Group and Milieu Therapy (From Correctional Counseling and Rehabilitation, Third Edition, P 189-217, 1997, Patricia Van Voorhis, Michael Braswell, et al, eds. - See NCJ-169329)

• NCJ Number: 169338
• Author(s): D Lester
• Date Published: 1997
• Length: 29 pages
• Sale Source: Anderson Publishing Co
• Publication Type: Overview Text
• Language: English
• Country: United States of America

Annotation

Group counseling in the correctional setting has grown in popularity in recent years to obtain and impart information, instill hope, enable clients to share experiences and feel they are not alone, develop socializing techniques, foster imitative behavior, encourage interpersonal learning, and achieve catharsis and group cohesiveness.

Abstract

Standard psychotherapy approaches can be applied to group counseling, such as person-centered therapy and transactional analysis. Group counseling techniques include psychodrama, milieu therapy, guided group interaction, and reality therapy. Group therapy and milieu therapy have especially grown in popularity for several reasons. They are economical, since treating offenders in groups permits counselors to assist more offenders in a limited time span than treating offenders individually. Milieu therapy in particular ensures the total environment is structured in ways to support the counseling and rehabilitative process. Recent trends in the use of group counseling techniques are noted, for example, interest in methodologically sound evaluations of treatment programs and group work with particular offender types.