Final Course Project Group Therapy

Group Therapy

Robert Johnson

********* College

The name of my group throughout the semester is Parents Anonymous located in the community room at the local Denny’s. Denny’s was chosen because of its neutral location and not formally connected to the Department of Social Services. I conceived my role as a consultant. The fact that I am not an official employee will help the group trust more easily and share feelings in-depth.

The group was heterogeneous made up of both genders and individuals from various ethnicities. The eight group members are: Robin and Ed White (married Caucasian middle aged couple), Cindy Cane and Corey Ray (Caucasian unmarried thirty-five year old couple), Rudy Barron (forty-three year old African American male) , Samantha Troy (twenty-eight year old African American female), Wanda Genzales (seventeen year old Mexican American female) and Lu Luck (twenty-three year old Chinese immigrant female).

Robin and Ed struggle parenting their adolescent son Link who acts-out. These parents are criticized for not being able to control their son but at the same time the public school refuses to provide in-class room education because they cannot control him either. If their son Link is not brought under control CPS will seek a court order to place him again in a residential facility.

Cory and Cindy were reported by Cindy’s mother for inappropriate use of corporal punishment. Rudy was accused of exposing himself to his teenage daughter. Samantha provided a living environment that was unlivable and inhabitable for children. Wanda cannot receive public assistance because of her refusal to name the father of her children; she was reported for leaving her infant unattended. Lastly Lu Luck was reported for taking her child to work and for living with too many families in one apartment.

All of these parents are threatened by having their child removed and ether place in foster care or a residential treatment center. All of these families have parenting issues. All of these families are fighting alone for their rights to keep their child. They feel alienated from family and friends. They are especially angry at authority figures.

Waldfogel (2009) lists various services offered by the Child Protection System: individual and family counseling, respite care, parenting education, housing assistance, substance abuse treatment, child care and home visits. The reader can note that participation in a group is not one of the services offered. In these tight budget times, the hypothesis of the writer is the hiring of an outside consultant is not realistic to meet with a group of indicated parents who may or may not