Group Counseling Session 2 experience

Welcomed and register for the group attendance.

As a group, we were able to review the group rules with emphasis on confidentiality,
attendance, and participation of everyone.
There was a recap of the previous session with the focus on symptoms of depression
and anxiety and triggers.
I reviewed the client’s week using the burden scale checklist with emphasis on
symptoms that were improving and showing empathy to those still hurting with their
scale (heavy burden).
I introduced a new trigger life change (transitions) and how it brings about depression
and anxiety in our lives. I explained to the group members that besides negative life
changes, positive life changes can also bring depression and anxiety in people.
I tasked members to share experiences in relation to life changes that have brought
depression and anxiety in their lives. A few of them were still hesitant to share their
personal lives but some were bold to share what they have experienced how they
thought something good had happened to them but in the end, it brought them more
anguish.
I found a challenge that some of the members during the sharing of the burden scale,
some wanted to skip and let others share before them (sense of letting others go
before me). Furthermore, there was the element of storytelling, and straying away
from the topic at hand I did my level best to always bring them back to the topic at
hand.
After the sharing of experiences, I introduced the technique of cognitive restructuring
with the help of an internet picture of a man with an amputated hand but was still
doing carpentry. This motivated the members that no matter what life brings at them
they can still restructure their minds for the better and get out of self-pity.
Unlike the first session where I believe I was a little nervous for this session I felt a
little more confident.