Background
Group counseling involves the identification of persons with the same therapy or psychotherapy needs before devising a proper counseling program for all of them. On most occasions, teenage pregnancies are unwelcome in the societies and are met with numerous societal challenges like stigma and denial. For this reason, the purpose of the group counseling will be to counsel pregnant teenage girls and encourage them all the trying times of their pregnancies. The target audience for the group counseling will be ten to fifteen pregnant teenage girls who are at least four months into their pregnancies and who have decided to keep their pregnancies. Since some pregnant teenage girls are accepted by their parents while others are not, the difference in these two types of teenagers will for the diversity for the purpose of the group counseling. Aside from the diversity, the membership of the counseling sessions will be open-ended, and the time schedules will be ongoing and not limited.
Pediatrics needs specific medical knowledge and for this reason, a gynecologist will play a significant role in assisting with the counseling alongside the lead instructor of the group. It is worth noting that the gynecologist or nurse must have knowledge on the female reproductive health. Additionally, the health specialist will be required to know various health complications and challenges that might arise from pregnancy; especially teenage pregnancy. The group will not need a particular curriculum for counseling and neither will it require a complex format (Jacobs 58). It will be headed by the lead counselor who will be subordinated by the nurse. Numerous resources are available for such kind of advice including pediatric tutorials and past works of literature on the subject.
Description
Members of the group counseling sessions will be recruited by sending burners and fliers to health centers and medical clinics to seek volunteers. After recruitment, members will be taken through an orientation process aimed at communicating the functions of the organization to the members. It will involve a series of talks and presentations regarding teenage pregnancies and their plights (Jacobs 59).
The first two sessions will involve the clarification of the group’s purpose in order to ensure that members understand the reasons for being part of the group. It is during these sessions that the program elements of the group will be communicated. The features include dealing with peers, addressing the guilt brought about by religious faiths and nutritional information. Members will be involved in planning by allowing each to highlight his or her concerns, schedules, availability and convenience. It will be uneconomical to lease a hall or room for a group counseling because there will be not more than two-one hour sessions every two days (Jacobs 61). Therefore, the lead counselor will seek permission to use one of the facilities in a nearby hospital.
Change process stages
After orientation, members are expected to understand the purpose of the group counseling and identify some of the challenges they face that might not have been captured by the tabled elements of the program. Members are also expected to learn parenting skills, learn how to cope up with their pregnancies and learn how to plan for their babies appropriately (Jacobs 58).
At disintegration, it is assumed that all the members will have learned the recommended nutritional practices for expectant mothers, how to handle their peers and cope with the guilt associated with religious beliefs. Additionally, they are expected to learn about the effects of drug and substance abuse on their fetus (Jacobs 61).
Facilitation
In order to get the desired results from the counseling sessions, a number of skills will be required not only for the lead counselor but also a nurse or gynecologist. For instance, the two must have good listening and communication skills. Empathy is also a fundamental attribute required for the purpose of the sessions. Aside from the basic skills for a counselor, pediatric and gynecological skills will be needed (Jacobs 62).
Evaluation
At the end of the sessions, it is expected that the participants will have a more positive perception about their condition. In addition, they will be expected to deviate from the teenage lifestyle and act maturely (Jacobs 62). They are also expected to eat healthily and restrain from drug and substance abuse according to the instructions of the nurse.
Works Cited
Jacobs, Edward E. Group Counseling: Strategies and Skills. Belmont, CA: Thomson/Brooks/Cole, 2006. Print.
