Counselling A reflective account designed a group warm up activity Assignment

Counselling A reflective account designed a group warm up activity balloon person - Assignment Example In this way psychologists can help them overcome their issues and guide in goal setting. The purpose of psychologist is not to think for the person, but first to make the person stable in personality and then make him decide for himself. What is group counseling? Group counseling is a form of psychotherapy in which more than two clients are dealt together by a counselor. Group counseling is effective and useful specially in treating people with same issues or problems. In such way clients in group are able to learn from other experiences and exchange ideas and advices. The other advantage of group therapy is that it is more cost effective and saves time of counselor and money of clients. (About.com, 2011) Group counseling is actually a way of counseling people with different therapies. In group counseling many other therapies are used. Such as psychodynamics, CBT and client centered therapy etc. Benefits of Group Counseling: It is useful in many psychological illnesses like OCD, depr ession, anxiety, substance abuse, panic attacks and personality disorders. In group therapy people usually feel easier in expressing their symptoms when other is expressing the same. Approaches to Group counseling: Group therapies fulfill and nourish variety of client’s need. In 1995 the Psychiatrist Irvin Yalom wrote the therapeutic qualities in group counseling. Those approaches are: 1. Instillation of hope: in group therapy the rate of hope in people becomes higher because when they interact and discuss issues together, they become positive that they aren’t only one suffering. And with this hope treatment of clients become effective. 2. Universality: usually when a person is going through it alone he feels like he is the only one suffering and that makes him feel even more terrible. But in group therapy when people with same issues gather and share their issues the feeling on individual suffering goes away and client learns that others are also having same issues an d they are not alone. 3. Communication of information: when a client comes to know that he isn’t the only one suffering he gets better understanding towards his own problem and then recover better in group. 4. Altruism: in group therapy people become altruist and part of a group and their recovery will be mutual. 5. Interpersonal learning: in group therapy a client learns from other people's issues and that he is not only one suffering but pain and suffering of the other persons can be more acute. (NFATTC , 2004) Common Therapies in Group Counseling: Psychologists use many theoretical approaches in group counseling. Three main of them are as following: Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) – it focuses on the thought processes (cognition) and behavior of the person that leads to problem. And it aims to change the way those patterns of thought and behavior are creating problem for person. (NACBT, 2010) Interpersonal Therapy (IPT) – it focuses on other peoplesâ€℠¢ roles in personal life of the person and how such relation leads to a problem. People with whom one interacts in life can affect ones feelings and thoughts. And if the influence of people is not good then such interactions can lead to various psychological issues. (about.com, 2008) Psychodynamic Therapy (PDT) –Psychodynamic therapy is analytic nature of therapy; based on the concepts of Freud. In this therapy therapist keep his own personality and personal views away from client and acts as a black canvas over which client can transfer all his thoughts and deep