Customer Reviews

Evolution of a Group: Student Video and Workbook

5 star:		(1)
4 star:		(3)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

While using this video and workbook to train new group psychotherapists, I found the Corey's material to be one of the best available. My students were moved by the authenticity and genuineness of the actual work being done by the participants. This is in contrast to other training videos which use students doing role plays, and tend to be stilted in dialogue and boring in content. The workbook adds relevant exercises and commentary, which though tedious to complete, serve to give the students new perspectives and insight on the ways to be more effective when in the role of psychotherapist. Highly recommended.

I had to order this and was not looking forward to it--the video is very well done and believable. The facilitators (Corey's) are wonderful and their style helpful. The workbook is easy enough to complete, it is at times, monotonous and redundant. It is very easy to follow as they use number cues to stop/start. If you have never been in a therapy group you need to see this as it is very accurate.

A portion of this video was shown in my group counseling class. I opted to watch the entire video and I am very glad I did. It gives you good examples of the dynamics that can occur in a group counseling session. You get to watch a group evolve over a 2-3 day period. I found it to be very helpful and think anyone, who has not experienced a group counseling session first hand, should watch it. The video was edited down so it would only be about 2 hours. I would have liked to have seen a little more of the work done with each individual. The workbook covers it, but a picture is definitely worth a 1000 words. I think that would have made the video even more valuable.

I bought this because I heard it is excellent, and I teach graduate students learning to practice group psychotherapy. I made the mistake of assuming it was a DVD, and it is not. It is VHS format and the college where I teach uses only DVD formats. They updated all their equipment and VHS is out.
Make sure when you buy it you have access to VHS format.
Sam Caldarera, LCSW,LMFT.LPC

I am an MFT student required to use this workbook for a Group Communication class.
The material in the video is genuine and I enjoyed it. I think it helped me understand the dynamics of the group work quite well. The Corey's are masters of their trade and I recommend it highly for other students learning about communication in group therapy. The workbook is long and can become tedious as you must repeat over and over again the same things (I can still see a use for it as repeating things will help you memorize them.) Overall I would give the material a 4/5 stars.

However, the fact that the workbook comes with a VHS is something I can't understand! Most of the people in my class -including me- had to go to a thrift store or borrow a VHS from someone to watch the video. Pausing the video, going back or forward is cumbersome and VERY frustrating. I could have been more productive had I not been forced to watch the video in one location. The publishers should consider transferring the material into a DVD.
For student's sake, we take our laptops everywhere, not our grandma's VHS player!

I didn't realize that this book required a CD, which was not included in my purchase. Do not order this book if it does not have the CD included; it's worthless.