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Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data
Glassman, Urania.
Group work: a humanistic and skills building approach/Urania Glassman.2nd ed.
p. cm. (Sage sourcebooks for the human services series; 13)
Includes bibliographical references and index.
ISBN 978-1-4129-6662-7 (cloth)
ISBN 978-1-4129-6663-4 (pbk.)
1. Social group work. I. Title.
HV45.G56 2009
361.4dc22 2008026116
This book is printed on acid-free paper.
08 09 10 11 12 10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1
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Preface
T he humanistic method of social work with groups embodies the values and practices of social group works heritage and the social work profession. As a group approach, the humanistic method may be used to assist clients with their preventive, rehabilitative, treatment, and social action goals. The humanistic group work method may be employed by human service professionalspsychologists, psychiatrists, mental health workers, child welfare staff, activities and rehabilitation therapists, nurses, and special educatorswho assist people in attaining effectiveness and change in their interpersonal relationships and circumstances.
This book has been written about values, norms, and practice techniques in humanistic group work to share those experiences and approaches with group practitioners who appreciate the potency of the professionally guided small group. These practitioners recognize the supportive effects that social responsibility, caring, mutual aid, and respect for individual uniqueness have on the member. This book supports the human spirit and the humanistic visions of the teachers, students, clients, and colleagues who champion personal and social change through the social work group.
This volume presents the special features and processes of humanistic group work method, which are used to develop a unique social form for assisting people in their change efforts (Lang, 1981). My experiences in a variety of types of groups strengthen my conviction about the value of the small, face-to-face group built on humanistic method. In this special productive milieu, members can feel belonging, acceptance, friendship, challenge, and support for developing abilities to achieve social goals and actions that enhance quality of life.
Forms of racism, classism, ethnocentrism, sexism, and stigmatizations, as well as the repression of humanistic mores, highlight the urgency to spotlight the role of social work in developing humanistic groups. The mass suicides in Jonestown were brought about by totalitarian group processes. It is clear that prior to committing a murderous act, the terrorist has been deeply involved in a secretive small group whose values were antithetical to those of social group work. Even to this day, in the face of the lessons of the Nazi debacle, people are damaged and repressed by political and professional demagogues who use power to distort peoples humanity and connection to one another.