66th Annual Conference

Saturday, February 21

Morning Workshops

9:00 - 11:30 A.M.

Workshop 80

Using Team Building Activities to Advance the Goals of Group Therapy

Chair:                

Barney Straus, M.A., M.S.W., CGP, Staff Therapist, Working Sobriety Chicago, Evanston, Illinois

This workshop will explore the impact of using team-building activities with therapy groups. Through an alternating sequence of process sessions and team-building activities, the impact of a group’s attempting physical challenges will become evident.  A discussion at the conclusion will focus on application to other group settings.

demonstration-experiential-sharing of work experiences-didactic

Learning Objectives:

The attendee will be able to:

1. Understand ways in which using physical games and challenges can advance the goals of group therapy.

2. Apply programming that is appropriate to the needs of specific groups.

3. Appreciate that facilitating therapeutic activities is a learned skill.

Course References:

1. Gass, Michael A. (1993).  Adventure Therapy: Therapeutic applications of adventure programming.  Dubuque, IA: Kendall Hunt.

2. Schoel, Jim; Prouty, Dick, and Radcliffe, Paul (1988).  Islands of Healing:  A guide to adventure based counseling.  Hamilton, MA: Project Adventure.

3. Wolfe, Brent D., Dattilo, John (2006). Participants’ perceptions of communication during and after a one-day challenge course program.  Journal of Experiential Education.  Vol. 29, # 2, pp. 126-144.