The course is ideal for counsellors/ youth or group workers or for any professionals currently working in a Therapeutic Group setting with their clients/service user. The course is also ideal for any professional who wants to learn how to effectively facilitate group work.
The course will build on any current knowledge you have and greatly enhance your therapeutic group/group facilitation skills and will further assist you in becoming an effective group facilitator of Support groups/Personal development groups and Professional-development groups.
The course facilitators are Person Centred practitioners and will work from a Facilitator/Participant lead however, the course is non-modality specific and is open to professionals who are trained in or offer other therapeutic approaches in their practice.

Must hold a Professional Qualification in one of the ‘Helping Professions’.
For example: Counselling & Psychotherapy / Teaching / Health & Social Care / Nursing / Youth or Social Work

This is a highly experiential course which will be a journey of discovery in relation to self and others. Each group develops its own character and influences which impact on the individuals within the group; commonly in each group a theme emerges which is relevant to all participants.

Facilitating a group can often be tricky, intense and challenging always inspiring and rewarding. Group facilitators can often finds themselves the object of the transferences and projections of the group members.

The course aims to draw out each participant’s inimitable ability and enhance their confidence in facilitating therapeutic groups.

The above aims will be achieved through self and group exploration and participants will be able to develop their individual capability to use ‘self’ as a tool that empowers self and others within the group setting and through the use of the group as a whole.

Course materials and Handouts will be given weekly with weekly tasks to complete to ensure readiness for the subsequent session. You will choose a Personal Tutor with whom you can specifically discuss issues arising on a 1:1 on request, but this is not a mandatory requirement of the course.

The course will cover:

• The life cycle of a group
• Group Dynamics and processes
• The roles people assume in groups
• The defences people use in groups
• The features of group work and Facilitation Models
• The Facilitators’ style and character/tasks and administrative responsibilities
• The facilitation skills of timed intervention, managing dynamics and enhancing effective processes
• Boundaries and difficulties inherent in group work

£ 350.00

The cost is payable in full or agreed contractual instalments.

Assessment is made through self/peer and tutor evaluation feedback; full participation in all groups process is essential.
80% Punctuality and Attendance is mandatory.
Theory is linked to the use of the self within the group and the understanding of both is demonstrated in a Learning Journal or End of Course Learning Statement.
Participants will each make a Presentation (TBA) to the group on an aspect of group work.
Participants will each lead facilitate one group session.

On completion of the course participants will receive an LC&CTA – CPD Certificate

Linda Hafez
Linda is a qualified Person-Centred Counsellor and Group Facilitator who is in the process of gaining her Certificate in Education. She has worked as a Schools Counsellor since 2008 and believes in our innate human capacity to move toward all we can be and the self-defining process inherent in the person-centred psychotherapeutic approach. Linda runs a very small Private Practice because most of her professional time is spent working extensively with young people in the London Boroughs of Lewisham and Greenwich. LC&CTA trained, Linda's association with us began in 2006; currently she is one of our Lead Tutors on The Introduction Course and The Level 2 Certificate in Counselling. She also co-facilitates a number of our CPD Workshops in conjunction with Chris Brown (Co Director) and is now co-developing LC&CTA’s new short course in Counselling Skills for Health & Social Care Professionals which will be delivered externally for the first time in January 2012 to Six Form students at a College in Tower Hamlets. Over the past 5 years Linda has gained comprehensive experience in facilitating both Classroom and Therapeutic Groups and will be co-delivering The Facilitating Therapeutic Groups Course when it begins in March 2012. Linda is British with both English and Middle Eastern Islamic heritage.

Tyhera Patterson
Tyhera holds a BA Hons in Drama, is a qualified Teacher, Person-Centred Counselling Practitioner and Group Facilitator. She has a sharp intellect, an avid interest in The Theatre and The Arts and a keen sense of the ridiculous. Tyhera has held an association with LC&CTA since 2008 and is one of the tutors on our Level 3 Certificate in Counselling Course Delivery Team; she is also co-developing LC&CTA’s new short course in Counselling Skills for Health & Social Care Professionals. Tyhera has profound experience of working in the Education Sector with disaffected children and young people and an ever broadening experience of facilitating Classroom and Therapeutic Groups. She has a strong commitment to exploring the Social/Political dynamic and Black/Diversity Issues within Counselling and Psychotherapy, all of which make her an ideal co-facilitator of the Facilitating Therapeutic Groups Course; a post she is taking up in March 2012. Tyhera is Black British from West Indian decent.