survivors' special needs; ensuring their safety as the group process potentially triggers trauma memories and working to build connections with members so that the feeling of aloneness so prevalent among survivors is not amplified. Turning an informational session into group therapy could be detrimental for survivors not prepared to hear and talk about traumatic events. Just as conflict within families decreases safety and warm supportive family relations heal, group dynamics affect the recovery process. Positive group dynamics can engender the supportive relations that mutual aid encourages and restore faith lost as a result of trauma. Self-care and coping skills are emphasized since safety is the goal of this treatment. Trauma issues related to “independence, power, dependency/trust” can cause conflict among group members.
