Advanced Techniques in Group Training

The course is a combination of two previous courses called Assertiveness Training and Art Techniques in Group Training. They were combined into one to provide a full 30-hour course.

Assessment methods and criteria:

attendance and homework tasks 30 %

planning own training program with the use of artistic methods 30 %

conducting own exercise with the use of artistic methods for the group 10 %

experience essay on "The Meaning of Assertiveness in My Life" 30 %

KNOWLEDGE: learning about different types of exercises during the class (attendance, homework)

SKILLS: providing own detail description of an artistic exercise extending psychological skills of the group members

COMPETENCES: active participation in the exercises to know their outcome, role playing in assertiveness training exercises (attendance and participation, extra points for role playing, extra points for conducting own exercises during the class)

Teaching methods:

− Case studies

− Self-awareness exercises

− Role-playing

− Group work

− Discussions

− Individual work

MODULE 1: Art Techniques in Group Training

The workshop is designed for students planning to become group trainers, who want to learn different techniques of working with groups. Various art-based techniques will be presented that can help participators in developing their personality, self-knowledge, interpersonal skills. During the workshop we will learn through our own experience by participating in proposed exercises.

Education in school has taught us to analyze rather than synthesize, evaluate rather than experience, use logical reasoning rather than freely associate. Our creative skills and artistic sensitivity gradually diminished rather than flourished. In everyday life we are expected to express our thoughts, opinions and emotions predominantly in a form of verbal descriptions.

We are used to express ourselves with very narrowed range of tools. We tend to forget that verbal communication is only small part of how we experience the surrounding world. There are senses of touch, hearing; kinesthetic, visual and symbolic representations.

All these forms of self-expression will be explored during this course. During this course students will have the opportunity to return to their naive artistic creativity, to play with different artistic techniques and experience the world visually, aurally and haptically. We will focus on spontaneous, uncontrolled, joyful activity. We will be drawing, cutting out, playing music together, sculpting and using all sort of materials for the purpose of broadening our knowledge about ourselves, other people and surrounding world.

All the exercises and the techniques we will try out during the course are designed for group trainings and can be used with children, adolescent and adult groups.

Learning outcomes:

The workshop will help students in developing practical skills of a future group trainer.

Meeting no - topic:

1. What is art therapy and why use it in group training

2. Types of art techniques

3. Stimulating creativity

4. Narrative self, dialogical self (finding your inner voices)

5. Music therapy & improvisation

6 & 7 - Exercises invented by Students

MODULE 2 Assertiveness Training:

Assertiveness is not only saying „no”. It’s a way of life and communication with others. The aim of the workshop is to develop a non-aggressive / non-submissive attitude, which allows to deal with real life situations more effectively, while respecting own and others’ rights.

Students will work in groups and pairs replaying situations from their own life and discussing what would be an appropriate assertive behaviour in given circumstances. Together we will discuss what it means to be assertive and what kind of rights everybody has. The students will have a chance to train skills like: saying no, receiving and giving constructive feedback, expressing different opinions. They will have a chance to exercise different kinds of assertive behaviour in practical work and life situations.

Meeting no - topic:

1. Basic knowledge of practical background concerning assertiveness

2. Knowledge of the assertive tools and methods

3. Skill to reject a proposal assertively

4. Skill to give and receive assertive feedback

5. Skill to express anger assertively

6. Skill to express different opinions

7. Assertive inner monologue

8. Summary of the learning experience and adjourning of the group

Readings:

MODULE 1

A Practical Art Therapy. by Susan Buchalter. London: Jessica Kingsley Press.

Handbook of Art Therapy. By Cathy Malchiodi, New York: Guilford.

Additional readings

„Impro. Improvisation and the theatre” by Keith Johnstone. Methuen London

MODULE 2

Assertiveness: How to Stand Up for Yourself and Still Win the Respect of Others – Judy Murphy

Your Perfect Right: Assertiveness and Equality in Your Life and Relationships by Robert Albert & Michael Emmons

The Keys to Being Brilliantly Confident and More Assertive – Richard Banks

Additional readings:

Trening asertywności by Maria Król-Fijewska

4 ECTS = 120 h

30 h - attendance

30 h - homework & readings

30 h - planning and writing own training program with the use of artistic methods

15 h - preparing & conducting own artistic exercise

15 h - essay on assertiveness, participating own situation to practice assertiveness in front of the group

The course is a combination of two previous courses called Assertiveness Training and Art Techniques in Group Training. They were combined into one to provide a full 30-hour course.

