Peer group mentoring can serve as a meaningful developmental experience and outlet for women. Historically, as well as in contemporary contexts, women have been excluded from traditional mentoring relationships and developmental opportunities. In this paper, the authors utilize the lived experiences and voices of one dozen executive-level…

The purpose of this study was to identify student growth factors during a semester long Master's level group counseling class. Results indicated that 12 growth factors accounted for 86% of the total number of critical incidents that participants reported as influencing their personal growth and awareness during the group experience. Two other…

The present study investigated a six-week multicultural personal growth group as a pedagogical strategy to support first-year graduate counseling students' (N = 20) levels of ethnic identity development (Phinney & Ong, 2007) and social-cognitive maturity (Hy & Loevinger, 1996). Students' levels of ethnic identity and social-cognitive development…

Counselor education programs accredited by the Council for Accreditation of Counseling and Related Educational Programs (CACREP) require their students to participate in a group experience as a member for 10 clock hours over the course of an academic term (CACREP, 2009). In addition, the Association for Specialists in Group Work (ASGW) recommends…

This study was designed to examine the relationship between personal growth group (PGG) experiences in multicultural counseling courses and counseling students' ethnic identity development. Differences in ethnic identity development were compared between counseling students who participated in a PGG experience as part of a multicultural counseling…

Sociologists have long sought to understand the relationship between collective experiences and individual commitments. This article examines the short-term mission as an institutionalized religious experience, assessing its prevalence, predictors and impact on the religious trajectories of the youth who participate in them. Religiously devout…

Traces types of expeditions in the history of civilization. Describes the following phases in the current expedition experience: (1) conceptualization/dream phase; (2) the preparation phase; (3) the action/reality phase; and (4) the reporting/reflective/processing phase. An expedition should be self-contained, have an element of challenge, and…

There are certain dimensions that a group or group experience can be discriminated upon - in which you can make your own independent evaluations in regard to it being a plus or minus group. If you are in a field which utilizes and employs training groups then you owe it to yourself and to others to make these discriminations. (Author)

A control group design was used to determine whether junior college students who participated in a Human Potential Group became more self actualized than those who didn't. Growth in self-actualization was measured through pre- and post-administrations of the Personal Orientation Inventory. Findings show that (1) students in the Human Potential…

Apparent success of the marathon groups in altering the perceptions of Black female heroin addicts toward the future, counseling, and themselves offers preliminary evidence that marathons may have potential as a counseling strategy with these clients. Future research needs to be performed to substantiate or reject these findings. (Author/PD)

Mental illness constitutes a major hazard to public health. The author advodates the implementation of programs of primary prevention, using the marital enrichment group as a model to follow in promoting mental health and specific protection. (Author)

The haphazard use of powerful group methods by untrained practitioners who lead a single demonstration or workshop can be dangerous. Such leaders seldom consider the damage that can be done either to the participants themselves or to those interacting with the participants after the workshop is over. (Author)

This replication study investigated the immediate and long-term effects of Gestalt marathon workshops on a measure of self-actualization. Experimental groups participated in a 24-hour continuous Gestalt workshop. Findings revealed significant positive pre-post changes on an overall measure of self-actualization and on 10 of 12 subscales. The…

This manual assists in developing workshops promoting personal growth through examination of one's attitudes, feelings and behaviors about sex roles in society. It is meant for facilitators who have minimal experience in group processes. Included are: a discussion of some considerations in designing a workshop, an analysis of the facilitators'…

This presentation describes an experiential group design which can be employed with large, diverse populations. It is especially applicable at the university level. The design encourages self-clarification and self-confrontation on personalized issues and culminates in an individual commitment to action. Techniques such as "life space" drawings…