Sellers/CNSL661 1

Montana State University- Northern

College of Education and Graduate Programs
CNSL 661 Group Dynamics/Counseling
3 credits
Instructor: Darlene Sellers, Ph.D.

Course Number and Title: CNSL 661 Group Dynamics/Counseling

Class Time/ Days/ Location: Havre Campus
Instructor’s Office Location: Cowan Hall 301
Office Hours: By appointment
Office/Contact Information: 1-800-662-6132, ext 3527
<sellersd@msun.edu>

Course Catalog Description

An introduction to the theory and practice of group counseling and psychotherapy. Requires
participation in an experimental quasi-group. Major theoretical models for group work are
surveyed.

Connection to the Conceptual Framework

Constructivists contend that learners must make their own meanings from their experiences and
their ways of understanding (see, for example, Marlowe & Page, 1998; Duckworth, 1987;
Vygotsky, 1978; Ornstein & Hunkins, 1998; Heuwinkle, 1996; Kamii, 1985; Sexton & Griffin,
1997). In practice, individuals enter into counseling because they want their lives to be better,
that is, they want to change. Thus, the concept of “change” is inherent to counseling practice and
theoretical discussion. The significance of change leads to the question: “What are the defining
qualities of change?” While this question connotes different meanings to different groups and
individuals, it is critical to the field of counseling. In order to form responses to this question, we
must first identify, within a complex social system, an appropriate focus and unit of change

Course Prerequisites

Graduate status is required for this course or permission of the instructor.

Course Detail and Rationale

The counseling program focuses on the mutuality of reflection, science, and practice. The
curriculum provides students with opportunities to grow within their personal and professional
experiences to enhance the linkages between psychology and professional practices. The primary
goals are to (1) promote evaluation and reflection as an integral part of practice and (2) to
provide learning opportunities for our students to develop the highest professional and ethical
standards.

Connections to Candidate Outcomes and Teaching Strands

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 Sellers/CNSL661 2
Through the continuous development of the Conceptual Framework, faculty have identified
those candidate outcomes and teaching strands, which flow through our constructivist
philosophy. These outcomes are correlated with valuable professional standards, including
CACREP, NCATE, and Montana’s OPI Standards.

 Candidates are curious and follow their curiosities in order to remain

continually engaged in learning.
Candidate  Candidates challenge their own taken-for-granted notions and seek deeper
Dispositions understanding.
 Candidates demonstrate an understanding of the importance of diversity
and the impact diversity has in living rich, full lives.
 Candidates demonstrate the ability to take reasoned risks in order to do and
learn more.
 Candidates demonstrate self-direction in their learning and practice.
 Candidates accept the role of professional.
 Candidates see value in community and the role of families in learning,
developing, and changing.

 Candidates understand the significance of constructivist teaching,

Candidate Skills,
Traits, and Habits
counseling, and learning practices and demonstrate the ability to use their
knowledge to create effective counseling opportunities.
 Candidates practice reflective and critical thinking.
 Candidates are able to articulate their beliefs and develop methods and
materials to act on these beliefs.
 Candidates are able to apply knowledge of social, physical, cognitive, and
emotional development and processes to practice.
 Candidates understand the significance of and are prepared to create
collaborative, cooperative, and inclusive counseling environments.
 Candidates are prepared to assume professional responsibilities.
 Candidates are able to develop effective means to engage families and
communities.
 Candidates understand the ways their decisions, interactions, and
behaviors impact the culture and climate of the counseling environment.
 Candidates are able to integrate educational and informational technology
to enhance counseling experiences.
 Candidates incorporate multiple and appropriate assessment and
evaluation practices.

 Candidates demonstrate a level of content knowledge that will enable them

to challenge learners, take advantage of teachable moments, and create
Candidate opportunities for change to occur along with the construction of self-
Knowledge knowledge.
 Candidates exhibit knowledge of counseling practices, theory, and
research.
 Candidates demonstrate knowledge of assessment and evaluation theory,
research, and practice.

Teaching is driven by questions, perplexities, and the diligent pursuit of

understanding. As we reflect on our theoretical understandings, application, and
Theory and Practice practice, we strive to understand our professional growth and stretch our
understanding of the counseling process. Therefore, practice involves observing and
reflecting on our thinking in order to clarify and know how to understand and how to
apply theory. Thus, our practice involves reflection on the process of counseling
theory and further reflection driven by our questions about the processes. Similarly,
the more we engage in reflective theory driven practice, the more we are able to
assess and evaluate our work. This examination leads to an increased understanding
of the ways our clients and students approach tasks, where "glitches" occur in
progress toward change and growth, what made an activity effective or productive,

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 Sellers/CNSL661 3
why we and others were uninspired by a task, and whether behaviors match our
assessments.

