Advantages of Group Counseling over Individual Counseling

Final Exam

Gracie Owens

Discuss some of the advantages of group counseling over individual counseling.

One of the biggest benefits of group counseling is that all of the participants are in the group for the same reason and gain support from one another.  They are not alone in their desire for help with a common problem in a group setting. Also in a group dynamic, the individuals have a chance to bounce ideas off one another.  Each person may have a different perspective than another which gives participants a new way to think about their problem and offer a new way to solve their problem.

Another way in which group counseling is advantageous is that in group counseling discussions can propel an individual forward.  Hearing how others have overcome a particular challenge or situation offers others hope and positive thoughts.  Thre fact that everyone in the group comes from different backgrounds and have had different experiences serves to encourage others in the group setting. Listening and learning from other members gives others greater insight for personal growth and development.

Being in a group dynamic offers a person a chance to develop personal skills.  For me, I know I get anxious in group settings.  As the individual in a group gets more comfortable and feels more relaxed the more they will open up in a group setting.  Being in a group allows the person to share at the own pace when they feel comfortable with that group.

Group counseling teaches you about yourself.  Group therapy allows an individual to uncover areas in one's mind that they have been blocking out which inhibits a person from overcoming their issues.

One of the key axioms of counseling is:  “First, do no harm.”  Discuss the meaning and implications of this axiom.  Be sure to discuss how a counselor might harm someone.

Primum non nocere is a Latin expression that means "first, do no harm." The phrase is often recorded as primum nil nocere. The phrase is a part of the Hippocratic oath that doctors and medical students must take. When physicians take this oath, they swear by a number of healing gods to uphold particular and specific ethical standards.  The oath serves as a  guiding principle for doctors, that whatever the intervention or procedure, the patient’s s well-being is the primary consideration.