Psychology

Comparison of Two Theories of Group Counseling
There are several theories that have been formulated to describe or analyze the different attributes or nature of groups. Groups are usually interactive forums consisting of more than one person and as result different outlooks typify them. Every group is almost as unique as its members are, and no two groups can resemble each other perfectly. To understand what happens when a group of clients is under counseling from a leader of the group, it is critical to understand how each group is supposed to act or react toward the leader and how individual group members relate with each other and with the leader (Brabender, 2004). This section compares the existential theory of group counseling and the people centered approach to group counseling, with the focus being on the roles of leaders, the roles of group members, the most important concepts of each group theory, the major techniques, and the view of the group process, among other aspects.

The Existential Approach
This theory is based on the principles that everyone is able to shape ones own destiny in life by deciding what to choose and what to leave out as far as making decisions is concerned. The group is not restricted but is allowed to have a lot more freedom to make decisions, with the leader understanding that it is their decisions which will make or break them. The roles of the leader include having to do all in hisher power to grasp or lay hold of what the members hold as dear to them in a subjective manner (Jacobs, 2008). After this is done or achieved, the leader then has to use this understanding to build a good relationship with the clients or the group members. In this approach, therefore, the leader-client relationship is very important. Secondly, the group leader is never in possession of a prescribed or particular way. In essence, there are no strict guidelines to be followed andor adhered to. Instead, the way to be followed is reached upon by mutual agreement between the group members and the leader (Jacobs, 2008).

In the existential approach, the presence of the leader plays the role of motivating it and causing to be described as being effective. This effectiveness is also brought about by the leaders willingness to avail oneself for the group whenever one is needed (Brabender, 2004). According to this model, all people become whatever they make up their minds to become, and so the content of their interactions is largely constituted by human themes that are basic, including loneliness, anxiety, and fear. In this theory, all group members have a part to play in the group. The first role of members is that of identifying who they are and how they are in relation to what they can do and what they are (Jacobs, 2008). In essence, the group members are able to identify themselves and decide on the way to go about in order to attain authenticity. Apart from that, the group members choose for themselves what they need to investigate within the group and how they want to approach the process of changing themselves. The members of the group also have the autonomy to make for themselves the decisions regarding the issues they desire to share amongst themselves or with the leader. This makes them freer, autonomous, and responsible for their actions and decisions (Corey, 2009).

The Person-Centered Theory
This theory is based on the assumption that all human beings are in the most suited position to  understand themselves and to act in ways that can be described as best, such as being honest. It also assumes that people have the capacity within themselves to resolve their own emerging issues including problematic ones, and that everyone can grow in a direction that one chooses to follow (Brabender, 2004). In essence, this theory is based on similar principles with the existential theory because both views mankind as a capable being who can make decisions about many issues for oneself and who has the power to determine ones own destiny in life. Autonomy is common attribute of the two. The leader has the role of assessing the client to be in a better position to provide a way forward for this client (Brabender, 2004).

The other role of the leader is to ensure the individual is able to express oneself as freely as possible, without having to fear or worry. Unlike in existential approaches, the people-centered approach has the leader placing all or much of the attention on one individual at a time and working to bring about some change patterns in the way of perception of the person. This means that although both theories underscore the importance of freewill or autonomy on the part of the client, the fact that a lot of focus is on one person makes people-centered approaches to be more coercive and somewhat manipulative (Brabender, 2004). The leader has the mandate of making the client perceive oneself in some form of positive light, as a person of value and one deserving a better life. To do this, the leader has to try to see everything from the point of view of the client.

The role of the client is to seek to avoid all obstacles and barriers on the way and be able to attain a certain goal one has chosen or decided to pursue (Jacobs, 2008). This is largely because if the client faces obstacles, then one is likely to miss the goal and settle for an alternative, less fulfilling one. For in stance, the tendency of the leader to influence the decisions of the client may cause one to turn away from following or pursuing a goal one believes in to pursuing that which the leader seemed to recommend or like (Brabender, 2004). While this is what actually happens quite often than not, the client is supposed to reach an own conclusion at what to do and what not to do (Corey, 2009).

Gestalt Approaches to Groups Personal Reactions
The gestalt approach to group counseling focuses on what a group is able to see as it appears to the members in the group. Each member is able to see the leader in a different light based on what one desires or seeks to get from the group sessions. The leader of the group can be a different thing to different members of the group, and the leader is also able to view the group members differently (Brabender, 2004). When applied to areal life group setting, the gestalt theory has its implications because it presents challenges and opportunities to the leader. The fact that the theory focuses on the leader so much as being the main determinant of the outcomes of the session means that the leader ought to be very sensitive or the entire group risks being led astray. The focus on the now and the then  makes this theory to be affective of leadership more than any other theory because unless the members in the group can be made to literally see the sense in anything being presented to them, then it will very difficult for them to benefit from such group sessions (Corey, 2009).