Furthermore, this ongoing, rigorous and systematic inquiry model into our own
practices and the ways candidates learn guides inquiry for evaluation and assessment
of candidates and their impact on students, faculty and their impact on candidates,
and program performance.

Learning activities are structured to demonstrate an authentic need for each learner’s
contributions. Candidates are supported in moving their skills and thinking forward
Diversity in ways appropriate to their personal intellectual needs and cultural contexts, and in
ways that unify, include, and demonstrate the individual’s value to the community.
This involves facilitating discussions in ways that invite candidates to put their ideas
forward, engage their peers in conversations about those ideas, and, by working
together, synthesize those ideas to create new concepts. They consistently monitor
experiences to ensure all are contributing and learning.

Technology does not drive instruction. Instead, its use is driven by a “need to know
or do.” The need, or desire, to know and do more and to illustrate and share what is
Integrating known and done coupled with technology’s ability to meet these needs and desires
Technology make it a valuable instrument in knowledge construction.

These standards include the construction of knowledge demonstrated through

candidates' organization of information and consideration of alternatives, disciplined
Assessment inquiry which includes content knowledge, processes, and written communications
to elaborate understanding, and authentic value of the task in the classroom, the
school, and the community.

Course Objectives/Goals
This course will introduce you to group dynamics, group process theory, and leadership skills
necessary to effectively lead groups. This will done using lecture, discussion, peer, group, and
instructor feedback. Upon completion of this course you should be able to:
1. Understand dynamic processes inherent in groups.
2. Understand theoretical concepts related to group work.
3. Understand therapeutic factors (Yalom, 1995).
4. Be able to identify group leader competencies, roles and group member roles.
5. Co-lead a group, give and receive feedback from your peers, colleagues, and
supervisors.
6. Be able to identify, discuss, and address Ethical issues related to group work.
7. Gain competencies in multi-cultural issues in group.

Course Requirements/Expectations/Evaluations
The course assignments are separated into three distinct sections: Theory, Practice, and
Curriculum Development. Expectations and assignments are aligned with these sections. You
are expected to be open to both providing and receiving feedback. Grades will be determined by
the points earned from the theory, practice, and curriculum sections of the class. There are 370
points possible for the course. Please pay attention to the “grading criteria.” Grades will be
assigned as follows:
Excellent = 93% to a 100% of total points possible.
Good = 83% to 92% of total points possible.
Satisfactory = 75% to 82% of total points possible.
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 Sellers/CNSL661 4

Grading criteria: A = Excellent* performance on all course requirements

B = Excellent or good* performance on 70% of the requirements
and satisfactory on remainder
C = Excellent or good performance on 50% of the course
requirements and satisfactory* on remainder.
F = Performance less than “C” criteria

Evaluation of all work will be based upon thoroughness, quality of the content and technical
presentation. Guidelines for evaluations will be provided. Peer evaluation, self-evaluation, and
instructor evaluation will be incorporated for selected assignments.

This is a professional course. It is workshop centered, practice-oriented, and a safe place to

explore new skills. The emphasis will be on analysis of your own counseling style and
performance. This analysis will grow out of skills and theory presented in class. By the end of
the course, you will be able to better conceptualize group dynamics, discuss how you view the
group process, and implement group leadership skills.

Policy on Late Assignments and Incompletes

Late papers or projects will be accepted only if the instructor is notified timely and in advance of the due
date. In addition, a late paper cannot earn a grade of A and a late penalty of 10 points per day late will be
deducted. Incompletes are only allowed when 80% of the course has been completed with at least a C or
better. Arrangements for incompletes have to be made before the last weekend of class. All incompletes
must be completed by the end of the semester following the assignment of the “I” or the grade will be
changed to an “F.”

Class attendance and participation

Class attendance is expected. This class requires a high degree of group dynamics and individual
involvement. Therefore, attendance and participation are absolute requirements for a passing grade in this
course. Any absences or tardies will result in failing the course unless prior arrangements have been made
with the instructor.
Confidentiality and Ethics
This class involves group work, both in the community and among yourselves. It is your duty to maintain
confidentiality for both your volunteer clients (the group) and your classmates. Keep in mind the legal
limits of confidentiality. Obtain a hard copy of professional code of ethics.

Part 1 = Theory, 100 points

The first part of the class will cover the theory of group and provide practical information as to
how to run groups. You have a choice at the end of the first weekend to write a paper or take
an exam regarding the theory and practice of groups. You must let me know your decision in
advance of the last weekend of class.

