Enhancing group counselling in youth residential treatment centres and group homes : putting the group back in group home

Abstract

A variety of challenges face both staff and residents in group homes and residential treatment centres for youth and adolescents. Some of these challenges include: creating therapeutic value in group counselling services, managing stresses related to residential living, and creating and managing effective and relevant behavioural goals for youth and management of negative behaviours. These challenges may be addressed effectively by improving the quality of group counselling services. The manual created for this project is designed to improve group counselling services by providing staff with the information and skills to run a group counselling program focused toward helping residents explore personal values, goals, and behavioural changes. This program is based largely on motivational interviewing and solution focused techniques but also includes elements of self-monitoring, behavioural contracting, experiential learning, and conflict resolution.