A Handbook of Contemporary Group Work Practice
Promoting Resilience and Empowerment in a Complex World
Published on 23. April 2025
Book
Paperback/Softback
416 pages
978-0-19-765792-8 (ISBN)
Description
A Handbook of Contemporary Group Work Practice is for both students and practitioners in social work, counselling, psychology, and all other helping professions. Whether readers are new to the modality or experienced group leaders, they can read a chapter and immediately appreciate the benefits group membership provides to the identified population and understand how to help group members achieve their collective goals. Many authors include case examples that provide readers with a window into how the group they describe functions in practice. Authors also include online resources that will help readers replicate the group in their practice setting.
The handbook is organized into four sections. Part I provides readers with a straightforward introduction to group work practice, its foundation in mutual aid, and the core skills needed to promote members' collaborative efforts. This includes a discussion of what it means to adopt a trauma-informed lens in group work practice. In Parts II, III, and IV, contributors describe the groups they have facilitated. For ease of reading, authors adhere to a similar format that includes descriptions of the client population, rationale for and structure of the group, common themes, intervention skills and strategies, caveats, and termination and evaluation.
Carolyn Knight and Geoffrey L. Greif distinguish three broad types of groups based upon the primary focus of members' collective efforts; in reality, many groups include elements one, two, or all three types. Parts II and III describe groups that promote resilience and growth in response to challenging life transitions and trauma exposure. Part IV includes groups that challenge systemic marginalization and inequality. The emphasis in all the groups is the importance of empowerment, at both the individual and community levels, respect for diversity, and an emphasis on inclusion and equity at the micro (group) and macro (systemic) levels.
The handbook is organized into four sections. Part I provides readers with a straightforward introduction to group work practice, its foundation in mutual aid, and the core skills needed to promote members' collaborative efforts. This includes a discussion of what it means to adopt a trauma-informed lens in group work practice. In Parts II, III, and IV, contributors describe the groups they have facilitated. For ease of reading, authors adhere to a similar format that includes descriptions of the client population, rationale for and structure of the group, common themes, intervention skills and strategies, caveats, and termination and evaluation.
Carolyn Knight and Geoffrey L. Greif distinguish three broad types of groups based upon the primary focus of members' collective efforts; in reality, many groups include elements one, two, or all three types. Parts II and III describe groups that promote resilience and growth in response to challenging life transitions and trauma exposure. Part IV includes groups that challenge systemic marginalization and inequality. The emphasis in all the groups is the importance of empowerment, at both the individual and community levels, respect for diversity, and an emphasis on inclusion and equity at the micro (group) and macro (systemic) levels.
More details
Language
English
Place of publication
New York
United States
Target group
College/higher education
Illustrations
1
Dimensions
Height: 234 mm
Width: 152 mm
Thickness: 25 mm
Weight
567 gr
ISBN-13
978-0-19-765792-8 (9780197657928)
Copyright in bibliographic data and cover images is held by Nielsen Book Services Limited or by the publishers or by their respective licensors: all rights reserved.
Schweitzer Classification
Other editions
Additional editions
Carolyn Knight | Geoffrey L. Greif
A Handbook of Contemporary Group Work Practice
Promoting Resilience and Empowerment in a Complex World
E-Book
05/2024
OUP eBook
€64.99
Available for download
Persons
Caroylyn Knight, PhD, MSW is a social worker with more than thirty years of experience facilitating groups for a range of client populations including adult survivors of childhood trauma, children grieving the loss of a loved one, and parents experiencing homelessness. Dr. Knight also has more than thirty years of experience teaching group work practice in the generalist/foundation social work curriculum and has presented many workshops and trainings on the modality to professional practitioners.
Geoffrey L. Greif, PhD is Distinguished University Professor at the University of Maryland School of Social Work and the author of over 175 articles and book chapters and the author/editor of 16 books. He has over 40 years' experience leading and writing about groups with diverse populations from children and parents in the public schools to men in the criminal legal system. He is a fellow in the American Academy of Social Work and Social Welfare.
Geoffrey L. Greif, PhD is Distinguished University Professor at the University of Maryland School of Social Work and the author of over 175 articles and book chapters and the author/editor of 16 books. He has over 40 years' experience leading and writing about groups with diverse populations from children and parents in the public schools to men in the criminal legal system. He is a fellow in the American Academy of Social Work and Social Welfare.
Content
PART I Contemporary Group Work Practice: Empowering Members through Fostering Mutual Aid
Chapter 1
Group work practice: An overview
Carolyn Knight
Chapter 2
Phases of work and associated skills and tasks in group work practice
Carolyn Knight
Chapter 3
Promoting resilience and growth in group work practice: Core principles and considerations
Carolyn Knight & Geoff Greif
Chapter 4
A dozen "musts" students and practitioners new to the modality should know before they start their group work experience.
