Spring 2025 SOWK 487w Week 12 - Therapeutic Group Models - Mutual Aid Groups

title: Spring 2025 SOWK 487w Week 12 - Therapeutic Group Models - Mutual Aid Groups date: 2025-04-08 14:28:55 location: Heritage University

tags:

  • Heritage University
  • BASW Program
  • SOWK 487w

presentation_video: > “” description: >

Week 12 is focused on mutual aid style groups. There are three readings for this week. First, Schwartz (2005), a republished article from the ’80s, talks about social work groups and provides some good context for the mutual aid model, especially as Schwartz is one of the pioneers of the model. Shulman (2014) provides some practical examples of people in mutual groups. Rosenwald and Baird (2020) layer on how social workers can fit mutual aid group work within the context of trauma-informed care practices.

The agenda for the class session is as follows:

  • What are mutual aid groups
  • Dynamics of mutual aid groups
  • The phases of helping within the mutual aid process
  • Facilitation of mutual aid

Agenda: Plan for Week 12

  • What are mutual aid groups
  • Dynamics of mutual aid groups
  • The phases of helping within the mutual aid process
  • Facilitation of mutual aid

Attention Getting - Transgender Support Group meeting

This video features what could be characterized as a Mutual Aid modeled group.

[Whole Group Activity] Watch and Discuss Video Clip

Watch Oprah Winfrey Network (2011) Discuss: While there was not much watching the psychologist facilitate the group, what are some things you might have seen that would apply to mutual aid? What would be some things that you saw the facilitator do?

Reference

Oprah Winfrey Network (2011, Feb 23) Transgender support group meeting Our America with Lisa Ling Oprah Winfrey Network [Video]. YouTube.https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n7cq8Gezx4Y.

Components of building a trauma-informed PLC

We are talking about the concept of mutual aid today. My dissertation put it, along with an interdisciplinary framework as foundational to the work we did. The following graphic describes all of these components included in my dissertation.

Other elements included:

The themes of

  • Understand How Trauma Impacts Students
  • Limiting Re-Traumatization Within the Classroom
  • Methods for Increasing Resiliency Factors for Students
  • Engaging in Self-Care and Burnout Prevention to Reduce the Impact of Secondary Trauma
  • Evaluate and Implement Ideas for Promoting Systematic Changes Within a Classroom and School-Wide
  • Develop a Tool or Recommendation for How Other School Staff Could Create Similar Growth in Other Schools

And the learning strategies of

  • Engage in the Process of Reviewing Practice Together for Development
  • Use Idea Generation to Develop New and Novel Ideas
  • Integrated Self-Care Practices Into Groups and Encourage Use to Reduce Compassion Fatigue
  • Use Storytelling to Make Meaning and Develop Cohesion
  • Include Scholarly Sources and Develop Connections to Evidence-Based Practice
  • DefineConcepts as a Group to Enhance Understanding
  • Review Protocols for Professional Socialization

(Campbell, 2023)

Support Group using Mutual Aid

The participants of my study described feeling like our PLC had the look and feel of a mutual aid group. The literature around PLCs rarely focuses on the mutual aid aspects of a PLC. In examples when they do discuss it, it might be focused on resources and supplies.

Group members shared that they felt like our group was a support group in a more therapeutic sense. Shaniqua went right out and stated “it’s like a support group.” Angelica described feeling like “I don’t have a place that I feel comfortable” but how she felt comfortable with us in our group. Emily added that this group has been a positive outlet to address things and be around people with the “same mindset.”

When we took the ProQOL most all of the members scored a medium on either burnout or secondary traumatic stress (or both). The medium score mean that it is effecting you and your work to some extent and consistent with other staff in behavioral programs we have elevated levels of compassion fatigue.

Being a support group seems necessary. Some of the roles and functions we used in this support group included those described by Kurtz (2017)

  • A facilitated the group
  • Group engages in consulting, linking, and supporting
  • Maintaining helping factors that includes promote feelings of similarity, acceptance, and support

(Campbell, 2023)

Dynamics of Mutual Aid: Creating Many Helping Relationships (1 of 10)

We will talk about each of these individually, but as an overview the following are all the dynamics used in mutual aid groups:

  • Sharing data
  • “All-in-the-same-boat” phenomenon
  • Dialectical process
  • Discussing taboo areas
  • Developing a universal perspective
  • Mutual support
  • Mutual demand
  • Individual problem-solving
  • Rehearsal
  • “Strength-in-numbers” phenomenon

(Shulman, 2020)

Sharing Data (2 of 10)

One way that mutual aid is enacted is through sharing data with group members. This data can be:

  • Life Experiences
  • Knowledge
  • Views
  • Values

(Shulman, 2020)

In my study, there were examples of:

  • Navigating systems
  • Specific experiences etc. -> Type of professional socialization.

