This academic course is designed to meet three-semester units of group counseling theories and techniques for LPCC licensing in California.
Group Counseling Theories and Techniques supports students to acquire knowledge of the principles of group dynamics, group process components, developmental stage theories, the therapeutic factors of group work, group leadership styles and approaches, and evidence-based group counseling methods.
Instructional Strategy:
This course is designed for adult learners. It is offered in an online instructional format that is both instructor- and peer-driven. Students are expected to engage in up to four learning activities per course section.
Learning activities include:
1. Reading the assigned sections of the textbook.
2. Viewing video lectures.
3. Responding to two discussion questions.
4. Completing weekly knowledge quizzes.
Course Learning Outcomes:
• CLO1: Demonstrate knowledge of the principles of group dynamics, including group process components and factors that support therapeutic change.
• CLO2: Demonstrate knowledge of the developmental stages of groups, including formation, initial, working, and advanced stages.
• CLO3: Identify common problem group member subtypes and effective therapeutic interventions.
• CLO4: Identify specialized formats and procedural aids used in group psychotherapy.
• CLO5: Demonstrate understanding of effective group leadership styles that facilitate therapeutic change.
• CLO6: Demonstrate knowledge of the impact of ethical and cultural considerations on the training for and practice of group therapy.
Required Text Books:
Yalom, I.D., & Leszcz, M. (2005). The Theory and Practice of Group Psychotherapy, Fifth Edition. New York: Basic Books.
Instructor:
Diana M. Concannon, PsyD, PCI, is is a forensic psychologist, certified forensic examiner, and a professional certified investigator. She works extensively with individuals who have been exposed to violence, natural disasters, and other traumas, as well as with organizations, correctional institutions and forensic mental health facilities to assess threats of violence. She is a certified Rape Escape instructor and a certified Management of Aggressive Behavior instructor. She is the author of Kidnapping: An Investigator’s Guide to Profiling, Associate Provost for Strategic Initiatives and Partnerships at Alliant International University, Associate Professor in the California School of Forensic Studies, and Interim Director of the online Master’s in Clinical Counseling program.
