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Group Therapy Essentials Certificate (GTEC)

Enroll in the Online Self-Study and complete the certification training on your schedule.
6 CE hours available for behavioral health clinicians

Group therapy Essentials Certificate Bundle

Group therapy can be profoundly transformative—or profoundly ineffective. The difference lies in how the group is designed, facilitated, and supported. This certificate program gives counseling practitioners the essential tools to turn group experiences into dynamic opportunities for healing, growth, and meaningful connection.

Whether you’re leading psychoeducational sessions, support groups, or therapeutic circles, this comprehensive online training offers a practical, trauma-informed roadmap for fostering inclusive and purposeful group experiences.

Get certified in group therapy—2 courses, 6 CE hours.

Enroll in the Online Self-Study for $129 (save $21)

 

Register – 6 CE + Certificate

Shira Sameroff, LCSW, brings over three decades of hands-on experience as a therapist, coach, and educator working with diverse populations in a wide variety of settings. Her extensive background in social work, community leadership, and holistic healing uniquely equips her to guide practitioners in cultivating transformative group spaces.

With a warm, intuitive, and anti-oppressive approach, Shira integrates clinical insight with experiential strategies, inviting participants to examine not just their group methods, but also their presence, power dynamics, and self-awareness as facilitators.

Through this two-course self-paced certificate program, participants will explore types of therapeutic groups, group development stages, outreach and screening strategies, creating group agreements, co-facilitation skills, navigating conflict, and the purposeful use of activities. Participants will also learn how to establish emotionally safe environments and address dynamics of power, oppression, and vulnerability—both in group members and themselves as facilitators.

Shira Sameroff headshot

Instructor

Shira Sameroff, LCSW, is a therapist, coach, and teacher with experience rooted in decades of practice with people of diverse identities, ages, and life stories in a wide array of settings. Professional roles have included therapy, supervision, professional development training, coaching, teaching, community organizing, transformative decluttering and a decade and a half on the leadership team of a community-based social work agency in Brooklyn, NY, US.

Shira weaves a range of therapeutic healing modalities, including IFS, Hakomi, and other holistic, somatic, nature-based, and anti-oppressive practices into her practice. Shira offers therapy, coaching, and professional development for individuals and organizations around themes including group facilitation, working with shame, oppression-ending practices, giving and receiving feedback, empowering practice with youth, and tending to self as a practitioner.

Shira’s approach is collaborative, intuitive, creative, and full of heart and is rooted in my own lived experience of healing, learning, and emerging.

Key Takeaways:

  • Build emotionally safe group environments: Learn to establish inclusive, supportive group spaces where trust, vulnerability, and growth can emerge.
  • Design with purpose and precision: Develop meaningful group purposes, outreach strategies, and screening tools that align with participant needs and values.
  • Use activities intentionally: Leverage therapeutic exercises and group activities that support self-expression, engagement, and healing.

Why this certificate program?

  • Practical and transformational: This course offers real-world strategies that make your groups more effective while fostering deeper transformation for participants.
  • Expert-led, heart-centered: Taught by an experienced therapist and group leader who blends clinical expertise with anti-oppressive, somatic, and relational approaches.
  • Comprehensive training in one bundle: Combines two in-depth, evidence-based courses into a single, 6-hour certificate program that you can complete at your own pace.

Learning Objectives:

Upon completion of "Effective Group Design, Outreach, and Facilitation for Counseling Practitioners" course, participants will be able to:

  • Foster safety, mutual support, and empowerment in group settings.
  • Address dynamics of power and oppression among group members and facilitators.
  • Develop and articulate the purpose of a group.
  • Apply self-awareness tools in group facilitation practices.

Upon completion of "Group Facilitation Techniques for Counseling Practitioners" course, participants will be able to:

  • List the stages of group development.
  • Utilize therapeutic activities effectively in group practice.
  • Differentiate and apply various types of therapeutic groups to meet specific needs.
  • Foster growthful and inclusive group environments.

As you seek to bridge intention with impact in your group work, this certificate program provides the structure, skills, and self-reflective tools needed to lead with clarity and confidence.

Enroll now to develop your skills and enhance your impact as a behavioral health professional.

This is a non-interactive, self-study course. Instruction consists of a total of over 6 hours of video instruction and post-tests.

Enroll in the 6 CE Online Self-Study for $129

Select each tab for course details

Availability: From the time of registration, you have six months to access the coursework.

Who Should Attend: This course is intended for clinicians who provide behavioral health services.

Teaching Methods: This is a non-interactive, self-study course. Teaching methods for this course include recorded lectures, videos, a post-test, and a course evaluation.

How to attend: Directions for completing a course can be found by clicking here.

How to earn the GTEC: The Group Therapy Essentials Certificate (GTEC) program requires completion of two courses:

  1. Effective Group Design, Outreach, and Facilitation for Counseling Practitioners
  2. Group Facilitation Techniques for Counseling Practitioners

Successful completion of each course will earn participants the Group Therapy Essentials Certificate (GTEC)

This program was recorded on January 10 & 17, 2025.

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