Groups: A Counseling Specialty

by Samuel T. Gladding

This book was written to address the total field of group work, including how to set up and conduct the four basic types of groups -- therapy, counseling, guidance, and work/task. It is a complete package on groups including the history of group work, dynamics of groups, leadership in groups, ethical issues in groups, multicultural aspects of groups, stages of group development, groups across the life span, and the theoretical basis for working with groups (10 theories covered). This text is filled with current and classic references and is packed with illustration. The author set out to write the most comprehensive and complete book on groups. Groups: A Counseling Specialty is readable and enjoyable. Readers are challenged frequently to reflect on how they would deal with specific aspects of a group and to reflect on their own experiences with groups.

Genres: Counselling, Grad School, Textbooks, School, Nonfiction, Psychology

544 pages, Hardcover

First published September 28, 1990

About the author

Samuel Templeman Gladding

Reviews

[Sofia Wren · Rating 3 out of 5]

For school.

[Paige Stewart · Rating 3 out of 5]

As with so many others of Gladding’s textbooks, this is thorough, comprehensive, and full of examples while continuing to be utterly vague and unspecific. I suppose it’s difficult to provide specific guidance when every situation is different, but it is frustrating after a while to have more examples of poor execution than effective. Also, I’d like to stop seeing typos in textbooks.

[Bekah]

she’s good… not sure why you would be reading it though

[Susan Marie · Rating 5 out of 5]

An excellent edition confronting all aspects of group counseling including how to lead and co-lead various types of groups ranging from self-help/support to psychoanalytical groups. This volume focuses on leadership skills and behaviors including what it takes to combine, when necessary, an authoritative, democratic and laissez-faire style of leadership, all necessary for specific groups.

Easy to read, not like an APA text, with everyday skills one can lend to any group that exists with a focus on psychologically directed group therapy. I prefer books published by Gladding for psychology. They are always excellent.

[Megan]

CSNL 500

[Stephanie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Typical Gladding text covers everything thoroughly and in a very readable way. I'll actually probably reread this one at some point.

[Mary · Rating 4 out of 5]

More like a 3.5. It is like any textbook: sterile presentation of the information (the writing is quite dry) and often it is repetitive, but good for learning the basics.

[Laura · Rating 5 out of 5]

Insightful, relevant, readable, a good resource; wouldn't mind rereading.

[Bronte Detenbeck · Rating 2 out of 5]

This book was a dry, school textbook. Had some valuable information, but there wasa lot of random discussion to weed through to get to it.

[Victoria Laubach · Rating 3 out of 5]

I read this for my master’s program. It was very informative.

[Candace · Rating 3 out of 5]

Read for graduate program Counseling and Art Therapy.

[Carter · Rating 3 out of 5]

Gladding's text on group work is comprehensive and well-organized, making it an easy reference tool. I appreciate that Gladding covers specific group work for different age groups and group dynamics from different theoretical orientations. However, the text lacks practical application of the material. If you are looking for a more applicable book for group work I recommend "Group Counseling" by: Jacobs, Masson, Harvill, and Schimmel.

[MK · Rating 4 out of 5]

The better of Gladding's books I've encountered so far, certainly the best organized. The text details a lot of information in an easily consumable way, and you come away with a basic comprehensive understanding of groups.

[Krista · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was my textbook for my class on group counseling. It was a good book, not amazing, but a solid start.

[Rebecca Reisberg · Rating 4 out of 5]

Easy to read and understand. Best thing about it? Introduced me to The name Yalom. Perfect for introduction to group counseling class text at an undergraduate level.