Week 10: Group Therapy With Children and Adolescents

Effective group treatment with children and adolescents rests upon three essential considerations: the clients that compose the group, the therapists responsible for conducting the group, and the setting in which the group occurs.

Struggling to meet your deadline ?

Get assistance on

Group Therapy With Children and Adolescents Essay

done on time by medical experts. Don’t wait – ORDER NOW!

Meet My Deadline

—Dr. Mark Stone, Cognitive-Behavior Group Therapy with Children and Adolescents

Group therapy may be beneficial for children and adolescents, because it often provides an environment that normalizes clients’ thoughts, feelings, and behaviors. However, as with any therapeutic approach, group therapy might not be appropriate for every client, every setting, or even every therapist. When selecting therapies, you must always consider the psychodynamics of the client and your own skill set.

This week, as you assess and develop diagnoses for clients presenting for child and adolescent group psychotherapy, you examine the effectiveness of this therapeutic approach. You also consider legal and ethical implications of counseling children and adolescent clients with psychiatric disorders.

Photo Credit: asiseeit/E+/Getty Images

---

Learning Resources

Note: To access this week’s required library resources, please click on the link to the Course Readings List, found in the Course Materials section of your Syllabus.

Required Readings

Wheeler, K. (Ed.). (2014). Psychotherapy for the advanced practice psychiatric nurse: A how-to guide for evidence-based practice. New York, NY: Springer.

• Chapter 17, “Psychotherapy with Children” (pp. 597–624)
• Chapter 20, “Termination and Outcome Evaluation” (pp. 693–712)

American Psychiatric Association. (2013). Diagnostic and statistical manual of mental disorders (5th ed.). Washington, DC: Author.

Note: Retrieved from Walden Library databases.

McGillivray, J. A., & Evert, H. T. (2014). Group cognitive behavioural therapy program shows potential in reducing symptoms of depression and stress among young people with ASD. Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders, 44(8), 2041–2051. doi:10.1007/s10803-014-2087-9

Note: Retrieved from Walden Library databases.

Restek-Petrović, B., Bogović, A., Mihanović, M., Grah, M., Mayer, N., & Ivezić, E. (2014). Changes in aspects of cognitive functioning in young patients with schizophrenia during group psychodynamic psychotherapy: A preliminary study. Nordic Journal of Psychiatry, 68(5), 333–340. doi:10.3109/08039488.2013.839738

Note: Retrieved from Walden Library databases.

Document: Group Therapy Progress Note

Required Media

Microtraining Associates (Producer). (2009). Leading groups with adolescents [Video file]. Alexandria, VA: Author.

 

Note: You will access this media from the Walden Library databases. The approximate length of this media piece is 140 minutes.

Psychotherapy.net (Producer). (2002). Adlerian parent consultation [Video file]. Mill Valley, CA: Author.

 

Note: You will access this media from the Walden Library databases. The approximate length of this media piece is 117 minutes.

Optional Resources

Psychotherapy.net (Producer). (2012). Group counseling with adolescents: A multicultural approach [Video file]. Mill Valley, CA: Author.

---

Discussion: Clinical Supervision

In Week 3, you collaborated with colleagues as you participated in your first clinical supervision. This week, you have the opportunity to continue your collaboration as you reflect on and discuss your experiences with counseling children and adolescents in group settings. Psychotherapy with these clients is often more complex than psychotherapy with the general adult population. Personal reflection and discussion with colleagues are essential to your development and success as a psychiatric mental health nurse practitioner. For this clinical supervision, consider a child or adolescent client you are counseling who you do not think is adequately progressing according to expected clinical outcomes.

Learning Objectives

Students will:

• Assess clients presenting for child and adolescent group psychotherapy
• Evaluate the effectiveness of therapeutic approaches for clients receiving child and adolescent group psychotherapy

To prepare:

• Review this week’s media and consider the insights provided on group therapy with children and adolescents.
• Reflect on a child and adolescent group that you are currently counseling at your practicum site.

Note: For this Discussion, you are required to complete your initial post before you will be able to view and respond to your colleagues’ postings. Begin by clicking on the Post to Discussion Question link and then select Create Thread to complete your initial post. Remember, once you click submit, you cannot delete or edit your own posts, and you cannot post anonymously. Please check your post carefully before clicking Submit!