(Campbell, 2023)

All in the Same Boat (3 of 10)

One way the mutual aid model works and a way of conceptualizing it is the idea of helping people to realize that we are all in the same boat.

  • Expands members perspectives
  • Helps members universalize their life struggles
  • Raise level of consciousness to expand their perspectives
  • Develops group empathy support

(Shulman, 2020; Gitterman, 2017)

Dialectical Process (4 of 10)

Mutual aid groups often follow a dialectical process where

Group members can listen as one member presents the thesis and the other the antithesis. As each member listens, he or she can use the discussion to develop a personal synthesis (p. 347)

Dialectical can be defined as:

  1. relating to the logical discussion of ideas and opinions: dialectical ingenuity.
  2. concerned with or acting through opposing forces: a dialectical opposition between artistic translation and transcription.

(Shulman, 2020)

In my study, I saw this where there were different opinions about what actions might be taken

(Campbell, 2023)

Discussing a Taboo Area (5 of 10)

Often these groups can be a space where taboo topics are discussed

“A mutual-aid process in which one member enters a taboo area of discussion, thereby freeing other members to enter as well” (p. 375)

(Shulman, 2020)

In my study

Example of the backpack kid

  • Example of challenging situation that wasn’t handled in the best way, but still shared
  • Open the door for people to share more and be real

It feels very connected to all in the same boat

(Campbell, 2023)

Developing a Universal Perspective (6 of 10)

The mutual process often provides an opportunity for members to develop a universal perspective.

“A mutual-aid process in the group in which members begin to perceive universal issues, particularly in relation to oppression, thus allowing them to view their own problems in a more social context and with less personal blame.” (p. 384)

  • A special case for “all-in-the-same-boat.”
  • Can be related to oppression and recognizing the systematic nature
  • Fits within the concept of consciousness-raising groups

(Shulman, 2020)

Mutual Demand (7 of 10)

Mutual aid groups provide a space for people to put expectations on group members. This can be referred to as mutual demand:

“A mutual-aid process in which group members offer each other help by making demands and setting expectations on personal behavior.” (p. 379)

We also think about mutual support which includes the the acceptance and caring of the group

(Shulman, 2020)

Individual Problem Solving (8 of 10)

Often mutual aid group are a space to address and support problem solving. This happens in a number of ways:

  • Make individual associations
  • Share feelings and connections with group members
  • It is easier to see the problems of someone else than the self
  • The learning process to improve problem-solving.

(Shulman, 2020)

This problem-solving was a frequent aspect of talking about our students and the challenges they faced with them.

(Campbell, 2023)

Rehearsal (9 of 10)

“The group becomes a safe place to risk new ways of communicating and to practice actions the group member feels may be hard to do” (p. 381)

(Shulman, 2020)

“Strength-in-Numbers” phenomenon (10 of 10)

The mutual-aid process in which group members are strengthened to take on difficult tasks (such as challenging agency policy) through the support of other group members

(Shulman, 2020)

Reference

Campbell, J. (2023). A professional learning community for developing trauma-informed practices using participatory action methods: transforming school culture for students with emotional and behavioral disabilities (Publication No. 30424801) [California Institute of Integral Studies ProQuest Dissertations Publishing]. ProQuest Dissertations and Theses. https://www.proquest.com/dissertations-theses/professional-learning-community-developing-trauma/docview/2813493629/se-2

Shulman, L. (2020). The skills of helping Individuals, families, groups, and communities, enhanced. Cengage Learning.

Tasks, Methods, and Skills Used in Mutual Aid Groups

Some of the tasks, methods, and skills used for the Mutual Aid Model are…

  • Directs group members to each other
  • Identifies and focuses on salient themes
  • Encourages and reinforces cooperative mutual support norms
  • Engagement members to participate in collective activities
  • Give participants the ability to do rehearsal

Reference

Gitterman, A. (2017). Chapter 07 - The mutual aid model. In C. D. Garvin, L. M. Gutierrez, & M. J. Galinsky (Eds.), Handbook of social work with groups (2nd ed., pp. 113-132). The Guilford Press.

Mutual Aid for Students Role Play

We are going to do an activity, and have all of you have the opportunity to facilitate a mutual aid for students group.

