Examining interpersonal relationships is challenging but crucial in encouraging meaningful personal development and change in therapeutic settings. At San Quentin Prison, Charlie and Dr. Zagelbaum encourage groups. As a result, they diligently led workshops to explore the intricacies of involvement and authority in the group context. The discussion group discusses shame, remorse, guilt, regret, and self-worth. Therefore, facilitators, who are subject matter specialists, provide the prisoners with knowledge by giving explanations and personal anecdotes. Charlie includes information from the viewpoint of a prisoner, while Dr. Zagelbaum offers information as a researcher and a non-inmate. The prisoners participate by expressing and talking about their unique views and experiences related to the subject.
Group Engagement
During the initial session, the group formed a solid basis, the first parameter of group engagement. Establishing ground rules and fostering collaboration among the group members are crucial tasks for the first meeting. When the facilitators started the discussion, Charlie thanked the prisoners for joining the group. Also, he ensured that each group started as intended by having the prisoners complete a check-in. By inquiring about the inmate’s day, feelings, and whether they are experiencing something, those in authority can obtain the client’s cooperation during a check-in.
The application of interpersonal skills and feelings of compassion is the second parameter. Charlie and Dr. Zagelbaum establish a secure environment where prisoners can talk about what empathy and social skills are essential to them. However, by paying attention and responding thoughtfully, the person in charge can strengthen one’s abilities (Ritchie et al., 2020). In addition, Charlie divides the group into smaller groups to discuss his main points regarding shame, remorse, entitlement, regret, and empathy. Then, he asks open-ended questions to encourage the patients to share the areas in which they feel inadequate. The inmates share responses such as money, compassion, and freedom.
The third parameter is self-regulation, which involves monitoring one’s values, beliefs, and actions that might compromise efficacy. When interacting with clients and constituents, social workers use their understanding of how people behave in social settings and the professional context. Charlie’s use of closed-ended questions was one method the group used to demonstrate self-regulation. Also, before moving on to the next subject, Charlie would ask the prisoners if they had any final questions or were interested in discussing anything. Therefore, the prisoners had plenty of opportunities to express their thoughts if desired.
Understanding linguistic variations, integration, and cultural standards is necessary for a culturally knowledgeable evaluation. Effective communication with all clients is essential for social workers. The degree of difference between the prisoners and the physician was evident in the meeting. Based on Jones et al.’s (2020) research findings, improving the relationship between groups would encourage inclusiveness by implementing specific measures that value cultural diversity. Although the doctor can enter and exit the jail, he wishes to impart his expertise and insight to other people.
The handling of the co-facilitation is the subject of the fourth parameter. It is imperative to acknowledge that Charlie would provide definitions and individual experiences about the subjects to comprehend the co-facilitating process. To effectively facilitate a discussion and foster an inclusive atmosphere, one must recognize and utilize a variety of viewpoints and skills. Charlie and the physician had similar goals in mind regarding informing the prisoners. Within the parameters of his profession, Dr. Zagelbnaum offered professional opinions and responses, while Charlie supplied clarifications from a different researcher in the area of study.
Group Authority
Charlie defines terms frequently, one of the key ways he establishes what constitutes an effective team. Therefore, he characterizes shame as an excruciatingly painful sensation of being inadequate and not belonging because of one’s perceived flaws. Also, he affirms the prisoners’ participation, willingness to give one another credit, and desire to apply what they have learned to their personal lives. Additionally, Charlie allows the prisoners to talk about their experiences and feelings. He inquires about the prisoners’ opinions of the group and its effects, as well as one-word responses.
Maintaining client confidentiality in a group context is essential for group facilitators. Social workers must know the obstacles to preserving anonymity, informed authorization, and professional boundaries. Prisoners have the right to privacy and have no right to disclose personal information to outsiders. The leader of the meeting creates an appropriate atmosphere for individuals to converse about this topic by encouraging trust between everybody in the group (Malhotra & Baker, 2022). Therefore, the prisoners must keep their personal experiences to themselves, just as the doctor and Charlie did not discuss them with anybody outside the room.
The facilitators demonstrate a sophisticated knowledge of the underlying power dynamics within group therapy sessions by launching a severe debate on authority relations. Charlie spoke up more during the whole meeting. Nonetheless, a client uses nonverbal cues to communicate frequently, and recognizing these cues can be very helpful in achieving group objectives and productivity. Utilizing the client’s words enables those in authority to draw attention to specific viewpoints to support or refute their arguments (Gençer, 2019). Another crucial aspect of group dynamics is raising awareness of how participants are interacting with one another. The doctor became quieter and less talkative. He only intervened when it was required or to offer his professional opinion.
Conclusion
The group gave an outstanding performance when viewed as a whole. The discussion was educational and motivating. The prisoners were delighted to participate in the group activity. The prisoners expressed gratitude for being able to apply these ideas to their daily lives. Charlie and the physician used a variety of strategies to demonstrate their feelings. As the entire film illustrates, it is simple to give in to feelings of hopelessness, resentment, and guilt when incarcerated. Encouraging the prisoners to express their true feelings and creating a safe space were two areas where the facilitators excelled. Since Doctor Zagelbaum should be in charge, I recommend he speak up and offer more in-depth information.
References
Gençer, H. (2019). Group dynamics and behavior. Universal Journal of Educational Research, 7(1), 223–229. https://doi.org/10.13189/ujer.2019.070128
Jones, G., Chirino Chace, B., & Wright, J. (2020). Cultural diversity drives innovation: Empowering teams for success. International Journal of Innovation Science, 12(3), 323–343. https://doi.org/10.1108/ijis-04-2020-0042
Malhotra, A., & Baker, J. (2022, December 13). Group therapy – statpearls – NCBI bookshelf. Group Therapy. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK549812/
Microtraining Associates. (2017). Group counseling with inmates : San Quentin Prison. Video. Retrieved November 15, 2023, from https://video-alexanderstreet-com.library.capella.edu/watch/group-counseling-with-inmates-san-quentin-prison/details?context=channel%3Amicrotraining-associates-osf
Ritchie, M. J., Parker, L. E., & Kirchner, J. E. (2020). From novice to expert: A qualitative study of Implementation Facilitation Skills. Implementation Science Communications, 1(1), 34. https://doi.org/10.1186/s43058-020-00006-8
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