The different perception of the various members means that the chances of creating mistakes are high. Every form of communication, both verbal and non-verbal, is taken and interpreted. This helps to speed up the counseling session and to a leader, it is a highly motivating factor. However, wrong interpretation of messages communicated is likely to occur and whenever this happens the leader comes in for a lot of blame for having failed to pass on information as required. To use this approach effectively, therefore, the leader must ensure there is no use of communication systems that are not intended whatsoever (Brabender, 2004). This will minimize miscommunication and enhance understanding. When applied to leadership, the gestalt theory makes it easier to bring together different clients who have varying educational qualifications yet get them all to understand a given concept. The fact that sight as a sense is the most relied upon tool in this theory means that any group member with eyes is capable of getting the very best out of a session. This approach also tends to makes group members to be less confident and so they can be made to move toward a given direction more easily. While such is tantamount to coercion or even compulsion on the part of the group leader, it goes a long way in ensuring the clients are able to make the best use of counseling sessions (Billing, 2006).

The too-little and the too-much self disclosure approach at group counseling is a typical leadership approach that is likely to be applied on my part. By failing to disclose to the group what I really and truly am, then I will be failing to appeal to some of their needs from me as a leader, and they will most likely respond by visually placing me in a certain stereotyped category whether or not I like it. This results from failure to disclose a lot (Fehr, 2003). On the contrary, should I choose to disclose a lot about myself and so make everything known to the group, I will run the risk of losing the respect they had for me because this approach has clients drawing a lot of theory on personal values from the leader. When starting a to lead a group with this approach, therefore, it is more risky and problematic to disclose so much than it is to simply try to fit into their formed stereotypes and move on, letting them to keep guessing (Billing, 2006). This will create more competitive advantages for the leader. In essence, although the gestalt approach at group counseling may work effectively well for experienced leaders and leaders who are able make good use of visual communication, it can spell doom and disaster when a novice tries to use it and then resorts to using the approach of telling the clients a lot about oneself (Fehr, 2003). The key to leadership using this approach, therefore, is for moderation to be exercised so that there is no overreaching whatsoever.

Integrated Eclectic Model of Group
The Integrated Eclectic Model of Group counseling is usually an approach that is never in care where a particular approach is drawn from as long as it is deemed to be the best workable approach at a given time or on a given client. It entails using a combination of approaches that are usually selected at the discretion of the leader of a given session and the feasibility of the individual approaches applied is not subjected to any appraisal except after the procedure is over and the outcome is known.

Psychoanalytic therapy
This kind of therapy is based on assessing the possible causes of some observed or perceived behavior or condition by watching or monitoring the client over an extended period of time. This therapy entails having a very patient and persevering leader because this leader will have to take a long time studying the client and trying to check andor get to the bottom of the cause of ones state of being (Corey, 2009). The leader talks to or with the client on subjects deemed possible causes of the condition, especially on childhood issues because some psychological conditions in adulthood are known to have roots in childhood. Unearthing the past will help the leader to better offer help to the client. The approach of the leader ought to be hisher willingness to open up to the client about hisher own past in order to encourage the client to do the same. It is therapy that is largely based on the ability of the leader to converse well over the past issues of the client (Billing, 2006).

Behavioral Therapy
This is a therapy that is based on the analysis of the way a client acts or goes about life and subsequently seeking to come up with ways of correcting the behavior by adopting corrective mechanisms. The leader is not expected to focus a lot on the internal or psychological climate of the client but instead studies the clients outward symptoms and makes conclusions. Every leader ought to be capable of objectively assessing the behavior of that client, and avoid the temptation of making judgments based on ones own attitudes about a behavior pattern. This approach is sometimes problematic if the client is not assessed objectively but subjectively, and if the therapy received is based on the attitudes of the leader and not the true analysis of the client.
Therefore, the leader manipulates the outward behavior or actions of the client by changing the condition of the clients environment. Environmental manipulation produces a change in both internal and external states of the client, but the focus of the leader is in achieving a change in the observed behavior (Corey, 2008). In essence, conditioning forms the basis of the therapy.

Cognitive Therapy
The way of thinking is greatly an influencer of the way one behaves. The behavior of a person is usually very important and is critical in shaping the behavior and outcomes of that person (Corey, 2008). A persons cognitive will affect his thinking and subsequently his actions. Cognitive therapy in group counseling is aimed lat getting a client to have a positive outlook toward life. It is in the best interests of the client to be able to have a positive outlook at life and to aim high enough so that life is not taken as a burden but as a daily joy (Billing, 2006). Every leader ought to cultivate good cognitive in a client in order to develop a positive outlook in life. In essence, cognitive therapy weeks to have the clients perspectives changed, to get one focusing on aspects of life that make one to approach life more positively. It is the work of the leader to ensure that all negative thoughts of the client are able to be transformed to positives ones. This approach is very ideal in bringing about personal change because as one thinks so is one. By changing the way of thinking, one is greatly helped. It is an effective therapy and can be applied to any form of leadership style (Corey, 2008).