Skills and Techniques for Group Work With Children and Adolescents

I had this book as a text in my school counseling program. While there is no substitute for practical experience, I had confidence after reading this book that I knew what I was doing. Lots of helpful techniques.

This was required by a class and much of what is contained within this book is "common sense" counseling. The methods described are good and can be helpful. However some of Smead's work is an attempt at reinventing the wheel again. For example, groups typically form,storm,norm, preform and then adjourn. Smead in her attempt to be different came up with different names for each stage and added a unneeded pre-group stage. So the book is good for beginning counselors or those who are really new to working with/engaging groups.

hey, we had to buy this for class. would i buy it normally, no way! but one must do, what one has to do. it is fair (a little bit grandiose in expectation, and boundaries) regarding the differential between school and professional arena, still, a decent read.