Manhattan College

School of Education and Health

Counseling Graduate Programs

Advanced Practicum in Groups, EDUG 850

Summer 2019 in London

MGL 214

                                                 

                                                                                               

 

Professor Neil E Busuttil, Ph.D.                             

TEL: (646) 866-4483                                   Email:   Dr.neile.busuttil@gmail.com

                                                                         

Course Description:

There are two components to this course – didactic and experiential learning. The didactic component will consist of a lecture and discussion where students will learn about group dynamics and social systems theories. The experiential component will consist of experiential groups, where students will participate in small and large self-study groups. The experiential component provides an opportunity to practice through reflection on actual situations as they occur in the here and now. Students will have an opportunity to integrate theory and experience and begin the application of this learning to various kinds of groups and work settings. The task of the experiential group is to recognize, describe, and discuss group events and processes as they occur. By studying “here and now” events, students can increase their understanding of the processes that occur as groups develop and function. Students will also increase their personal awareness by considering the roles they may take up in the pursuit of learning.

 

Course Objectives:

·         Demonstrate a psychodynamic understanding of groups as social systems.

·         Understand the group-as-a-whole perspective and its implication to group work.

·         Identify the basic concepts in group development and dynamic processes that occur in the life of the group.

·         Describe how authority, authorization, leadership, followership, and levels of group functioning impact group life.

·         Identify how one’s valence in role-taking may contribute to one’s effectiveness in leadership role.

·         Describe how social differences such as gender, race, ethnicity, age, sexual orientation, and social class impact group dynamics and role-taking in groups and organizations.

 

Required Readings:

 

Text

 

Yalom, Irvin (2005).  The Theory and Practice of Group Psychotherapy.  Basic Books – Fifth edition.

 

 

Articles

 

Chang, W. D., Chae, M., & Gunn, R. W. (2008). Splitting and projective identification in multicultural group counseling, Journal of Specialists in Group Work, 23 (4), 372-387. DOI: 10.1080/01933929808411408

Connolly, M., & Noumair, D. A. (1997). The White girl in me, the colored girl in you, and the lesbian in us. In M. Fine (Ed.), Off White: Readings in race, power, and society. New York: Routledge.   

 

Green, Z. G., & Molemkamp, R. (2004). The BART system of group and organizational analysis: Boundary, authority, role, and task (unpublished paper).

 

Wells, L. (1994). The group-as-a-whole perspective and its theoretical roots. In A. D. Colman & M. H. Geller, (Eds.), Group relations reader 2. Rainier, WA: A. K. Rice Institute.

 

Course Requirements:

 

1.      Journals: After each class (even ones in New York), write down your experience of the class/group. In London, you will write a 500-word reflection on your learning from your experience in the Tavistock group, focusing on group leader, group dynamics you perceive, and your own feelings.   Describe how you relate to the learning materials based on your personal experiences.

2.      Term Paper: See Below

3.      Group Relations Conference: Participation in the group relations confernece in Tavistock is expected although your participation will NOT be graded.

 

 

Grading:

 

Journals:                                                          20%

Class Participation:                                         40%

Term Paper:                                                     40%

Quiz :                                                              20%

 

* You lose 25% of your grade for a late assignment and no assignment that is late for over 24 hours will be accepted. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Course Schedule:

 

Date	Topic	Assignment	Readings
7/10	In the Beginning	Journal 1	Green & Molemkamp (2004) Wells (1994) Yalom Ch11 Study for QUIZ
7/15	Advanced Group QUIZ	Journal 2	McRae & Short (2010) Yalom 12
7/19	London Session Problem Group Members and Therapist’s Specialist Format	Journal 3	Yalom Ch 13 and 14
7/22- 7/24	3-day Group Relations Conference* in London	Journal 4 Group Conference Experience	In journal document London experience of group
7/27	Discuss paper requirements Reflection on Experience	Group and Role Analysis papers due 8/11	Connolly & Noumair (1997) Chang, Chae, & Gunn (2008)
8/11	Group and Role Analysis Paper Submission

*Conference Website: http://www.tavistockandportman.ac.uk/IdentityCultureClass

 

 

 

Term Paper

4 to 6 pages

 

From the therapeutic factors listed below, please use your experience of the Tavistock group documented in your journal to answer the following:

KEY THERAPEUTIC FACTOR QUESTIONS

1.         Instillation of hope – Was this evident in the Tavistock group?

2.         Universality – What indicated I am normal?

3.         Imparting information – What was taught or provided as guidance and advice and by whom? 

4.         Altruism – How can we feel useful? Which ways were you received through giving in the group? 

5.         The corrective recapitulation of the primary family group – What family conflicts are came up in the group and how was it influencing group conflicts?

6.         Development of socializing techniques – Did you learn different ways of interacting?

7.         Imitative behavior – Who were the role models?

8.         Interpersonal learning – How did we relate to and impact others?, How to use feedback ? 

9.         Group cohesiveness- Did everyone belong and feel appreciated?

10.       Catharsis – Did the group sharing their conflicted feelings? 11.        Existential factors – How does group accept what can and cannot change?