Group Facilitation Techniques for Counseling Practitioners

Description

Group facilitation isn’t just a skill—it’s a powerful clinical tool that, when used intentionally, can foster connection, deepen healing, and empower lasting change. Yet for many clinicians, the thought of leading a group can bring hesitation, fear of conflict, or uncertainty about how to create meaningful interactions. This course bridges that gap.

Whether you're a seasoned therapist or new to group work, Group Facilitation Techniques for Counseling Practitioners offers a refreshing and accessible framework for making your groups more dynamic, inclusive, and impactful.

Shira Sameroff, LCSW, brings over 30 years of experience as a therapist, coach, and educator into this course. Her work is grounded in anti-oppressive practices, holistic healing modalities, and community leadership. Shira’s warmth, insight, and real-world expertise provide both inspiration and grounded tools for clinicians ready to elevate their group facilitation skills.

This training is rooted in authenticity and transformation. Shira models how to hold space with intention, use purposeful activities, work with conflict instead of avoiding it, and build group experiences that foster healing—while addressing the emotional challenges that often come with group leadership.

You’ll explore how to work with the unique dynamics of groups across their life cycle—from beginning, to middle, to closing. Topics include: understanding the stages of group development; establishing group norms; using purposeful, activity-based interventions; addressing conflict and vulnerability; differentiating group types; promoting safety and inclusion; navigating power and oppression; and facilitating groups in online settings.

Key Takeaways:

• Master the life cycle of group dynamics: Confidently guide groups through their beginning, middle, and ending stages.

• Use activities with purpose: Learn to integrate meaningful, strength-based interventions that promote expression, safety, and cohesion.

• Create safe and inclusive spaces: Cultivate connection, mutual support, and belonging across diverse group identities and experiences.

Why This Course?

• Relevant and Real: Shira brings decades of direct group facilitation experience across diverse clinical and community settings, teaching strategies that work in practice—not just theory.

• Whole-Person Learning: This course addresses not only what you do in a group, but how your presence, values, and self-awareness as a facilitator shape the experience.

• A Trusted Source for CE: Offered by the Telehealth Certification Institute—committed to excellence, integrity, and equipping behavioral health professionals with innovative tools for high-quality care.

Learning Objectives:

• 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.

If you want to lead groups with more confidence, creativity, and compassion, this course offers the insights and tools to get there. Your next meaningful group experience could start right here.

Add this course to your cart to begin learning instantly.

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 Hours

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