Effective Group Design, Outreach, and Facilitation for Counseling Practitioners

Description

Too many group therapy sessions fall flat—not because clinicians lack heart, but because they lack the structure and tools to transform a collection of individuals into a cohesive, empowered group. If you’ve ever sensed your group wasn’t living up to its potential—or struggled with conflict, disconnection, or silence—this course offers a clear path forward.

Whether you’re launching a new group or seeking to improve existing facilitation skills, this training offers practical and inclusive strategies that invite deeper trust, participation, and impact in every group you lead.

Shira Sameroff, LCSW, is a seasoned therapist, coach, and educator with more than 30 years of experience supporting diverse populations through therapy, supervision, and organizational leadership. Drawing from holistic and anti-oppressive practices, Shira teaches groupwork with deep reverence for its power to repair, empower, and transform—not just clients, but the clinicians who guide them.

With warmth, clarity, and authenticity, Shira models the same group facilitation practices she teaches—grounded in compassion, reflection, and co-creation. Her teaching is full of heart and grounded in lived experience, encouraging participants to discover their own facilitation style while developing the confidence and structure needed to lead.

This course explores core competencies of group design and facilitation, including how to develop meaningful group purposes, screen participants effectively, and establish supportive group norms. It addresses the challenges of co-facilitation, working with mandated groups, and tending to relational dynamics such as conflict, power, and oppression. Participants will also examine the role of practitioner self-awareness, authority, and vulnerability in fostering safe and effective group environments.

Key Takeaways:

• Design with intention: Learn how to define and communicate a clear, empowering purpose for your group that aligns with client needs.

• Foster inclusive healing spaces: Build group environments rooted in mutual support, transparency, and safety for diverse participants.

• Lead with authenticity and self-awareness: Strengthen your ability to reflect, respond, and grow as a group facilitator.

Why this course?

• Grounded in real-world practice: Created by a clinician with decades of hands-on experience in group facilitation, supervision, and social justice work.

• Holistic and inclusive approach: This course equips you with both practical tools and deep reflections on power, identity, and belonging in groups.

• Brought to you by trusted leaders in CE: Telehealth Certification Institute is committed to delivering high-quality education designed to elevate your clinical impact and professional growth.

Learning Objectives:

• 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.

Whether you're just stepping into the role of group facilitator or looking to deepen your impact, this course will meet you where you are and support you in designing group experiences that truly matter. We welcome you to explore, reflect, and grow alongside us.

Enroll today to develop your skills, boost your confidence, and enhance your impact as a behavioral health professional.

Format and Access

This is a non-interactive, self-study course. Instruction consists of 3 hours of video instruction and a post-test.

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: 

Course access and completion instructions.

Instructor and Disclosures

Instructor

About Shira Sameroff, LCSW

Shira Sameroff 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.

Disclosure Statement: 

The instructor for this course receive compensation for their services. There are no reported conflicts of interest to disclose.

CE Credits

Credit Hours:

This course consists of 3 continuing education hours of credit.

Counselors:

Telehealth Certification Institute, LLC has been approved by NBCC as an Approved Continuing Education Provider, ACEP No, 6693.  Programs that do not qualify for NBCC credit are clearly identified.  Telehealth Certification Institute, LLC is solely responsible for all aspects of the programs. 

Telehealth Certification Institute, LLC is recognized by the New York State Education Department's State Board for Mental Health Practitioners as an approved provider of continuing education for Licensed Mental Health Counselors. #MHC-0048.

Marriage and Family Therapists: 

Many MFT licensing boards accept our courses or one of the approvals which we have from professional associations.  You can check with your board to determine if your licensing board would accept this course.

Telehealth Certification Institute, LLC is recognized by the New York State Education Department's State Board for Mental Health Practitioners as an approved provider of continuing education for licensed marriage and family therapists #MFT-0135, effective May 8, 2025.

Social Workers:

Telehealth Certification Institute LLC, #1609, is approved as an ACE provider to offer social work continuing education by the Association of Social Work Boards (ASWB) Approved Continuing Education (ACE) program. Regulatory boards are the final authority on courses accepted for continuing education credit. ACE provider approval period: 05/02/2024 – 05/02/2027. Social workers completing this course receive 3 clinical continuing education credits.

Telehealth Certification Institute, LLC is recognized by the New York State Education Department's State Board for Social Work as an approved provider of continuing education for Licensed Social Workers #SW-0435.

Addiction Professionals:

This course has been approved by Telehealth Certification Institute LLC, as a NAADAC Approved Education Provider, for educational credits. NAADAC Provider #193104, Telehealth Certification Institute LLC is responsible for all aspects of the programming.

Psychologists:

Telehealth Certification Institute LLC is approved by the American Psychological Association to sponsor continuing education for psychologists. Telehealth Certification Institute LLC maintains responsibility for this program and its content.

Telehealth Certification Institute, LLC is recognized by the New York State Education Department’s State Board for Psychology as an approved provider of continuing education for Licensed Psychologists #PSY-0128.

Art Therapists: 

Telehealth Certification Institute, LLC is recognized by the New York State Education Department's State Board for Mental Health Practitioners as an approved provider of continuing education for Licensed Creative Arts Therapists #CAT-0093.

Other Professionals:

This course qualifies for 180 minutes of instructional content as required by many national, state and local licensing boards and professional organizations.  Retain your certificate of completion and contact your board or organization for specific filing requirements.

This is a non-interactive, self-study course.

Accommodations and Policies

Close Captioning is available for live webinars and recorded video presentations.

You can click on the following links to view our policies:

• Accommodations for Individuals with Disabilities.
• Cancellation Policy
• Grievance Policy
• Support Options
• Disclosure Statement