Mental Health Group Counseling: Addressing Trauma in School Shootings

This report delves into the crucial aspects of mental health group counseling, particularly in the context of children who have experienced traumatic loss and bereavement, such as those affected by school shootings. It meticulously outlines the process of group formation, including setting goals and objectives, determining group size, and establishing membership criteria. The report emphasizes the importance of a closed group format to foster consistency and intimacy, alongside detailed steps for recruiting new members. It further explores leadership styles, advocating for a servant leadership approach, and integrates theoretical perspectives to inform therapeutic practices. Ethical considerations are a central theme, with a strong emphasis on confidentiality, multicultural competence, and adherence to ethical guidelines. The report concludes by underscoring the effectiveness of group therapy while highlighting the need for careful management of confidentiality and member participation.

MENTAL HEALTH/GROUP COUNSELING
Name
Institutional affiliation

Group Structure and Management/Traumatic Loss and bereavement in children who
experienced a school shooting
Summary
Many people are often exposed to dangerous situations of life, and these exposures have negative
impact in the rest of their lives. When an action is delayed or not taken, the problem may become
even more hurting. This paper will discuss group formation goal and objectives, the requirement
of group formation, the requirement in recruitment process, leadership and theoretical
perspective as well as ethical issues considerable in group counseling.
Introduction
Children are vulnerable members of society who require close attention given to them on
daily basis. If a child suffers trauma or is bereaved they require someone to talk to them in order
to help them avoid mental disorders associated with the kind of experience (Feldman & Reiff,
2014). This paper presents the formation of the group, the objective of the group, leadership and
ethical issues to be considered when administering therapeutic services in a group setting.
1. Group goal and objectives
General statement of the desired outcome for group members
Past experiences have either positive or negative effects on how an individual will live,
view the world and connect different situations in life. If children are exposed to trauma or
shocks of life they may develop a fear of the unknown and also be affected emotionally.
Measurable group objectives

 Build an emotional sketch on the deceased loved ones
 Plan of memorial services for monthly anniversary
 Be able to share traumatic details with therapist/counselors
 Try and get through a week without crying
2. Group format
Group size would be determined by the variables such as group performance, conformity and
consensus, member performance, the nature of the interaction, distribution of participation,
group organization, and member satisfaction. In this case, where there is a need to take care of
traumatized children, a close attention is required for every child in order to meet their needs and
satisfy them hence a small sized group is required (Feldman & Reiff, 2014). This is because
large groups perform less than small groups.
In this case, the closed group membership will be applicable where no new member will be
accepted to avoid recurring of issues unless where the old members are about to exit the group.
The following reason justifies why the closed group will be more applicable to managing
children traumatic conditions (Feldman & Reiff, 2014). The group has consistency and
predictability; it requires more cohesiveness and intimacy between the counselee and the
counselor and the members of the group need easier and immediate balance of their needs
(Gonzalez, M. T., Hartig, T., Patil, G. G., Martinsen, E. W., & Kirkevold, M. (2011). This group
is able to perform its tasks on a weekly basis in 1-2 hours counseling, making it inappropriate for
new members to join the group after week three of any group (Northouse, 2018). This group
offers a good opportunity to be trusted, learn and work through issues of termination, separation,
and inclusion feeling safe in that closed environment.

When recruiting new members in your group the following steps have to be considered.
a) Knowing and understanding of your group
You will need to understand what kind of people you want in your group. This means the
understanding of goals and objectives of the group. The group may need to hold a meeting to
discuss goals and objectives. The group will also decide on the people it hopes to help it succeed.
b) Setting recruitment goals
This will look at the group abilities to assimilate new members. A group will consider how
many new members are required and how many can the group assimilate (Kiser & Figley, 2013).
There is a need to also state whether a new member can be recruited any time or after a certain
period of time (Northouse, 2018). In this step, you need to keep your membership profile in
mind, ask yourself what special interest the new members have etc.
c) Get all involved
The current members should be involved in identifying the people they know with a shared
interest. Calling them for a meeting would prove effective. In this step use word of mouth to talk
about your group, tell them what you offer and ask them of their interest and pay attention to
their words (Kiser & Figley, 2013). Sell yourself and the organization and benefit to join your
group.
d) The design of the visual advertisement
These would include flyers, brochures, banners, posters, bulletin boards etc. this will help
you to publicize your group early (Richard, Lajeunesse, & Lussier, 2010).