Paper Option:
The paper is to be no more than 6-8 pages and written in APA format. In order to write this
paper you are to imagine that you are an enthusiast of group work and plan to write an article for
publication. You’ve been working long hours for the last few weeks reading everything you can
about groups and you need a break. It’s summer and you decide to go to “happy hour” at a local
establishment to relax on a Friday afternoon. After you arrive,, you’ve finally begun to relax
when you overhear a conversation about “group dynamics”. You look over and see Yalom and
Corey sitting at a nearby table discussing the idiosyncrasies of their theories on group. You hear
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 Sellers/CNSL661 5
them talking about concepts their theories have in common and ways in which they differ. As a
group enthusiast who is researching for an article on group, you ask them if you can listen in on
their conversation. They agree. What a night!
Immediately following this encounter, you rush home to work on your notes so that the
information is still fresh in your mind. You decide to write about the (1) history of groups; (2)
how Yalom and Corey became interested in group work; (3) how they define their theory of
group; (4) how groups work—from each of their perspectives; (5) what the important
components of group are according to them; (6) how Yalom’s and Corey’s theories are (a)
similar, (b) different; (c) who is and isn’t appropriate for group according to each of them, and
(d) how a group leader determines who is to be included in the group. You conclude your paper
about the (7) future direction the profession is taking for groups, and (8) ethical concerns and
considerations when running groups. See the rubric attached for this assignment.
(Note: We will discuss your chance “encounter” in class with others who have had a similar
experience.)

Bibliography. Begin to collect and organize resources to assist you in building competencies and
skills in group theory, development of curriculum, and practice. It is expected that you will have
at least 10 annotated bibliographies of internet sources and other resources in an electronic
format by the last class.

**Exam Option—in lieu of theory paper

The exam will consist of 75 multiple choice/short response items from assigned readings. You
will have one hour to complete the exam.

Part 2 = Practice & Experiential Groups, 120 points

Practice in group class. You will be paired with a partner in order to co-lead at least one group
during class meetings. (See sign up sheet for practice group schedule.) Following each group
session, you will meet with the other co-leader for debriefing and planning. Then, the co-leaders
will meet with the instructor for supervision and to process experiences as a co-leader.

Experiential group. You will be a group member in an experiential group led by the instructor.
You are required to write a process log that contains two parts: Part I is to be copied and handed
out to your fellow classmates and instructor, and Part II is to be copied handed in to the
instructor. Each part (Part 1 and 2) is worth 10 points per log. There is no page limit on the logs.
You will be awarded full credit if your log is submitted on time, contains all components, and
demonstrates reflection and professional growth in group process.

PROCESS LOG FORMAT

Section 1—Make a copy of your process log for each person (including you, classmates, and instructor) after each
group session. Please create a template for the process log that follows the guidelines below:

Name:
Group theme:
Myofreactions:
Each these areas (in the box) that you will address is more fully explained below.
My feelings:
Theme of Group deals with what you think the group was about.
Personal
Your Feedback:
reactions to group(List members
include names and
your thoughts instructor’s
about group. name below):
My goal for group:
My Action Plan:
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 Sellers/CNSL661 6
Your feelings about group are expressed here with specifically identified feelings and that link to your
“doing/acting” in the group.
Personal Feedback: Address each member of the group, including the instructors. For example:

Jane—I liked what you had to say today. But, I thought you gave in too easily when Joe confronted you. I
felt a need to protect you.

Joe—It was hard watching you confront Jane. I was surprised that I felt anger with you for confronting
her. I wanted you to be more gentle with her; I thought you could have said what you said differently.

John—You were really quiet today. I wondered if you were experiencing similar thoughts because I was
quiet too. I hope you find the courage to share what is on your mind. I hope I do too.

Darlene (instructor)—I did not like it when you put Jane on the hot seat. I felt that you lacked support for
her. I liked it when you encouraged me to say what I thought, but I was afraid you would be upset if I said
I did not want to say anything.

My goal for group: (Insert here what you’ve decided in what you’d like to learn as a result of group)
My Action Plan: Tomorrow I will speak up and say one thing in group about something I do not like.

Section II—To be copied handed in to instructor at the end of each day as a summary of the day’s sessions.

This part is an account of the group in action along with your theoretical understanding of what is occurring in group
(e.g. the group process). Do not make this is a verbatim account of what has been said during the day’s work.
Rather, it is a synthesis that is reflective and evaluative in nature about group processes and dynamics. You may use
examples of dialogue in the group if it helps to clarify your point.

Additionally, this is an opportunity to record your reactions and feelings in writing, which are perhaps not shared
with others. Please note that the instructor will NOT raise these issues in the group; you are responsible for raising
the issues that you feel are important. I will give you feedback regarding your reactions, but will not breach your
confidentiality on what you journal to me. This can provide you the opportunity to further explore your self-
awareness, build courage, and practice expressing yourself in ways that may ultimately help you share more openly
in group. This journaling exercise should permit you to understand what evokes your feelings, assist you to
recognize your personal psychological interaction, and become aware of your values, attitudes, and perceptions.