Geoff Greif & Carolyn Knight
PART II Groups that Promote Resilience and Growth in Response to Challenging Life Transitions
Chapter 5
Group work with individuals experiencing first-episode schizophrenia
Rachel Miller & Susan Mason
Chapter 6
Online group work with young women with breast cancer
Erin Nau
Chapter 7
Group work with adults with substance use and co-occurring mental health disorders
Francis Bartomoleo
Chapter 8
Group work with individuals who are incarcerated
Jane Stuthmann
Chapter 9
Group work with fathers who are incarcerated or in residential treatment
Geoffrey Greif
Chapter 10
Group work in a shelter with parents experiencing homelessness
Carolyn Knight
Chapter 11
Group work with Asian and Asian-American family caregivers of individuals with dementia
Youjung Lee & Kelley Cook
Chapter 12
Mindfulness based forgiveness group for older adults
Mariko Foulk, Berit Ingersoll-Dayton, & James T. Fitzgerald
Chapter 13
Group work with older adults grieving loss
Donna Kane & Geoffrey Greif
PART III Groups that Promote Resilience and Growth in Response to Trauma Exposure
Chapter 14 Group Work with Children who have Experienced Abuse
Betsy Offermann, Monica Beltran, Cynthia Rollo, and Sara Davis
Chapter 15
Group work with children who have experienced abuse, neglect, and loss
Diana Coholic
Chapter 16
Group work with children and adolescents exposed to community violence and traumatic loss
Alison Salloum & Mia White
Chapter 17
Experiential group work with adult survivors of relational trauma and childhood sexual abuse
Scott Giacomucci & Haydn Briggs
Chapter 18
Group Work with Survivors of Sex Trafficking
Dominique Roe Sepowitz & Ezequiel Y. Dominguez
Chapter 19
Developing a Safe Space: Group Work with Women Survivors of Interpersonal Violence
Sari Skolnik & Louise Skolnik
Chapter 20
Violence Prevention Group for Men who have been Targets of Community Violence
David Ross
Chapter 21
Group Work with Combat Veterans: Vietnam through the Persian Gulf Era
Tracey L. Waite, Julie A. Ellis, & Joanne M. Boyle
PART IV Groups that Challenge Systemic Inequality and Marginalization
Chapter 22
The Rainbow Club: Group Work with Elementary School LGBTQ+ Students and Allies
Alissa Greif Ovadia, Jennifer Baum, Ellen Mills, Lauren Stewart, & Christin Wheeler
Chapter 23
Group Work with Boys and Young Men of Color: Building a Brotherhood for Collective Healing and Social change
Jon Gilgoff, Francisco J. Alvarado Rosas, & Haydn Griffith
Chapter 24
The Invincible Black Women Group: Empowering Black College Women
Martinique Jones, Brandi Pritchett-Johnson, Gabriella Gaskin-Cole, & Janay Christian
Chapter 25
Place-based Group Work: Building and Strengthening Communities
Dr. Megan Meyer & Jonalyn Denlinger
Chapter 26
Group Work to Promote Leadership Among Undocumented Immigrant Latinas
Dr. Alexandra Pineros-Shields
Chapter 1
Group work practice: An overview
Carolyn Knight
Chapter 2
Phases of work and associated skills and tasks in group work practice
Carolyn Knight
Chapter 3
Promoting resilience and growth in group work practice: Core principles and considerations
Carolyn Knight & Geoff Greif
Chapter 4
A dozen "musts" students and practitioners new to the modality should know before they start their group work experience.
Geoff Greif & Carolyn Knight
PART II Groups that Promote Resilience and Growth in Response to Challenging Life Transitions
Chapter 5
Group work with individuals experiencing first-episode schizophrenia
Rachel Miller & Susan Mason
Chapter 6
Online group work with young women with breast cancer
Erin Nau
Chapter 7
Group work with adults with substance use and co-occurring mental health disorders
Francis Bartomoleo
Chapter 8
Group work with individuals who are incarcerated
Jane Stuthmann
Chapter 9
Group work with fathers who are incarcerated or in residential treatment
Geoffrey Greif
Chapter 10
Group work in a shelter with parents experiencing homelessness
Carolyn Knight
Chapter 11
Group work with Asian and Asian-American family caregivers of individuals with dementia
Youjung Lee & Kelley Cook
Chapter 12
Mindfulness based forgiveness group for older adults
Mariko Foulk, Berit Ingersoll-Dayton, & James T. Fitzgerald
Chapter 13
Group work with older adults grieving loss
Donna Kane & Geoffrey Greif
PART III Groups that Promote Resilience and Growth in Response to Trauma Exposure
Chapter 14 Group Work with Children who have Experienced Abuse
Betsy Offermann, Monica Beltran, Cynthia Rollo, and Sara Davis
Chapter 15
Group work with children who have experienced abuse, neglect, and loss
Diana Coholic
Chapter 16
Group work with children and adolescents exposed to community violence and traumatic loss
Alison Salloum & Mia White
Chapter 17
Experiential group work with adult survivors of relational trauma and childhood sexual abuse
Scott Giacomucci & Haydn Briggs
Chapter 18
Group Work with Survivors of Sex Trafficking
Dominique Roe Sepowitz & Ezequiel Y. Dominguez
Chapter 19
Developing a Safe Space: Group Work with Women Survivors of Interpersonal Violence
Sari Skolnik & Louise Skolnik
Chapter 20
Violence Prevention Group for Men who have been Targets of Community Violence
David Ross
Chapter 21
Group Work with Combat Veterans: Vietnam through the Persian Gulf Era
Tracey L. Waite, Julie A. Ellis, & Joanne M. Boyle
PART IV Groups that Challenge Systemic Inequality and Marginalization
Chapter 22
The Rainbow Club: Group Work with Elementary School LGBTQ+ Students and Allies
Alissa Greif Ovadia, Jennifer Baum, Ellen Mills, Lauren Stewart, & Christin Wheeler
Chapter 23
Group Work with Boys and Young Men of Color: Building a Brotherhood for Collective Healing and Social change
Jon Gilgoff, Francisco J. Alvarado Rosas, & Haydn Griffith
Chapter 24
The Invincible Black Women Group: Empowering Black College Women
Martinique Jones, Brandi Pritchett-Johnson, Gabriella Gaskin-Cole, & Janay Christian
Chapter 25
Place-based Group Work: Building and Strengthening Communities
Dr. Megan Meyer & Jonalyn Denlinger
Chapter 26
Group Work to Promote Leadership Among Undocumented Immigrant Latinas
Dr. Alexandra Pineros-Shields