1 2 3 1 6/12/2019 Formats of Groups: Types of Groups - PowerPoint PPT Presentation

6/12/2019 G ROUP D YNAMICS & D YNAMIC G ROUPS Spiritual Care in Group Settings Basic Support Group Facilitation Skills G ENERAL G ROUP  Able to reach more people; Time invested vs. Number impacted F ACILITATION S KILLS  Draw upon the collective spiritual wisdom and strength of the group Rev. Traci Houts, MDiv, MSW, BCC  Helps individuals feel less isolated with their situation  Responds to changing healthcare  Shifts in healthcare: ● Inpa(ent → Outpa(ent ● Patient-centered → Family-centered Care ● Hospital-based → Popula(on Health (Community) 3 1 2 3 1

6/12/2019 Formats of Groups: Types of Groups Invitation for further brainstorming: Benefits and Challenges  Inpatient: behavioral health, stroke support (rehab) Open vs. Closed  Outpatient: pain clinic, behavioral health, neurology clinic  What are the unique needs of our population? Our (M.S., myasthenia gravis), cardiac rehab hospital? Our community?  Flexibility for busy people  Community: grief support, perinatal loss  What groups should Spiritual Care be providing ?  Driven by individual determining his/her own need  Caregiver groups  What groups should Spiritual Care be involved in ?  Can’t prepare for group dynamics  Who can we partner with? Collaboration is key!  A group of “groupies”  What resources are needed: staffing and materials?  Closed can allow for higher degree of trust/vulnerability  Help people move to next step; prevent from getting “stuck” 4 5 6 4 5 6 2

6/12/2019 Formats of Groups: Formats of Groups: A Word of Caution: Benefits and Challenges Benefits and Challenges Support group vs. Social group Non-structured Peer Support Spiritual Care to Existing Groups Vs. Curriculum Based  Allows for partnership and  Group can bond and become “intimidating to newcomers”  The power of peer support collaboration  The group identifies priorities and needs  The needs of the group become more social at some point  Lets chaplains practice within their scope and expertise  The risk of unsolicited advice by peers  How to support those social needs and “launch” a group on  Can reach a lot of different types their own  Curriculum based: knowledge is power of groups  My bias: closed group with curriculum then help support  Gives a focus to the group  Spreads the work among several transition to greater independence  More preparation invested at developing a thoughtful chaplains rather than on-going  Identifying natural leaders curriculum commitment of one  6-8 week closed group then once a month then transition  Provides a framework that can better support the facilitator  For those participants who desire leadership more, can follow-up individually 7 8 9 7 8 9 3

6/12/2019 Getting Started: Best Practices: Best Practices: Referral and Screening through Registration Co-facilitators Keeping Good Boundaries  Important to understand motivation of individual  Allows for two sets of eyes on group dynamics  Set expectations: what we are and what we are not  What are they looking to get from a group?  Shares the workload  Model respect, listening, and caring  Must have similar losses/issues  Can “play” off each other—Help when you’re stuck  Solicit ground rules from the group: attendance, confidentiality, speaking for self, honoring feelings, ability to  Are they ready for group?  One can stay with group if one needs to follow individual pass, sharing time, no “should’s”  Can they make a commitment?  Can be two chaplains or one chaplain and another  Developing a routine can help provide emotional safety professional  It’s o.k. to decline, but then have ● Begin with opening reflection/reading  Simply better from a risk management perspective a referral ready ● Use of ritual: lighting a candle, silence, ringing a bell  Ideal size for closed group:  Make sure that philosophies and styles are not contradictory no fewer than 6; no more than 10 ● Create sacred space but not a prayer group or Bible study  Balance among co-facilitators  Ideal length of closed group: 6-8 sessions  Planning and debriefing each session is important 10 11 12 10 11 12 4

6/12/2019 Best Practices: Boundaries of Facilitators Managing Difficult Personalities Keeping Good Boundaries  Over-iden(fying → becoming a group member  Introductions for first session of closed group:  Therapeutic use of self for the sake of the group process ● Who am I and why I am here?  Not a therapist and not a CPE group ● What do I hope to gain from the group?  Not developing alliances with any certain member ● What do I feel I can give to the group?  While you are a chaplain, this group may not be a The Talker The Hijacker  Checking-in spirituality group therefore be careful not to turn everything into a spiritual/religious issue ● For smaller group, each member has given amount of time  Become comfortable with silence, tears or anger, not ● Use of timer--feels better than facilitator cutting off knowing “the answers” ● For larger group, have them sign in and “reserve” time for check-in ● Another strategy: ask a check-in question that is focused The Interrupter The Silent One on the topic of the day 13 14 15 13 14 15 5

6/12/2019 Developing Your Skills General Group Facilitation Skills  Ask permission to sit in and observe groups  Volunteer to co-facilitate with an experienced professional as a mentor  Invite stories from colleagues whom you know have run groups  Gather resources and build your files 16 17 16 17 6