Note about Uploading Media: Refer to the Kaltura Media Uploader instructions document located in the menu bar. It provides guidance on how to upload media for the Clinical Supervision Discussions.

By Day 3

Post a 3- to 5-minute Kaltura video that addresses the following:

• Describe a child and adolescent group you are counseling.
• Describe a client from the group who you do not think is adequately progressing according to expected clinical outcomes. Note: Do not use the client’s actual name.
• Explain your therapeutic approach with the group, including your perceived effectiveness of your approach with the client you identified.
• Identify any additional information about this group and/or client that may potentially impact expected outcomes.

Note: Nurse practitioners must have strong oral communication skills. This Discussion is designed to help you hone these skills. When filming your Kaltura video, be sure to dress and speak in a professional manner.

View a selection of your colleagues’ responses.

By Day 6

Respond to at least two of your colleagues by providing constructive feedback concerning their presentations of their client groups and by recommending alternative therapeutic approaches that may be used with the groups. Support your feedback with evidence-based literature and/or your own experiences with clients.

Submission and Grading Information

Grading Criteria

To access your rubric:

Week 10 Discussion Rubric

Post by Day 3 and Respond by Day 6

To participate in this Discussion:

Week 10 Discussion

---

Assignment 1: Practicum – Client Termination Summary

Although termination is an inevitable part of the therapeutic process, it is often difficult for clients. However, by discussing termination throughout therapy, you can better prepare your clients for life without you. Once a client has achieved his or her therapeutic goals, termination sessions should be held and documented in a client termination summary. For this Assignment, you have the opportunity to practice writing a termination summary for a client with whom you have worked during your practicum experience.

Learning Objectives

Students will:

• Develop client termination summaries

To prepare:

• For guidance on writing a client termination summary, review pages 693–712 of Wheeler (2014) in this week’s Learning Resources.
• Identify a client who may be ready to terminate therapy.

The Assignment

• Identifying information of client (e.g., hypothetical name and age)
• Date the client initially contacted therapist, date therapy began, duration of therapy, and date therapy will end
• Total number of sessions, including number of missed sessions
• Whether termination was planned or unplanned
• Presenting problem
• Major psychosocial issues
• Types of services rendered (e.g., individual, couple/family therapy, group therapy)
• Overview of treatment process
• Goal status (goals met, partially met, unmet)
• Treatment limitations (if any)
• Remaining difficulties and/or concerns
• Recommendations
• Follow-up plan (if indicated)
• Instructions for future contact
• Signatures

With the client you selected in mind, address in a client termination summary (without violating HIPAA regulations) the following:

By Day 7

Submit your Assignment.

Submission and Grading Information

To submit your completed Assignment for review and grading, do the following:

• Please save your Assignment using the naming convention “WK10Assgn1+last name+first initial.(extension)” as the name.
• Click the Week 10 Assignment 1 Rubric to review the Grading Criteria for the Assignment.
• Click the Week 10 Assignment 1 link. You will also be able to “View Rubric” for grading criteria from this area.
• Next, from the Attach File area, click on the Browse My Computer button. Find the document you saved as “WK10Assgn1+last name+first initial.(extension)” and click Open.
• If applicable: From the Plagiarism Tools area, click the checkbox for I agree to submit my paper(s) to the Global Reference Database.
• Click on the Submit button to complete your submission.

Grading Criteria

To access your rubric:

Week 10 Assignment 1 Rubric

Check Your Assignment Draft for Authenticity

To check your Assignment draft for authenticity:

Submit your Week 10 Assignment draft and review the originality report.

Submit Your Assignment by Day 7

To submit your Assignment:

Week 10 Assignment 1

---

Assignment 2: Practicum – Week 10 Journal Entry

Learning Objectives

Students will:

• Develop effective documentation skills to examine group therapy sessions with children and adolescents *
• Develop diagnoses for child and adolescent clients receiving group psychotherapy *
• Analyze legal and ethical implications of counseling child and adolescent clients with psychiatric disorders *

* The Assignment related to this Learning Objective is introduced this week and submitted in Week 11.

Select two clients you observed or counseled this week during a group therapy session for children and adolescents. Note: The two clients you select must have attended the same group session. If you select the same group you selected for the Week 8 or Week 9 Journal Entries, you must select different clients.