[Small Group Activity] Mutual Aid for Students Role Play

  • Divide the class into three groups

Consider:

  • Directs group members to each other
  • Identifies and focuses on salient themes
  • Encourages and reinforces cooperative mutual support norms
  • Engagement members to participate in collective activities
  • Give participants the ability to do rehearsal

Implement

  • 10 Minutes each facilitator

Vulnerable and Resilient Populations

Mutual Aid is used with many different populations that are both vulnerable and resilient. Any population that is

Isolated and physically and emotionally challenged group members

In the literature, there is research on the following:

  • People dealing with traumatic experiences
  • Grief
  • AIDS
  • People with mental health difficulties
  • Healthcare settings
  • People with alternative sexual orientation
  • Immigrants and refugees
  • People contending with intimate partner and other violence
  • Sexual abuse
  • Homelessness
  • Older elderly people and their caregivers
  • Isolated and physically and emotionally challenged group members

(Garvin et al., 2017)

Mediating Function (1 of 2)

Schwartz is prolific in writing about doing group work, and he looked at doing social work with groups as a interactionist model.

Schwartz would describe that groups are organic whole and dynamic systems.

The social worker effects and is affected by the environment of the group.

He proposed that groups of people working together move towards “health, growth, and belonging”

This mediation function of social work is to mediate the transactions between the group and societal institutions and between individual members within the group.

(Schwartz, 1961 as cited in Gitterman, 2017)

Mediating Function (2 of 2)

  • Deal with external, environmentally induced stressors
    • How does the facilitator navigate between identify with the group and the agency
    • How does the facilitator make sure that there aren’t other external stressors for participants.
  • Deal with internal interpersonal induced stressors
    • Managing dysfunctional communications
    • Relationship patterns (withdrawal, factionalism, alliances, scapegoating)
    • Identify patters of behavior and encourage members to change behaviors

(Schwartz, 1961 as cited in Gitterman, 2017)

Ten Common Obstacles in Mutual Aid Groups

  • Not for this (group/place/type of person): Look at how mutual aid can be used verses if… even if to a limited degree
  • The group does not seem to have any sense of we-ness: Facilitators role in helping to develop common ground
  • The group has no clarity or direction: Focus and continue to bring up the purpose of the group
  • A hidden agenda drives the facilitator’s actions: The worker needs to be honest and straightforward with prospective group members about (1) the needs being addressed, (2) the group’s potential as a mutual aid mechanism
  • Norms counterproductive to mutual aid seem to dominate group process: The antidotes to this obstacle are as follows: (1) We need to set into motion those norms that we know will promote mutual aid, such as shared leadership, risk-taking/self-disclosure, and reaching for authentic expression, even if doing so promotes conflict; and whenever members engage in these norms, we must point them out and praise them for it (2) If a counterproductive norm does crop up, we must quickly “bust” that norm, as stated above, and explain to the group what we are doing and why. It is not enough to break the norm. An explanation must accompany that Individual problem-solving leaves most members silent most of the time. Bring people into the discussion and self-reflect about how we do at engaging.
  • Central authority dominates the process: working with—not running or doing—a group
  • Too much sameness/not enough stimulation in the group: Introduce different ways of thinking, promote differences,
  • No sense of apparent progress in achieving the group’s purpose: Look at framing for what success is, look in terms of the quality of the group work, not always productivity, solicit examples of success from members

Reference

Steinberg, D. M. (2014). A Mutual-Aid Model for Social Work with Groups (3 Ed. ed.). Routledge. https://doi.org/10.4324/9780203794845

Phases in Mutual Aid Groups

[Small Group Activity] Phases in Mutual Aid Groups Read and Reflect

Working in small groups, discuss the following:

In what ways did the group leader help move the group from the beginning through the ending and transition phases of group work?

Reference

Shulman, L. (2014). Case study 7-1: A mutual-aid support group for persons with AIDS in early substance abuse recovery. In C. W. LeCroy (Ed.), Case Studies in Social Work Practice (pp. 253-265). John Wiley & Sons.

Phases of Helping

There are four interrelated helping phases…

  • Preparation Phase
  • Contract Phase
  • Work Phase
  • Ending Phase

(Schwartz, 1971 as cited in Gitterman, 2017)

Preparation Phase

Preparation Phase: The worker with lay the groundwork for the implementation of the group.

  • Organizational and work preparation
    • i.e. is it planned who, what, where, when, how etc.
    • What is it going to look like
  • Group dynamics and functions preparation
    • i.e. Groups size, focus, needs, etc.

