Application
This unit describes the skills and knowledge required to plan for group counselling, develop a therapeutic alliance for change with the group, manage the group process and evaluate the outcomes of group counselling sessions. It goes beyond psycho-educational group work.
This unit applies to family relationship counsellors who operate with significant autonomy in therapeutic professional service roles in the community sector. The activity is self-directed.
The skills in this unit must be applied in accordance with Commonwealth and State/Territory legislation, Australian/New Zealand Standards and industry codes of practice
Elements and Performance Criteria
ELEMENT | PERFORMANCE CRITERIA |
Elements define the essential outcomes | Performance criteria describe the performance needed to demonstrate achievement of the element. |
1. Plan for group counselling | 1.1 Develop criteria for appropriate participant selection 1.2 Implement ethical processes for participant selection 1.3 Document and record member selection process in line with established practice and organisation procedures 1.4 Identify a suitable supervisor for group counselling and negotiate a supervision plan based on the planned counselling and participate profile |
2. Develop a therapeutic alliance for interpersonal learning and change | 2.1 Establish agreements with group members about the way that the group will operate 2.2 Develop goals for and with the counselling group according to the nature and needs of the group 2.3 Share information that prepares group members for participation in the group process 2.4 Develop appropriate safety measures between the group and group leader 2.5 Reflect on and respond to potential influence of own values on group participants |
3. Manage the group counselling process | 3.1 Model and encourage respectful communication within the group that addresses the diversity of participant needs 3.2 Manage key transitions and stages of group development using established group work practices and engagement strategies 3.3 Facilitate the group in ways that assist participants to develop connections with each other and with their own thoughts, feelings and actions 3.4 Use strategies that assist group members to develop self awareness, awareness of change and their use of defences 3.5 Identify and manage issues of transference and counter transference 3.6 Identify and manage conflict 3.7 Monitor the therapeutic alliance at an individual and whole-of-group level 3.8 Facilitate group member debriefing according to individual needs 3.9 Document observations and outcomes of sessions according to professional standards and organisation requirements |
4. Evaluate and reflect on group counselling | 4.1 Evaluate group member patterns of improvement and change according to individual and group goals 4.2 Use evaluation processes that allow group members to provide feedback 4.3 Integrate evaluation of group counselling sessions into a broader reflective practice framework 4.4 Participate in supervision according to planned approaches and apply learning to future work |
Evidence of Performance
The candidate must show evidence of the ability to complete tasks outlined in elements and performance criteria of this unit, manage tasks and manage contingencies in the context of the job role. There must be evidence that the candidate has:
planned, facilitated and evaluated at least 3 different group counselling sessions, each with a minimum group size of 5 people
facilitated sessions that individually or cumulatively involve:
sessions with varied goals
participants of different genders ages
participants with different issues and challenges
managed the group counselling process according to established group work principles using the following communication and counselling skills:
challenging
collaboration
conflict resolution
different styles of group leadership
effective non-verbal communication
empathetic responding
focusing
listening
negotiation
paraphrasing
reframing
questioning
summarising
techniques for maintaining group cohesion
completed a structured process of evaluation and reflection for at least 3 group counselling sessions.
Evidence of Knowledge
The candidate must be able to demonstrate essential knowledge required to effectively complete tasks outlined in elements and performance criteria of this unit, manage tasks and manage contingencies in the context of the work role. This includes knowledge of:
legal and ethical considerations for group counselling work, and how these are applied in organisations and individual practice:
codes of conduct
discrimination
duty of care
ethical dilemmas in practice, and processes for ethical decision-making
mandatory reporting
practitioner client boundaries and implications of unequal balance of power
privacy, confidentiality and disclosure, including limitations
records management
work role boundaries – responsibilities and limitations of group interventions
work health and safety, including:
stress management
supervision requirements for group counselling work
nature of complex interpersonal interactions and relationship, including:
abuse
conflict
power balances
how these play out in group situations
systemic therapeutic group work interventions and their application and evidence base:
cognitive/behavioural
solution focused
systemic approaches
mutual aid model
strengths, limitations, and contraindications of specific group counselling models, including risks of harm associated with models that incorporate assumptions of family dysfunction, pathogenesis, or cultural deficit
how group counselling may be used at the:
individual level
sub group level
whole-of-group level
processes, practices and factors for consideration in selecting participants for group counselling
types of information and supports needed to prepare participants for group counselling
models, theories, principles and practices of group work, including:
establishing agreements about how the group will operate and guidelines for behaviour
different stages of group development
different types of group leadership
uses and abuse of group techniques
responses to disclosures in groups
management of conflict and challenging behaviour
strategies for learning and change
transference and counter transference issues that arise in group counselling and how to manage these
group and individual defences and how these can be managed
communication and counselling techniques and how they are applied in the group process:
challenging
collaboration
conflict resolution
effective non-verbal communication
empathetic responding
focusing
listening
negotiation
paraphrasing
reframing
questioning
summarising
factors that affect the dynamics of a group, including:
attempted sabotage of process
avoidance of discussion of conflict
challenging feedback
conflict between or among participants/ facilitators
group splitting
inappropriate use of behaviour or relationships
manipulation of other participants
challenges and mistakes in leading counselling groups and strategies for how to address and avoid these
methods for measuring effectiveness of group counselling interventions
role of reflective practice and the nature of a counselling reflective practice framework
referral sources for group members in need of additional services
role and importance of self awareness and influence of own beliefs and attitudes.
Assessment Conditions
Skills must have been demonstrated in the workplace or in a simulated environment that reflects workplace conditions. The following conditions must be met for this unit:
use of suitable facilities, equipment and resources, including:
group member information
organisation policies and procedures
modelling of industry operating conditions, including:
scenarios that involve groups comprising at least 5 people.
Assessors must satisfy the Standards for Registered Training Organisations (RTOs) 2015/AQTF mandatory competency requirements for assessors.
Foundation Skills
The Foundation Skills describe those required skills (language, literacy, numeracy and employment skills) that are essential to performance.
Foundation skills essential to performance are explicit in the performance criteria of this unit of competency.