Give a thoughtful response to both discussions below of 150 words or more in APA format citing any references used.

Discussion #1

All the groups that Jacobs, Schimmel, Masson, and Harvill (2016) mentioned had aspects that would be difficult for any leader. Since I can only choose one group, I believe the most difficult group to lead would be a growth and experiential group. The reason this group would be so difficult to read is that there are so many variables in these types of groups.

As Jacobs et al. (2016, p. 42) stated, "...the most important dynamic is how the members feel about one another, because they will be sharing their thoughts and feelings." Since these groups are suggested to have between 5 and 8 group members, attempting to get everyone in the group to get along sounds extremely stressful.

The type of leader that would be good for a growth group would be one who measures high in both assertiveness and communication. Communicating at a high level can keep misunderstandings from taking place that could divide the group. Still, there is a strong possibility that one person in the group may need to be removed to allow the other members to speak and interact freely.

Because of this scenario and the potential for a power struggle to take place for leadership in the group (Jacobs et al., 2016 p. 43), the leader of growth groups will have to be direct and assertive. A leader who doesn't exhibit these strengths could lose control over the group, causing dissention in the goal or even the destruction of the group itself.

Reference

Jacobs, E. E., Schimmel, C. J., Masson, R. L., & Harvill, R. L. (2016). Group counseling: strategies and skills (8th ed.). Boston, MA:Cengage learning.

Discussion #2

The type of group that I think would be the most challenging is the Growth and Experiential Group. There are a multitude of factors that influence the dynamics of the group and it's outcome.

For one, the dynamics of this type of group presents some potential problems. Due to the diverse nature of the need each participant brings, there are some negative experiences associated with this group. "In some growth and experiential groups, individual members' needs and expectations can vary so widely that negative forces are created" (Jacobs et al., 2015, p. 42). Some of the possible negative acts include cliques being formed, members becoming competitive, or members could become jealous of others' growth.

A second reason this group could be a hurdle is the limited amount of training provided for counselors in training. According to Riva (as cited in McCarthy, Falco & Villalba, 2014), "a supervised group experience is an essential component of training group leaders yet, surprisingly, most Master's level programs only require one basic course in group counseling" (p. 187). McCarthy et al. refer to experiential growth groups as EGGs. These groups could also use some guidelines for implementation. "The lack of prescribed methods for EGG implementation allows for innovation and pedagogical freedom but has numerous potential downsides" (McCathy et al., 2014, p. 189).

Though I've listed a few potential challenges associated with Growth and Experiential Group types, there is always the idea that an effective leader and there actions, dictate the success of the group goals. An effective leaders have experience with individuals and groups, are good planners, has knowledge of the topic, have a good understanding of basic human conflicts and counselor theory, (Jacobs et al., 2015).

References

Jacobs, E. E., Schimmel, C. J., Masson, R. L., & Harvill, R. L. (2015). Group counseling: Strategies and skills (8th ed.). Belmont, CA: Brooks/Cole.

McCarthy, C. J., Falco, L. D., & Villalba, J. (2014). Ethical and professional issues in experiential growth groups: Moving forward. The Journal for Specialists in Group Work, 39(3), 186- 193. doi: 10.1080/01933922.2014.924722