Group Counseling in K-12 Schools

Book excerpt: This comprehensive and practical text on how to conduct Group Counseling in K-12 Schools focuses on practice rather than on the theories and research that underlie group counseling. Group Counseling in Schools covers the topic of group counseling from initiation to termination at all school levels. The text views group counseling as an integral component of a comprehensive guidance and counseling program, covering such topics as the importance of enhancing the visibility of guidance and counseling programs in order to facilitate group counseling; how to encourage cooperation from teachers, administrators, and parents; selecting group topics; screening procedures for prospective group members; developing group plans; determining the size of groups; facilitating the scheduling of group counseling; multicultural issues in group counseling; evaluating group counseling; and professional issues related to group counseling in schools. The text stresses the importance of the school counselor as an active participant in counseling, whether counseling is being done individually or in a group. The role of the active counselor is discussed along with the skills needed for becoming an effective school counselor.