Then, address in your Practicum Journal the following:

• Using the Group Therapy Progress Note in this week’s Learning Resources, document the group session.
• Describe each client (without violating HIPAA regulations), and identify any pertinent history or medical information, including prescribed medications.
• Using the DSM-5, explain and justify your diagnosis for each client.
• Explain any legal and/or ethical implications related to counseling each client.
• Support your approach with evidence-based literature.

By Day 7

Submit your Assignment.

Submission and Grading Information

To submit your completed Assignment for review and grading, do the following:

• Please save your Assignment using the naming convention “WK10Assgn2+last name+first initial.(extension)” as the name.
• Click the Week 10 Assignment 2 Rubric to review the Grading Criteria for the Assignment.
• Click the Week 10 Assignment 2 link. You will also be able to “View Rubric” for grading criteria from this area.
• Next, from the Attach File area, click on the Browse My Computer button. Find the document you saved as “WK10Assgn2+last name+first initial.(extension)” and click Open.
• If applicable: From the Plagiarism Tools area, click the checkbox for I agree to submit my paper(s) to the Global Reference Database.
• Click on the Submit button to complete your submission.

Grading Criteria

To access your rubric:

Week 10 Assignment 2 Rubric

Check Your Assignment Draft for Authenticity

To check your Assignment draft for authenticity:

Submit your Week 10 Assignment 2 draft and review the originality report.

Submit Your Assignment by Day 7

To submit your Assignment:

Week 10 Assignment 2

---

Assignment 3: Practicum – Week 8 Journal Entry

By Day 7

Submit your Assignment. Refer to Week 8 for additional guidance.

Submission and Grading Information

To submit your completed Assignment for review and grading, do the following:

• Please save your Assignment using the naming convention “WK10Assgn3+last name+first initial.(extension)” as the name.
• Click the Week 10 Assignment 3 Rubric to review the Grading Criteria for the Assignment.
• Click the Week 10 Assignment 3 link. You will also be able to “View Rubric” for grading criteria from this area.
• Next, from the Attach File area, click on the Browse My Computer button. Find the document you saved as “WK10Assgn3+last name+first initial.(extension)” and click Open.
• If applicable: From the Plagiarism Tools area, click the checkbox for I agree to submit my paper(s) to the Global Reference Database.
• Click on the Submit button to complete your submission.

Grading Criteria

To access your rubric:

Week 10 Assignment 3 Rubric

Check Your Assignment Draft for Authenticity

To check your Assignment draft for authenticity:

Submit your Week 10 Assignment 3 draft and review the originality report.

Submit Your Assignment by Day 7

To submit your Assignment:

Week 10 Assignment 3

---

Assignment 4: Board Vitals

This week you will be responding to twenty Board Vitals questions that cover a broad review of your Nurse Practitioner program courses up to this point.

These review questions will provide practice that is critical in your preparation for the national certification exam that’s required to certify you to practice as a nurse practitioner. These customized test questions are designed to help you prepare for your Nurse Practitioner certification exam. It is in your best interest to take your time, do your best, and answer each question to the best of your ability.

You can access Board Vitals through the link sent to you in email or by following the link below:

https://www.boardvitals.com/

By Day 7

Complete the Board Vitals questions.

---

Practicum Reminder

Time Logs

You are required to keep a log of the time you spend related to your practicum experience and enter every patient you see each day. You can access your time log from the Welcome Page in your Meditrek account. You will track time individually for each patient you work with. Please make sure to continuously input your hours throughout the term.

Group Therapy With Children and Adolescents Essay

---

Making Connections

Now that you have:

• Assessed and developed diagnoses for clients presenting for child and adolescent group psychotherapy
• Considered legal and ethical implications of counseling children and adolescent clients with psychiatric disorders

Next week, you will:

• Explore group therapy with older adults
• Examine your own group therapy sessions with older adult clients and recommend strategies for improving the effectiveness of therapy

---

Looking Ahead: Week 11 Discussion

In a standard Discussion thread, you will discuss an older adult group you have observed and/or counseled during your practicum experience. Be sure to make arrangements with your preceptor so you can fulfill the requirements of the Discussion. Refer to the Week 11 Discussion for additional guidance.