The purpose of this assignment is for you to demonstrate your analytical and assessment skills to systematically apply two group theory approaches/interventions to a case consisting of a planned counseling group. This assignment requires that you consider the theoretical approaches that we’ve studied and select the best two approaches to address the needs and group goals of the participants included on the case roster. Instructions The counseling group that is the subject of your case application paper has a central focus (self-esteem and self-actualization issues) that forms the basis for the group and will contribute to the formation of group as well as individual goals. There is cultural, age, and gender diversity among the group members.

This case configuration allows you the option to fill in the blanks, so to speak, and expand the member biographies and particular situations that drew members to the group for the purpose of this assignment. In other words, you can add to the case situation, but if you do, be certain to explain your additions or specifications before launching into the theory discussion and application. Step 1 Read the Counseling Group Case Actions and select two theory/intervention approaches out of the 11 in Chapters 6-16 of Theory and Practice of Group Counseling that you believe are the best approaches to apply for the fullest understanding and the most effective interventions intended to meet the group’s goals and to fulfill its purpose. You must choose theories from the textbook that are the best fit for the case. The theory approaches must come from two separate chapters in the textbook.

Note: In Steps 2 and 3 of the assignment, treat each of the theoretical approaches separately (you will repeat these steps for each of the theoretical approaches that you’ve selected). Step 2 Provide a rationale for the selection of the theory/intervention approach and clearly and thoroughly articulate the main tenets/beliefs of each theoretical approach. Systematically assess the case and how the selected theory is the most useful to run the group. Your discussion should pay attention to the specific issues of the group and also to the characteristics of the group members. For example, how well does the theory address self-esteem/self-actualization issues and specifically across several cultures that are represented among the group members? Step 3 Identify appropriate interventions and techniques that are suggested by the theoretical models that you have selected.

Make the link between interventions/techniques and theory explicit. How will you run the group with this approach and with the intervention/techniques in mind. How well will you expect the group and individual members to reach their goals? What specific interventions and techniques do you suggest, and why? The interventions must stem from the chosen theory. Step 4 Discuss the merits and potential problems associated with each theoretical approach, including a comparison of the appropriateness of each approach to the case. This discussion should include any arguments that you might have for the superiority of one approach over the other, as well as discussion of the methodological/empirical support (or lack of) for each theory.

Additionally, discuss how these approaches may or may not complement one another. Guidelines 1. Be sure that the paper reads as a coherent whole. Feel free to draw on outside resources, although it is not a requirement of the assignment. 2. Your paper should follow APA format. 3. If additional sources are cited in the paper, there must be an attached reference page. 4. Your paper should be word-processed, double spaced and approximately 8 pages in length, but should not exceed 10 pages.

SW602: Group Theory Case Assignment

You are an LCSW and your agency has assigned you to conduct a counseling group for adults with a focus on self-esteem and self-actualization issues. This is a co-ed group. Participants are being referred to the group by the social service organizations that have contracted with your agency for this service as well as individuals responding to an advertisement in the local newspaper. The group is limited to 10 participants who meet for 90 minutes weekly for 10 weeks. You are supplied with a roster of those who have responded to the service offer and some limited information about them. You were not able to conduct pregroup interviews with all of the applicants, but you were able to contact and speak with a couple of them who were questionable as to whether they would fit into the group considering their issues and kinds of psychotherapy that they have been receiving.

The final roster consists of 6 women and 2 men. Important and relevant information about each participant is provided as follows:

• •Francine (32) is an African American woman who says that she has an assertive personality and is tired of being stereotyped at work where she is the only person of color. She feels left out of the main subgroups at work and believes that her co-workers misperceive her to be aggressive. She wants to work on how she could be better at interpersonal relationships.
• •Rosa (27) a Latina, aspires to be a singer of Tejano music, but she has never felt strong enough to pursue a career in music. Her mother wanted her to be a housewife and to take care of her children like she did. Her father never really gave much credence to her personal aspirations. She feels like she lacks the inner strength to pursue her dreams.
• •Susan (36) is a Euro-American of European descent and was reared in a family of Engineers (both parents) in Silicon Valley. She has struggled throughout her life with being distant and never allowing anyone to come close to her. She has never married and has had only short-term, dead-end relationships. However, she says that she is lonely and yearns for intimacy but she can only think of how she has sabotaged all of her relationships in her life.
• •Bill (28) is a Euro-American and is struggling with the aftereffects of a very painful and conflicted divorce. He can’tseehimself gettingclose toanyoneagainandfeelslike he haslittle tooffer,especially towomen.He grew up in a military family and suffered a tyrannical father who never thought he could live up to his legacy.
• •Miguel -aka “Mike” (24) is aLatinowhocomestothe groupwithanidentity issue.He feelslike he doesnot“fitin”.Hisfamily broughthimtothe USwhen he wassix yearsoldandhe doesnothave legalresidentstatus(aDream Act kid). He does not identify with either AmericannorMexicanculture andfeels“leftout”and“abandoned”by hisfamily andthe fewfriendsthathe has.
• •Janelle (30) is Biracial and comes to the group with questions about how she can get closer to men and maintain relationships with them as she struggles with her racial identity. She has had relationships with both white and black men, and she has found herself feeling like neither are really interested in her and she tends to attribute this to her lack of a consistent idea of who she really is.
• •Nora (26) is a Euro-American who lost her mother at an early age and who puts a lot of pressure on herself to be perfect so that everyone likes her and to keep everyone happy. She frequently feels that she is not good enough as a wife and mother, no matter what she does.
• •Joi Lee (27) is a Korean-American with expressed concerns about her differences with her mother and father who want her to follow traditional customs and to marry a Korean-American man. They have set up an SW602:GroupTheoryCaseAssignmentarranged marriage in the past that she had rejected to the great consternation of her parents. She wants to have her own life and marry for love.

The stated issues of the participants relating to self-esteem and self-actualization concerns stem from the loss of relationships and failed marriages, inability to maintain relationships and/or long-term relationships, family isolation (enmeshment), lack of fit in society or social groups stated to be from cultural stereotyping and bigotry, and feelings of despair.

With this information in mind, your role as a group counselor is to determine the best approach to take to be able to accommodate the various persons, ages, cultures and issues that would be most likely to meet group and anticipated individual goa