Experiences with Group Counseling

Initially, the idea of group counseling, to me, was rather intimidating. Before taking my group counseling course, I viewed facilitation as a rigid, highly structured process that demanded far more preparation than individual sessions. Additionally, I did not envision myself leading groups very frequently in my future career, so I figured the class would not be relevant to my work. However, in the group theory and process class, I found the roleplay sessions to be rather engaging. While I remained hesitant about facilitation, I enjoyed preparing for the roleplays and discovered that my attention naturally shifted toward the experiences of individual group members and the collective dynamic, rather than solely on the material I had prepared. This realization began to reshape my understanding of what group counseling could be.

At my practicum site, I had the opportunity to help establish and co-facilitate a group tailored to the resident assistants on the OLLU campus. In this group, we focus on building stress management skills, creating a work-life balance, and fostering stronger interpersonal bonds among participants. It was during this group counseling experience that I found my preference for groups began to grow. I came to recognize that the facilitator’s role is not to rigidly control the session but to create space for members to contribute their perspectives, which in turn shapes the flow and direction of the group. I was proud to see that the resident assistants did grow closer because of this group, and I am looking to restart the resident assistant group in the near future.

Currently, I co-lead a mindfulness walking group, which has a different atmosphere yet reinforces similar principles. In this setting, I see how group cohesion and individual reflection overlap, as members engage both with the mindfulness practice and with one another. I have grown more excited to become immersed in group facilitation roles, and I appreciate how each group will take on its own life and flow without much direction from me. I find particular interest in balancing structured content with process-oriented, in-the-moment reflections, allowing members to connect meaningfully with both the material and each other. Overall, the most rewarding aspect has been watching members strengthen their bonds while developing skills, resilience, and experience together.