Chapter 9 – Rounds and Dyads
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From all the examples of rounds in the chapter and in class, which do you see as the most useful and potentially the most effective? Explain.
How do you envision yourself making use of dyads in your group work? Explain.
Chapter 10 – Exercises
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Of all the exercises described in this chapter, which three could you envision using on a regular basis, and which ones do you know you’ll never use and why?
Research and describe a specific group exercises not discussed in the class that would fit your leadership style and future clientele.
Book: Group Counseling: Strategies and Skills (8th ed.) (2015) by Ed E. Jacobs, et al., Thomson Brooks/Cole. ISBN 978-1-111-87052-2
Chapter 9
Rounds and Dyads
ROUNDS
A round is an activity where every member is asked to respond to some stimulus posed by the leader.
The value of rounds cannot be over-emphasized. Rounds get members focused and engaged.
Rounds can be beneficial during all phases of a group session.
Designated Word or Phrase
Yes/No round regarding if you have something to say or something you’d like discussed
Helps the leader to get a “read” on your members
Here/Getting Here/Not Here round as a way to start your groups
Helps get members focused
Helps leader to get a sense of where members are
Designated Number
Use 1-10 scale
Rate your week
Rate your life, relationship, job
Rate some issue or concern (e.g. anger, jealousy, guilt, liking of school, liking one’s body
Word or Phrase
In a word or phrase, how was your week?
In a word or phrase, what did you think of the article?
In a word or phrase, what did you learn from the activity?
What is your reaction to the proposal—in a word or phrase?
Comment Round
Longer than a word or phrase but does limit how much a member can say—leader indicates that he or she is going to get comments from everyone. An example would be:
“I’d like to hear briefly from each of you about __________.
Rounds Are Good To:
Build comfort and trust
Get members focused
Gather information and locate energy
Shift the focus to involve all members
Draw out quiet members
Deepen the intensity
Process exercises
Summarize
Additional Comments About Rounds
Where to start the round
Not with a difficult, resistant member
Start so that you can end on a certain member (often one you want to draw out)
Don’t stay too long with members who are hesitant
Processing Rounds
Ask questions based on the information gathered from the round
Don’t do rounds just to fill up time
Dyads
A good group activity is to put members in dyads or triads to discuss a topic or issue.
Dyads serve as a way to vary the format and a way to get members talking to at least one other member.
Uses of Dyads
Developing Comfort
Warming up members and building energy
Processing information and group exercises
Uses of Dyads
continued
Providing leader/member interaction
leader can pair up with a member for a specific purpose, such as providing encouragement, dealing with resistance
Finishing a topic
“Many of you seem to have lots of thoughts about this. I’m going to have you pair up so you can share your thoughts about what we’ve been talking about this last 30 minutes.”
Getting certain members together for a specific purpose, such as common issues
Uses of Dyads
continued
Changing the format
Providing time for the leader to think, add to, or change a plan, consider strategies for helping specific members, etc.
Pairing Members for Dyads
Member’s Choice
“pair up with someone you’d like to be with”
“Joe, you pick someone to be with. Oka