(Schwartz, 1971 as cited in Gitterman, 2017)

Contract Phase

Contract Phase: Getting buy in for the group

  • Worker helps group reach a common agreement that is clear and mutual agreement.
  • Obtaining member reactions to services

(Schwartz, 1971 as cited in Gitterman, 2017)

Work Phase

Work Phase: The implementation of the mutual aid

  • Finding, through negotiation, the common ground between the requirements of the group members and those of the systems they need to negotiate
  • Detecting and challenging the obstacles to the work as these obstacles arise
  • Contributing ideas, facts, and values from his or her perspective when he or she thinks that such data may be helpful to the members in dealing with the problems under consideration
  • Defining the requirements and limits of the situation in which the client-worker system is set.

(Schwartz, 1971 as cited in Gitterman, 2017)

Ending Phase

Ending Phase: All groups end

  • Managing feelings
  • Future planning

(Schwartz, 1971 as cited in Gitterman, 2017)

Facilitation

When a mutual aid model group is being facilitated, it is much closer to a nonfacilitated group than an EBP group with specific and lots of facilitator directions.

Assignment 05: Research Paper to Inform Group Practice

Meta: Points 100 pts (20% of final grade); Deadline Monday 04/28/25 at 08:00 AM; Completion File upload via Assignments on MyHeritage; Locations Assignment Submission and Assignment Description and Rubric.

Purpose: This assignment is designed for students to demonstrate their ability to apply knowledge gained by reading peer-reviewed journal articles and other quality sources of information.

Task: Working individually, students will complete a research paper regarding a facilitated treatment group. It is helpful for the student to select a group they might be interested in providing in the future. The group can be on almost any topic. For instance, you may choose to research chemical dependency, sex offender treatment, sexual abuse recovery, grief and loss, parenting children with special needs, homeless teens, etc. The final paper will be 1,500 to 1,750 words in length. Students should use strong academic and professional writing skills based on the APA style guide. A title page, abstract, written article, and reference page are all included. The paper will consist of at least four sources that guide facilitating your group topic. At least two journal articles must be from peer-reviewed sources.

The final paper should include the following information:

  • Discussion, synthesis, and analysis of the findings of the research
  • Examination of how the research findings relate to each other, it is helpful to look for themes in the articles and base your paper around those themes
  • Use of examples about how the information provided should be applied to practice with groups
  • Understanding of how to apply the information to the knowledge of human behavior and the social environment, person-in-environment, and other multidisciplinary theoretical frameworks in interventions with clients and constituencies

Success: Students will be assessed on their ability to demonstrate effective scholarly writing and practice behaviors. For information, see Appendix C Research and Intervention Practice Rubric. Grades will be included in the final grade, which the instructor must submit by Wednesday, 05/21/25, at 5:00 PM. Students can also earn ten extra credit points by demonstrating that they worked with the tutoring services at the Academic Skills Center to review their papers before final submission. Documentation can be emailed to the instructor.

Appendix C Research Paper to Inform Group Practice Rubric

The Research Paper to Inform Group Practice Rubric evaluates papers based on their integration of peer-reviewed evidence, application of research to practice, and use of theoretical frameworks. High-quality papers use exclusively peer-reviewed sources and effectively synthesize research into discussions about practice and service delivery. They thoroughly apply knowledge from human behavior and the social environment (HBSE), person-in-environment perspectives, and other multidisciplinary frameworks to interventions.