e) Welcoming meeting
Planning welcoming meetings will not only make your new members feel comfortable but
also appreciated.
f) Do orientation for new members
Make your new members understand the reason why they are joining you and the roles they
may have to play in your group. Teach them about the organizational goals and objectives while
avoiding mistake on a high priority.
3. Leadership and theoretical perspective
Group therapy is applicable where people with similar issues interact with one another
guided by a group therapist (Harper & Cole, 2012). People who are grieving can apply this group
therapy since it is applicable to people who have similar or related issues such like family
members, people who are anxious or in panic, personality disorder, depressed or grieving (Rutan,
Stone & Shay, 2014). To apply this therapeutic style, the counselor will go round requesting each
member at a time to explain how their week or month etc. went. In this first step situation, the
deeper and deeper issues are likely to come out of the interaction (Harper & Cole, 2012).
Questions from other members are welcomed as well as members challenge the respondent in a
respectable way. This therapeutic style would be good to apply for a smaller group since every
member would be required to talk and may be having a long story to express.
The leadership style most applicable to this situation is servant leadership style. This style
involves the therapist leading by example through showing respect to group members who in
turn should exercise high standards of respect for other members (Northouse, 2018). Servant

leaders have high values of humanity and strong ethics (Bass & Bass, 2009). The leadership of
this group requires single leader rule in order to keep it focused on its goals and to fasten
decision making as well as to achieve desired results in the stipulated time. Mother Teresa is a
good example of this leader who led by serving people without wanting personal recognition
(Northouse, 2018). The will be a need to apply integrated approach and technique because,
sometimes patients experience fluctuation of severe personality disorder (Kiser & Figley, 2013).
This will be applied using complex clinical situations to the treatment where a need arises
(Trotzer, 2013).
4. Ethical practice
 The counselor must ensure they put special consideration to groups comprised of
adolescents, children or mandated clients groups (Richard, Lajeunesse, & Lussier, 2010).
 They should be fully conversant with the ASGW and ACA contents codes and
guidelines. They should also ensure they recruit group workers who are familiar with
ethical guidelines of the National Registry of Certified Group Psychotherapists (2000)
and American Group psychotherapy Association (Northouse, 2018).
 Counselors should also have adequate training, multicultural competence, qualifications
as well as good experience in group handling (Kiser & Figley, 2013).
 They should ensure proper and careful planning during pre-group screening, recruitment
of members, and also ensure members are well informed on the issues surrounding group
formation (DeLucia-Waack, Kalodner, & Riva, 2013).
 Counselors or therapist should handle their clients in environments that ensure
confidentiality and protects clients’ privacy (Richard, Lajeunesse, & Lussier, 2010).

 The counselor should disclose to the members of the confidentiality concerns and all
members agree on it by trusting each other that they will not disclose any information to
members outside the group (Northouse, 2018).
 They should ensure all group members sign a confidentiality agreement pledging
adherence to confidentiality rules (Kocovski, Fleming & Rector, 2009).
 The peer counselors should not force any member to participate in group therapy if they
are not comfortable or make them be in a group where they will hear about other group
members without sharing their own (Kocovski, Fleming & Rector, 2009).
 Diversity in-group members are important in having a group that broadly reflects the
community perceptions.
Conclusion
Group therapy is one of the most effective therapeutic styles that enable people to express
themselves in a group receiving the therapeutic intervention. However, there are
confidentiality issues which should be handled with care, by ensuring all members involved
sign a confidentiality agreement pledging to adhere to confidentiality rule. Members who are
ready to participate should respect each other even where there is need to ask a question or
challenge.

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