A book that supports the human spirit and the humanistic visions of those who champion personal and social change through the social work group….

The Second Edition of Group Work: A Humanistic and Skills Building Approach identifies the humanistic values and democratic norms that guide the group practitioner's interventions. The book presents seven stage themes of group development, 29 techniques for group work practice, and more than 60 new illustrations from contemporary group work. The Second Edition remains centered on the role of the social group work practitioner, who employs group work methods to further the personal growth and empowerment of members in community and institutional contexts.

Features of the Second Edition:

Offers 29 new descriptions of group work practice techniques, which have applicability in clinical, support, and organizational groups; Provides seven stage themes of group development, describing member reactions and highlighting worker pitfalls, self-awareness issues, and skills for maximizing member growth within each stage; Presents 60 new illustrations of group meetings, which demonstrate the practitioner role and conclude with discussion and analysis; Includes an updated Chapter 10, which highlights ethical values in mental health, substance abuse treatment, and health care groups

Intended Audience

This is an ideal core text for advance undergraduate and graduate courses such as Group Work, Foundation Practice, Skills of Counseling, and Group Dynamics in the fields of social work, psychology, and counseling.

The Dual Objectives

The dual objectives

In the description of the humanistic method of group work, emphasis has been placed on the importance of the practitioner comprehending, owning, and expressing humanistic values through attitudes and interactions. Given this state of affairs—the relation of values and norms to degrees of interpersonal expression—it is important to recognize that it is by design and practice skill that the group work practitioner helps members have experiences and attain resources that are meaningful for them and others in their lives.

The Dual Objectives: Developing the Democratic Mutual Aid System and Actualizing Group Purpose

The practitioner of humanistic group work attempts to accomplish two complementary objectives (Glassman & Kates, 1986a). The first is the development of the democratic mutual aid system; the second is ...

  • Loading...
locked icon

Sign in to access this content

Get a 30 day FREE TRIAL

  • Watch videos from a variety of sources bringing classroom topics to life
  • Read modern, diverse business cases
  • Explore hundreds of books and reference titles