Useful Tips for Trainees

1. "Let it cook" - let the interpersonal process develop. As a group leader, don’t intervene prematurely.

2. "Go with your gut" - Take risks in addressing important moments within the Group without worrying about offending group members.

3. Realize that your mission as a group leader is not to be popular with the group members, but instead to be effective in helping them discover themselves.

4. When you have a hunch something is going on in the Group, chances are that group members are seeing or sensing the same thing you are.

5. Group members' change comes mostly from peer validation, and less from leader validation. Trust and cohesion result from peer validation.

6. As a leader, you need to model validation behavior.

7. Know when to respect silence and when to intervene.

8. Remember to read non-verbal language, as well as listening to the spoken word.

9. There are two levels of spoken words: Content and the Meta-message. You must "listen between the lines of the words."

10. It is OK to stop the group to bring the Meta-message out for the entire group to discuss.

11. Push the group toward a higher level of intimacy by encouraging self-disclosure, and acknowledging group members' self-disclosure.

12. When a member is in the "hot seat," resist the temptation to rescue them from it.

13. In the Group’s beginning sessions, as the leader, you need to take on a more active role. As the Group progresses, you will need to allow the members to take on the leadership role as you become more of a participant within the Group.

14. As the leader, you need to help group members develop conflict resolution skills by knowing when to enlist group member validation and when to use the process discussion.

15. The wisdom reflected in these tips will not make sense to new counselor trainees until they experience the dynamics of the Group personally, in a real group setting.