Problem
I. The Silent Member. Rose rarely says much in her group. Other members have caringly confronted her about how they were affected by her silence. Rose eventually says, "Everyone in here wants more from me than I am willing to give. It's not that I am not interested, but I have always been more of a listener than one to speak up. I figure that if I have something to say, I'll say it, but I don't want to talk just to hear my voice."
What are some things you might say to Rose? In what ways can she control the group through her silence? Can you think of some strategies for exploring her silence with her that would not lead to her becoming even more silent?
II. Extragroup Socializing. You have become aware that several members are subgrouping outside of the sessions. The core of the problem appears to be that these members are not saying what is on their minds. It is almost as if there is a conspiracy of si¬lence among a clique, and it is having a divisive impact on the group.
When do you think meetings beyond the regular sessions are counterproductive? What are you likely to do in the situation described above? What are some things you would say to your group if you knew they were socializing outside of the group?
III. The Overly Emotional Person. Scott appears to seize every opportunity he has in the group to ventilate. It appears that he never runs out of personal issues that result in anger, tears, resentment, or some form of catharsis. A couple of other members ap¬proach you out of group and tell you they are uncomfortable with Scott's emotionality, yet they are afraid to confront him because they don't want to hurt him. Although they felt compassionate for a time, they are now beginning to distrust his continual display of emotion.
What would you say to the two members who approached you outside the group with these concerns about Scott? If you felt that Scott's catharsis was a defense and a form of resistance, how would you work with him in group?
IV. A Member Who Engages in Storytelling. Hank says that he feels like leaving the group and not returning again. The mem¬bers have just confronted him on what they see as his frustrating pattern of telling endless stories. Some members told Hank that they tuned him out because he tended to lose them in his detailed stories. In a tearful manner, Hank says, "I'm angry at this group! You tell me to be open and honest, and that's what I've been trying to do. I don't know how to tell you people about my¬self other than the way I have been going about it. But when I do tell you about myself, you all jump on my case and tell me I'm out of line by storytelling. Not only am I mad, but that really hurts. So, I feel like just calling it quits."
As a leader, how might you intervene on Hank's intention to leave the group? Would you want to say anything to the members who confronted Hank about their reactions to his detailed stories? If you were frustrated by Hank's pattern of telling stories about others in his life, how would this affect your intervention with him and with the other members of the group? How might you work with Hank's anger and his hurt? What are some things you would hope to teach Hank?
V. Dealing with Dependency. Jessica keeps pressing you as the leader to give her advice on how she should solve her problems. She seems very impatient with feedback from other group members, because she wants your "expert" help. She tells you that in her culture, she has been taught to respect authority and to seek out experts such as yourself for the answers to her problems. In spite of the fact that you have done your best to help members find their own answers, Jessica continues to rely on you for her solutions.
Knowing that Jessica has a cultural background that has rein¬forced her pattern of seeking solutions from experts, how might you proceed with her? Would you interpret her behavior as dependency? Do you see her behavior as a response to her cultural conditioning, or as a defense?
VI. The Person Who Questions Others. Rodney has a consis¬tent pattern of asking others in the group very probing and personal questions. You have attempted to formulate a norm that people avoid asking questions and make statements instead. In spite of your best intentions, Rodney persists in interrogating people and succeeds in interrupting their work. He finally says, "I don't see what the big deal is about me asking questions. I only ask questions because I'm curious. It's my way of finding out about people. I don't see why you all make such a big deal of my questioning people."
What are some ways you might intervene with Rodney? If the group confronts Rodney on his questioning, how would you intervene with them? What are some alternatives you might suggest to Rodney besides asking questions?