Description Initial Emerging Developed Highly Developed
Use of peer-reviewed evidence-based research. The sources used do not come from peer-reviewed journals or other more highly academic sources. One or two of the sources used come from peer-reviewed journals or other more highly academic sources. A few of the sources used come from peer-reviewed journals or other more highly academic sources. All of the sources come from come from peer-reviewed journals or other more highly academic sources.
Translating research evidence to informed discussion regarding practice and service delivery. The student’s paper has research included in it, but it is not used throughout the paper. The paper only includes one or two direct quotes from these papers. The majority of their paper is written using the students own ideas. The student’s paper is made up of a great many direct quotes from the research material investigated. It has limited use of paraphrasing and or the content of their paper does not directly relate that research to practice and service delivery. The paper has a balanced mix of direct quotations and paraphrasing. It discusses practice and service delivery to a limited extent. The paper synthesizes research. The majority of the paper is taken up by paraphrasing this research and directly discussing how it can relate to service delivery. It potentially has one or two direct quotes for parts that are useful to be implemented as a direct quote.
Apply knowledge of human behaviors and social environment [HBSE] or other multidisciplinary theoretical frameworks to interventions with clients and constituencies There is no inclusion of theories from HBSE or other multidisciplinary theoretical frameworks. Themes from theories are included in the paper (e.g., discussion of looking at strengths) but no relation to the broader theory or how that their gets applied to interventions. A theory related to HBSE or other multidisciplinary theoretical frameworks is directly discussed, and there is limited discussion of how the theory should be applied. The paper lacks a concrete description of what the theory is or how it should be implemented. The paper clearly discusses at least one theory from HBSE 1 or other multidisciplinary theoretical frameworks in depth and applies it to the content. A discussion of the theory, how it is end implemented, and how it could be applied is present.
Apply knowledge of person-in-environment to interventions with clients and constituencies Person-in-environment aspects are not included in the discussion regarding the intervention. Themes from person-in-environment are included in the discussion regarding the interventions, but the discussion lacks the direct look at theories related to an ecological perspective. The paper includes direct discussion of the ecology and needs of clients in their paper, but lacks some of the concrete application or description of the theoretical frameworks. The paper discusses ecology and needs and how the topic can affect various parts of a client or constituent’s life. Discussion shows evidence of the author’s ability to take an ecological perspective 2.
Apply knowledge of other multidisciplinary theoretical frameworks interventions with clients and constituencies Knowledge regarding other multidisciplinary theoretical frameworks are not included in the discussion regarding the intervention. Knowledge regarding other multidisciplinary theoretical frameworks are somewhat included in the discussion regarding the intervention. Knowledge regarding other multidisciplinary theoretical frameworks are generally included in the discussion regarding the intervention. Knowledge regarding other multidisciplinary theoretical frameworks are included in the discussion regarding the intervention.
APA Formatting: Tone
(preferred terminology, formally written, and appropriate use of the first person)		 The paper inappropriately uses the first person in multiple instances. There are multiple examples of colloquial phrases and or informal manners of writing. The topics are not clearly identified or described. There are many problems with APA writing conventions and style. There are a couple of uses of first-person. The paper has much of it that is written more formally and follow the APA writing conventions. The paper is predominantly written using the third person, with one slip into inappropriately used first person. Colloquial phrases are limited in their use, and the paper is generally written formally. Most of the APA writing conventions are used. The paper is written using third person, does not use colloquial phrases, and topics are clearly described in a way that the reader can understand. The paper appropriately uses APA writing conventions (i.e., numbers, quotes, abbreviations, etc.)
APA Formatting: Page Format
(paper sections, headers and footers, page layout, and spacing)		 The paper has more than four problems related to APA formatting. The paper has three or four problems related to APA formatting. The paper has one or two problems related to APA formatting. The paper has no found problems related to APA formatting. The paper includes a title page, an abstract if required by the syllabus, a title at the beginning of the paper, and a reference page. The headings for these pages are correctly labeled. The paper is double-spaced.
APA Formatting: Reference List (reference style and formatting) The reference list does not look like it follows the APA formatting, or it completely lacks in a reference list. The reference list has some entries that do not fit into the APA reference entry formats. There are many problems with formatting errors. The reference list generally looks like a properly formatted reference list. There are some minor errors related to missing pieces of information or formatting issues (potential problems with italics, periods, and or commas). The reference list looks like an APA reference list (i.e., double spaced, hanging indent, author’s names are correctly formatted). The reference list includes proper use of italics, and appropriate information is included in each of the entries with proper formatting. The appropriate type of reference list entry is used for each reference.
APA Formatting: In-Text Citation (inclusion of style and formatting) The paper is lacking in in-text citations. Any citations that are used do follow the APA formatting. The paper includes limited information that should be cited, but no in-text citations are included. There are errors in formatting the citations. The paper in-text citations in all required parts. There are some more minor errors in the formatting of the citations or missing necessary information. The citations generally looks like APA in-text citations. In-text citations are used in all parts of the paper that are the writer’s original ideas as necessary. The in-text citations are formatted correctly and include all of the necessary information. Variation of citation styles are used in the writing.
Spelling and grammatical (grammar and writing mechanics) Many spelling and grammatical errors. Some spelling and grammatical errors. One or two spelling and or grammatical errors. Grammar and writing mechanics are properly adhered to.
Timeliness The paper is submitted more than 48 hours after the deadline, as described in the syllabus. The paper is submitted 48 hours after the deadline, as described in the syllabus. Paper is submitted within 24 hours of the deadline, as described in the syllabus. Paper submitted prior to the deadline listed in the description.
Length The paper is more than 100 words over or under the described word length. The paper is 50 words over or under the described word length. The paper is a few words over or under the described word length. The paper is within the described word length.

  1. These theories of HBSE are not limited to the following, but include strengths perspective, ecological perspective, feminist perspective, and systems theory. ↩

  2. The fit of the person in the environment (especially their biology, individual psychology, and social connections) and how those parts connect with the environment especially in aspects related to interface, interdependence, transaction, and energy, adaptation, and coping. ↩