In addition, there are two evaluation forms provided to assist you in processing this course. It is required that you
submit these along with your logs. You may want to keep a copy for yourself. The forms will not be returned to you.

Part 3 = Application/Curriculum Development, 150 points

There are two components to Part 3 of the class. The first component is to determine what type
of group you would be interested in developing a curriculum for (e.g. eating disorders, anger
management, abuse group, test anxiety group, etc.). You are to choose an area that is separate
and distinct from your classmates. (We will go over this in class to make sure there is no
overlapping of ideas.) Then, you are to research group work on the area you are interested in and
find at least three research-based professional journal articles that discuss the merits of group
work in that area. You are to write a proposal for the group you are interested and argue the
merits for the group that you are interested in—using research to support your concept (the lit
review). The proposal must include: (1) the group target; (2) logistics--where you will hold the
group, time, dates, etc., how you will operate the group (e.g. weekly, bi-weekly, if in a K-12
school: will kids need to be pulled from classes, is this an out-patient setting, etc.); (3) who the
clients are—age, gender, etc.; (4) identify the competencies expected for the group leader(s).
Proposal = 75 points.

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The second component is to develop the curriculum for the group that you have researched,
proposed, and now have approval to develop. The curriculum is to incorporate a 5-8 week
group. Your curriculum must include: (1) title of the group curriculum ;( 2) lesson-plan format
for each weekly session (i.e., supplies needed, purpose of each session, goal(s) of each session, a
description of the activities of each session) and (3) process questions for the session, and (4)
evaluation of the group. A bibliography of resources used for developing the curriculum in
required. You must develop your own curriculum—copy and paste will not be accepted.
Curriculum = 75 points.

This Curriculum Project should include: (1) title page, (2) table of contents, (3) Part I: Proposal,
(4) Part II: Curriculum, and (5) Bibliography page that sites references for both Part I and Part II.
Submit the project on a floppy disk with an additional hard copy that is single-spaced to be
copied for class members. Refer to rubric for this assignment.
Group Curriculum Plan Format
Elements necessary for group curriculum project:
 Objective for the Group
 Objective for each Group Activity
 Assessment of Group Members’ Readiness for each group session/activity
 Guided Practice (modeling) activities (describe, if needed)
 Group activities to meet objectives of this group session
 Closing activities for the group activity AND closing/ending group activity
 Materials/facilities needed for each group activity/session
 Multicultural-Diversity Considerations for Group Curriculum
 Individual member’s assessment 
 Overall group session evaluation rubric

Candidate Portfolio Connections

Students who have been admitted to MSUN counselor education master’s program may choose
to submit a portfolio to meet the program’s exit requirements. Any work intended for inclusion
in the portfolio should be reviewed and critiqued by the instructor, and include a reflective
narrative that is tied to this section of the master’s program and your practice in the field.

Course Texts and Bibliography

Required:
Corey, M.S., & Corey, G., Haynes, R. (most recent edition). Groups in action: Evolution and
challenges. Pacific Grove, CA: Brooks Cole.
Recommended:
Yalom, I.D. (any year). The theory and practice of group psychotherapy (any edition). New
York, NY: Basic Books.

Additional videos are available on reserve at the library.

Course Policies
Responsible academic behavior is expected of all candidates involved in learning at higher
institutions. Guidelines for academic integrity are included within the MSU-Northern Catalog.
Breaches of integrity include cheating, fabrication, facilitating academic dishonesty, and
plagiarism.

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Evaluation Form
Part 1: Paper Option

Element Possible %age %age Earned

On time and self- 10
rating attached
Technically correct 15
and properly *No more than 3
formatted errors
All aspects/parts of 40
the assignment
addressed
Organization clear 15
and prepared
Critical thinking, 20
evidence of
synthesis &
integration of
Yalom & Corey
into discussion
Total points 100

Note: Attached this rating scale with your self-rating to your work.

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 CNSL 661/Sellers/ 9

Evaluation Form
Part 3: Group Curriculum

Section I: Proposal

Criteria Possible Points Points Earned

On time and self-rating 10
attached
Technically correct and 15
properly formatted *No more than 3 errors
All aspects/sections of 40
the assignment addressed
Organization clear and 10
prepared
Critical thinking, 10
integration of research
Clear, strong rationale 15
and justification for
group
Total points 100

Section 2: Curriculum Development

Element Possible Points Points Earned

On time and self-rating 10
attached
Technically correct and 15
properly formatted *No more than 3 errors
All aspects/sections of 40
the assignment addressed
Organization clear and 15
prepared
Practical, complete, 20
usable session plans
Total points 100

Note: Attached this rating scale with your self-rating to your work.

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Notes:

Permission to use parts or entire document may be requested at sellersd@msun.edu