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Guidance and Counseling

Notes behavioural changes in the group, members accept challenges among them to reform their
everyday life.
Counseling uses a variety of techniques in accordance with their theoretical orientations. Role
l playing, psycho-drama, assertiveness training, etc are frequently used techniques.
• Consolidation and Termination : Termination is not simply the ‘stopping’. In fact, it is an
integral stage of the process of “group counseling”. It is usual in group counseling to fix a
termination date in advance. It is always wise to start discussion about the termination, three
or four sessions before the final one. It gives adequate time for handling psychological or
emotional upsets associated with weaning, to work toward transferring new experiences to
outside world, to work through any unfinished problems, to review the experiences of
individual members and work out how each can build on these changes, once the termination
is over, suggestions for future help can also be made when necessary. Specific suggestions of
how to build on new learning by joining a support group or other more advance groups by
reading or by attending workshops, etc may also be provided.

What is the disadvantage information of too small groups ?

18.5 Advantages of Group Counseling

Advantages
(a) It is economical in many ways. In group counseling a large number of individuals are helped
at the same time by a counselor. This saves time and money.
(b) It helps individuals to socialize their attitudes, habits and judgements.
(c) It provides multiple stimuli for each member to work through and approximates real life
situation. By frankly and honestly sharing their thoughts and feelings members develop a
feeling of group cohesiveness and singleness of purpose that helps them to progress. Discussions
of matters of common concern help the members to appraise the adequacy of their interpersonal
relations. The group gives them a practice field in which to learn new more flexible and more
satisfying ways of relating to others. Moreover the group helps the individual appraise his
values and come to an increased appreciation of the importance of good human relations in
his value system.
Some individuals who cannot be reached through individual counseling can be reached through
a group counseling.

In a group counseling situation feelings of depression, isolation are reduced and talking
made easy. Apart from these, group counseling gives the counselor an opportunity to
study persons in an initial group setting.

18.6 Limitations of Group Counseling

Group counseling is not suitable for all individuals. Some individual finds the group situation too
threatening. Moreover some individual have a very low level of tolerance and will not be able to
adopt their behaviour to the demands of the group. Similarly very personal and private problems
cannot be discussed in the group situation. Apart from these the counselor has less control over the

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