Group Work

Sondra Brandler, DSW, is associate professor and former director of the BASW program at the College of Staten Island, City University of New York. Formerly executive director of the Jay Senior Citizens Center, she is the author of various articles on aging, pedagogy, and social work with groups and has worked in many settings, primarily in the field of aging.Camille P. Roman, LCSW, is in private practice in New York City and is a clinical consultant to Calvary Hospital and Hospice in New York City. For many years she was an adjunct associate professor at the Hunter College School of Social Work of the City University of New York and has also worked as clinical supervisor and director of training at the South Beach Psychiatric Center, Bensonhurst Clinic.

"Brandler and Roman’s new textbook is a cause for celebration because, unlike others, it is solidly grounded in the actual experiences of contemporary group work in the hurly-burly of the field. The authors write with elegance and sensitivity, often making connections to literature and the arts. Students will have a ready resource that inspires and provides practical guidance based on solid theory and accessible concepts." —George S. Getzel, DSW, is professor emeritus at the Hunter College School of Social Work of the City University of New York and consultant to the Actors Fund of America."In Group Work, Brandler and Roman have again produced a text that is as enjoyable to read as it is informative. Peppered with vignettes and constructive critiques of workers’ interventions, Group Work highlights the use of self and solid social work practice. This volume takes the mystery out of group work and makes it accessible to the novice as well as the seasoned practitioner." —Ida Anger, MSW, ACSW, LCSW, ICDVP, worked for 37 years at Metropolitan Family Services in Chicago, Illinois, and has received numerous awards for her work."Brava! Group Work beautifully lays out all of the issues in working with groups. The new chapter on diversity and use of self is rich in knowledge and thought provoking content. The authors brilliantly pose the questions of diversity and describe the struggles of both the worker and the group members in establishing the trust necessary to confront and explore sensitive issues. All of the chapters are strengthened by powerful and rich examples of diverse social work settings outlining both positive and appropriate worker interventions as well as less effective interventions by the worker." —Deborah Feldman, JD, LCSW, is director of social work/family care services at Calvary Hospital in the Bronx, New York."As a clinician, I have benefitted from this book, with an enhanced ability to critically analyze groups for latent meaning and content, and with a renewed and deeper commitment to observe and utilize my own countertransferential responses in service to the group. As supervisor for group workers in a group certification process, this material provides substantial guidance, a self-reflective paradigm for analyzing group dynamics, useful interventions, and inspiration for critical thinking about our work. This book stimulates critical thinking about groups in an engaging and deep manner and will surely enhance the effectiveness of any group worker who reads it."- Kris Drumm, LCSW

• Preface 1. Introduction 2. Values Dilemmas in Group Practice 3. Manifest and Latent Content 4. In the Beginning 5. In the Middle 6. Endings 7. Group Planning 8. The Use of Programming in Groups 9. Confronting Acting-Out Behavior and Powerful Latent Themes 10. Using Humor in Groups 11. Diversity and the Use of Self 12. Special Practice Issues Appendix: Glossary of Group Games and Exercises Bibliography