Working with Groups

Background to this page

Joan E. Hemenway— Inside the Circle: A Historical and Practical Inquiry Concerning Process Groups in Clinical Pastoral Education. Journal of Pastoral Care Publications, 1996

This book is a must read for SPE supervisors. It is the only resource available which sets SPE group work in context. Inside the Circle provides a clear challenge to each supervisor to sharpen up her/his theory and practice of group supervision. This book reflects work done for Joan’s Doctor of Ministry degree. It provides an historical overview of group work in CPE from its inception to the time of writing (1996). It also provides a chapter on group work outside the CPE context. An integrative group theory is offered in the latter part of the book, drawing both on the CPE tradition and the psychological foundations of Wilfred Bion. This promotes the notion of group work as transformative play. Joan’s conclusion is that "the task of the small process group is to focus on group-as-a-whole learning with requisite attention to authority, boundary roles, and assumptions."1 She describes the balance such a perspective offers between individual and group dynamics and between therapeutic and educational goals. This book is illustrated by case examples. The literature reviews found within it are an excellent resource. Joan Hemenway was a Supervisor with ACPE, a Fellow of both the College of Chaplains and the American Association of Pastoral Counsellors, as well as an executive leader in regional ACPE and in Pastoral Care in Connecticut.

1 Stephen S. Ivy. “Inside the Circle: A Historical and Practical Inquiry Concerning Process Groups in Clinical Pastoral Education.” Book review in The Journal Of Pastoral Care, Vol. 50, No.4, Winter 1996, pp. 423-424

ISBN: 0929670140

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Marianne Schneider Corey and Gerald Corey— Groups: Process and Practice, 7th edition. Thomson Brooks/Cole, 2006

This book should also be considered a must read for SPE supervisors. It is a thorough and comprehensive guide to group process. At the heart of this book are chapters on group formation and the initial, transition, working, and final stages of group life. Each chapter provides many suggestions and examples for good leadership. It includes practical strategies for creating and maintaining trust, guidelines for dealing with resistance, strategies for translating group learning into everyday learning, and material about knowledge and skills for multicultural competence. It also includes many examples, guidelines, self-assessments, inventories, scenarios, and questions for consideration. This book has been a popular resource for graduate and undergraduate students in psychology, sociology, counseling, social work, education, and human services. Addressing a variety of groups, it is an excellent practical manual for anyone involved in group leadership. Marianne and Gerald Corey have had extensive clinical, academic, and supervisory experience in California. The material contained in the seventh edition has been refined by the authors through thirty years of reflection and practice.

ISBN-13: 9780534607951

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Richard C. Page and Daniel N. Baekow— Creating Contact, Choosing Relationship: The Dynamics of Unstructured Group Therapy. PCCS Books, 2005, © 1994

The authors of this book set out to respond to a perceived lack of literature about unstructured group leadership. They seek to connect psychodynamic and experiential group theory in an effort to provide an integrated theory of group therapy. They draw insights and constructs from person-centered and existential therapy, cognitive and behavioral theories, and psychodynamic theory. They present a dynamic model in which love, power and justice are central concepts. Though this is a text intended for psychologists, its approach and focus also has applications for CPE supervision and the leadership of unstructured groups. This is true on a number of levels, but especially because CPE supervisors share an interest in many of the central concepts of psychology, and because the authors also address with clarity the role of the leader throughout the book. Richard C. Page and Daniel N. Berkow are from the University of Georgia, Athens.

ISBN-13: 978-1555426545

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Irvin D. Yalom with Molyn Leszcz— The Theory and Practice of Group Psychotherapy, 5th edition. Basic Books, 2005

The work of Irvin Yalom has had enduring value for psychotherapy. Many SPE supervisors have also found it helpful through the years. This well written book addresses the dynamics of groups that lead to change for their members. Topics such as interpersonal learning, group cohesiveness, transference and transparency, group factors, and leadership techniques are of particular interest. In the revised and updated fifth edition Dr. Yalom and his collaborator Molyn Leszcz presents recent developments from the last decade of empirical research. These include online therapy, specialized groups, ethnocultural diversity, and trauma. This book contains extensive references to empirical data and hundreds of clinical vignettes. Irvin Yalom is an Emeritus Professor of Psychiatry at Stanford University School of Medicine. Molyn Leszcz is an Associate Professor and head of Group Psychotherapy in the Department of Psychiatry at the University of Toronto.

