Groups: A Counseling Specialty, 8th edition

Published by Pearson (March 30, 2019) © 2020
Samuel T. Gladding

Title overview

For courses in Group Counseling.

Provide what readers need to know about group therapy, group counseling and work groups

Groups is a comprehensive look at groups, covering the history of group work, the dynamics of groups, leadership in groups, ethical issues in groups, stages of group development, groups across the life span and the theoretical basis for working with groups.

The 8th Edition contains 14 new Brief Case studies, 11 new Reflections, a new chapter on the theories of working with groups (Chapter 17) and over 120 new and updated references.

Hallmark features of this title

  • Comprehensive coverage incorporates all aspects of working with groups – the five basic types of groups; the history of group work; the dynamics of groups; leadership in groups; ethics, legal issues, and more.
  • The clear, unified, and well-organized presentation introduces key concepts in an easy-to-understand way without sacrificing academic rigor.
  • Both up to date and classic, the text presents the best new research as well as the essential findings that form the backbone of the discipline.
  • Brief introductory stories catch readers' attention and transition them into the material of the chapter.
  • Chapter overviews and summaries help readers pinpoint the main takeaways from each chapter.

New and updated features of this title

  • NEW: A new chapter on the theories of working with groups gives students more theoretical material to delve into. Solution-focused and narrative approaches to working with groups information highlights recent and beneficial ways to work with groups.
  • NEW: A new chapter on the history of group work includes more material on the history of groups and leading figures in this specialty.
  • NEW: 14 new Brief Case studies bring real scenarios to life, helping students better understand group concepts and processes.
  • NEW: 11 new Reflections encourage students to think critically about the content presented in the chapter.
  • NEW: More than 120 new and updated references introduce readers to the latest research in the field.
  • UPDATED: A comprehensive glossary, updated with new terms, allows readers to easily look up essential terminology.

Table of contents

  1. Types of Groups and Group Work
  2. Group Dynamics
  3. Effective Group Leadership
  4. Forming a Group
  5. The Transition Period in a Group: Storming and Norming
  6. The Working Stage in a Group: Performing
  7. Closing a Group
  8. Diversity and Social Justice in Group Work
  9. Specialty Groups and Creativity in Groups
  10. Ethical and Legal Aspects of Working with Groups
  11. Groups for Children
  12. Groups for Adolescents
  13. Groups for Adults
  14. Groups for Older Adults
  15. Reality Therapy, Adlerian, and Person-centered Groups
  16. Existential, Gestalt, Rational-Emotive Behavior Therapy, and Transactional Analysis Groups
  17. Solution-focused, Narrative, and Psychodrama Groups
  18. History of Group Work

Appendix A: Some Prominent Self-Help Group Organizations

Author bios

About our authors

Samuel T. Gladding is a Professor of Counseling at Wake Forest University as well as a Fellow and a past president of the American Counseling Association. Dr. Gladding is the author of a number of Pearson books including Family Therapy: History, Theories and Practice, 7th Edition (2019) and Counseling: A Comprehensive Profession, 8th Edition (2018). Gladding is also the author of several American Counseling Association texts, including the Counseling Dictionary, 4th Edition (2018) and the Creative Arts in Counseling, 5th Edition (2016). In addition to writing, Dr. Gladding has been a Fulbright Specialist to China and Turkey, and has taught counseling courses in Austria, the Philippines, Malaysia, Mexico, Canada, Singapore, Ireland and Estonia. He has taken students to study mental health and creativity in South Africa and Denmark and has researched the relationship between humor and mental health at Oxford. Gladding is married to Claire Tillson Gladding, and they are the parents of adult children.

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