Assessment methods and criteria:

attendance and homework tasks 30 %

planning own training program with the use of artistic methods 30 %

conducting own exercise with the use of artistic methods for the group 10 %

experience essay on "The Meaning of Assertiveness in My Life" 30 %

KNOWLEDGE: learning about different types of exercises during the class (attendance, homework)

SKILLS: providing own detail description of an artistic exercise extending psychological skills of the group members

COMPETENCES: active participation in the exercises to know their outcome, role playing in assertiveness training exercises (attendance and participation, extra points for role playing, extra points for conducting own exercises during the class)

Teaching methods:

− Case studies

− Self-awareness exercises

− Role-playing

− Group work

− Discussions

− Individual work

MODULE 1: Art Techniques in Group Training

The workshop is designed for students planning to become group trainers, who want to learn different techniques of working with groups. Various art-based techniques will be presented that can help participators in developing their personality, self-knowledge, interpersonal skills. During the workshop we will learn through our own experience by participating in proposed exercises.

Education in school has taught us to analyze rather than synthesize, evaluate rather than experience, use logical reasoning rather than freely associate. Our creative skills and artistic sensitivity gradually diminished rather than flourished. In everyday life we are expected to express our thoughts, opinions and emotions predominantly in a form of verbal descriptions.

We are used to express ourselves with very narrowed range of tools. We tend to forget that verbal communication is only small part of how we experience the surrounding world. There are senses of touch, hearing; kinesthetic, visual and symbolic representations.

All these forms of self-expression will be explored during this course. During this course students will have the opportunity to return to their naive artistic creativity, to play with different artistic techniques and experience the world visually, aurally and haptically. We will focus on spontaneous, uncontrolled, joyful activity. We will be drawing, cutting out, playing music together, sculpting and using all sort of materials for the purpose of broadening our knowledge about ourselves, other people and surrounding world.

All the exercises and the techniques we will try out during the course are designed for group trainings and can be used with children, adolescent and adult groups.

Learning outcomes:

The workshop will help students in developing practical skills of a future group trainer.

Meeting no - topic:

1. What is art therapy and why use it in group training

2. Types of art techniques

3. Stimulating creativity

4. Narrative self, dialogical self (finding your inner voices)

5. Music therapy & improvisation

6 & 7 - Exercises invented by Students

MODULE 2 Assertiveness Training:

Assertiveness is not only saying „no”. It’s a way of life and communication with others. The aim of the workshop is to develop a non-aggressive / non-submissive attitude, which allows to deal with real life situations more effectively, while respecting own and others’ rights.

Students will work in groups and pairs replaying situations from their own life and discussing what would be an appropriate assertive behaviour in given circumstances. Together we will discuss what it means to be assertive and what kind of rights everybody has. The students will have a chance to train skills like: saying no, receiving and giving constructive feedback, expressing different opinions. They will have a chance to exercise different kinds of assertive behaviour in practical work and life situations.

Meeting no - topic:

1. Basic knowledge of practical background concerning assertiveness

2. Knowledge of the assertive tools and methods

3. Skill to reject a proposal assertively

4. Skill to give and receive assertive feedback

5. Skill to express anger assertively

6. Skill to express different opinions

7. Assertive inner monologue

8. Summary of the learning experience and adjourning of the group

Readings:

MODULE 1

A Practical Art Therapy. by Susan Buchalter. London: Jessica Kingsley Press.

Handbook of Art Therapy. By Cathy Malchiodi, New York: Guilford.

Additional readings

„Impro. Improvisation and the theatre” by Keith Johnstone. Methuen London

MODULE 2

Assertiveness: How to Stand Up for Yourself and Still Win the Respect of Others – Judy Murphy

Your Perfect Right: Assertiveness and Equality in Your Life and Relationships by Robert Albert & Michael Emmons

The Keys to Being Brilliantly Confident and More Assertive – Richard Banks

Additional readings:

Trening asertywności by Maria Król-Fijewska

4 ECTS = 120 h

30 h - attendance

30 h - homework & readings

30 h - planning and writing own training program with the use of artistic methods

15 h - preparing & conducting own artistic exercise

15 h - essay on assertiveness, participating own situation to practice assertiveness in front of the group