ISBN: 9780465092840

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Greg L. Stewart, Charles C. Manz, and Henry P. Sims Jr.— Team Work and Group Dynamics. John Wiley & Sons Inc., 1999

Study and writing about teamwork is currently a trend. Group dynamics theory is appearing in books such as this one which looks at group work in contemporary business settings. If SPE supervisors begin to view their groups as learning teams, this literature offers a fresh way to look at the group work we do. This book covers topics such as team composition, goals, formation and development, power dynamics, conflict and resolution, cooperation, and improving team effectiveness. It is intended for business managers, but can also be used to help chaplains and supervisors understand issues which arise in group work situations, and to increase their effectiveness as facilitators. Its theory and research is presented in a non-technical style. This is applied to concrete scenarios to help illuminate how teams actually function. Greg L. Stewart, Charles C. Manz, and Henry P Sims are scholars whose interests span business, research, leadership, management, and organization. They work from the state universities of Iowa, Massachusetts, and Maryland respectively.

ISBN: 978-0-471-19769-0

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Daniel Levi— Group Dynamics for Teams, 2nd edition. Sage Publications Inc., 2007

The Second Edition of Group Dynamics for Teams is an easy to read overview of group work theory. It is another recent resource on team work that can easily be applied to the work of SPE. It presents key psychological concepts of group dynamic theory and applies these to organized behavior. It helps readers to understand and participate more effectively in teamwork in the workplace. Group and team theories are intermingled and inter-related throughout the book. A glance at the book’s contents reveals that there are many relevant topics for SPE supervisors, such as defining groups and teams, defining team success, team beginnings (this includes stages, socialization, goals, norms), motivation, group cohesion, roles, social behaviors, cooperation, competition, and conflict. The book offers examples and activities to reinforce concepts and illuminate real-life settings. It incorporates up-to-date research, including topics such as diversity and technology. The second edition incorporates more material on the cognitive perspective on teamwork, expands the discussions of team training and of team stages, and includes a new section on team culture and climate. Daniel Levi is a Professor in the Psychology and Human Development Department at Cal Poly, San Luis Obispo. He teaches group dynamics, social, environmental, and organizational psychology, teamwork, and the psychology of technological change.

ISBN: 9781412937498

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David W. Johnson and Frank P. Johnson— Joining Together: Group Theory and Group Skills, 9th edition. Allyn & Bacon, 2005

Joining Together is another resource for group theory which has stood the test of time, now in its ninth edition. Theoretical and conceptual material on group process is presented such as group dynamics, group goals, trust, communication, and leadership. The ninth edition is updated with current research and new resources in each chapter. Many exercises are distributed throughout to provide experiential learning of the concepts and skills. Of particular interest to CPE supervisors is the section on leading growth and counseling groups. Modern themes such as diversity and team development are also included. A tenth edition is to be published in 2008. David W. Johnson is a Professor of Educational Psychology at the University of Minnesota. He has published over 350 research articles and book chapters, and is the author of over 40 books. Frank P. Johnson is a Clinical Assistant Professor in Psychiatry and Behavioral Neurosciences at Loyola University Health Systems in Illinois.

ISBN13: 9780205645213

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ADDITIONAL RESOURCES, NOT REVIEWED

Rose Mary Dougherty— The Lived Experience of Group Spiritual Direction. Paulist Press, 2003

ISBN-13: 978-0809135981

Rose Mary Dougherty— Group Spiritual Direction: Community for Discernment. Paulist Press, 1995

ISBN-13: 978-0809135981

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Jay Earley— Interactive Group Therapy: Integrating, Interpersonal, Action-Orientated and Psychodynamic Approaches. Routledge, 1999

ISBN: 978-0-87630-984-1

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Isa Engleberg and Dianna Wynn— Working in Groups: Communication Principles and Strategies, 4th edition. Allyn & Bacon, 2007

ISBN-13: 978-0205554874

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George M. Gazda, Arthur Horne, and Earl Ginter— Group Counseling and Group Psychotherapy: Theory and Application. Allyn & Bacon, 2001

ISBN-13: 9780205306305

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Samuel T. Gladding— Group Work: A Counseling Specialty, 5th edition. Prentice-Hall, 2008

ISBN-13: 978-0131735958

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 Group Counseling: Strategies and Skills, 5th edition. Edited by E. Jacobs, Robert L.L. Masson, Riley L. Harvill. Wadsworth Publishing, 2005

ISBN-13: 978-0534632816

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Brigid Proctor— Group Supervision: A Guide to Creative Practice. Sage Publications, 2000

ISBN-13: 978-0761959793

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Susan A. Wheelan— Group Processes: A Developmental Perspective, 2nd edition. Allyn & Bacon, 2004

ISBN- 13: 978-0205412013

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