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Group Grief Counseling Session

Student’s Name
Institutional Affiliation
Course name and Code
Professor’s Name
Date
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Group Grief Counseling Session

Summary of the presentation, including the type of group and the general material covered
Psychoeducational counseling groups create a supportive environment for people who
have lost loved ones. One of the most effective forms of therapy is group counseling because it
gives people a sense of belonging. Group counseling is usually a diverse experience, with people
from different backgrounds, beliefs, and personalities contributing to the group's dynamic. In this
grief counseling session, the therapist starts by introducing herself. She asks her clients to
introduce themselves with names that could be easily remembered. She then reassures them that
their privacy is respected and that they can trust her and informs the members that the sessions
are open; hence they are welcome to participate. She begins her presentation by discussing grief,
which she defines as how people react differently to the death of a loved one. Clients are given
time to explain how they are feeling during the bereavement period. She records the important
details in her notebook. Clients are also allowed to express how they felt about losing their loved
ones and how they are coping with it now. She then commends the client for being honest and
open about their feelings. She mingles with her client's grief by saying she had lost a loved one.
She closes the session with a brief introduction to the upcoming meeting, to a great extent
exploring the grief experience in the same place and time.
Process of the presentation, including the theory, techniques, and group dynamics
Psychotherapist Jordan Skinner runs the session. After she has introduced herself to the
group, she allows the group members to introduce themselves as a way of analyzing her
audience. Each client is allowed to share their experience on the subject and their feelings.
Clients are encouraged to share their helpful strategies for dealing with past and present grief.
The group listened well to one another, self-disclosure and self-reflection were valued. The
facilitator provides evidence-based and dialectical behavioral therapy. The therapist encourages
the clients to freely share their experiences by associating with their grief when she indicates that
she has lost a loved one. Likewise, she demonstrated exceptional listening abilities and
paraphrased words to ensure that she confirmed her clients’ thoughts.
Critique/evaluation of the groups’ effectiveness, to include the leader(s) strengths and
weaknesses.
The group members show cohesion by being supportive and accepting. Promotional and
universal because team members expressed their feelings in a non-threatening environment, and
clients understood that their problems were different but similar. There is hope that they can
overcome the pain together. After analyzing the session of this group of bereaved, it appears to
be successful and effective. There is a strong and positive dynamic team. The mentor creates
open communication and an environment that allows growth and healing. She validates,
acknowledges, and redirects clients appropriately. Therefore, she conforms to the essential
qualities of a group leader, as one who provides a safe and welcoming environment for clients to
encourage honesty without judgment. The leader redirects clients in a non-punitive way and
proceeds with the session to effectively manage the time allocated for the process. All clients are
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approached in a trauma-informed way by asking them to share their experiences, feelings, and
grief reactions. Individuals were allowed to contribute their testimonies on the topic willingly.
Therefore, the group was open to everyone and all experiences without restrictions. However, the
leader showed some weakness by not presenting the members with grief pamphlets.
Your reactions, thoughts, and feelings about observing/participating. Why do you think
you reacted the way you did?
After reviewing the group sessions, I can say that sharing our experiences with others
going through similar situations makes it easier to deal with grief reactions. Members appeared
to be encouraged by the dialogues and felt more comfortable sharing their intimate feelings. The
facilitator’s strong facilitation skills motivate the members to participate. Grief groups reduce
feelings of isolation and loneliness by providing an opportunity for grieving people to share their
experiences and emotions with others. The group brings universality by uniting its members as
they share similar experiences, thoughts, feelings, and reactions during the grief period. Grief
groups provide an environment for people to share their experiences and feelings about loss.
Your reaction to the group leader. How were you impacted by the leader’s style?
The moderator demonstrated her leadership abilities conclusively throughout the course.
She arranged the venue prior to the session. The room was organized to facilitate the mobility of
clients in the place. She effectively opened and ended the session by adhering to stipulated
guidelines; for instance, she began the meeting by introducing herself and her clients. This was
essential since it enabled socialization and free communication among group members and their
facilitator. She was time cautious by allowing clients a reasonable time to express their feelings
and experiences. She demonstrates leadership by reminding clients of the group's principles, such
as confidentiality, professionalism, and mutual respect. She also asked if any of her clients had
gone through a stressful time determining their client's well-being. By giving a specific example
of the loss of a loved one, she links and identifies with her client's grief. Likewise, clients have
time to process and normalize their emotions during the session. The leader impacted my morale
by helping me to instill a sense of confidence and trust.
What did you like and what would you do differently?
The whole process was excellent; the preparedness of the group leader, the assurance of
confidentiality, and the willingness of the group members to express and share their experiences.
I would provide resources (grief pamphlets) around the office that might be useful for bereaved
clients.
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References

Skinner, J. (2017).. Youtube.com. Retrieved from https://www.youtube.com/watch?

v=D7_eo5tnQm8.