Working through Disclosure

Monday, March 6, 2006

Working Stage: Self-Disclosures

Concept Addressed: Disclosure

When members enter into a therapeutic group, one aim they have is being known. To be known in the group for their individuality, is beneficial to the person because it may allow them to address issues that have been repressed in relationships outside groups. Additionally being known through disclosing personal experiences, feelings and thoughts is of benefit to the group at large because members begin to accept their own true selves.

Response

Self disclosures within group can be one of the hardest behaviors to facilitate and to experience for leaders and members. Because of the personal nature of disclosures levels of trust and support are constantly being measured by members who reveal their personal experiences. When self-disclosures are met with support and trust by other group members, the revealer of this information is inclined to go deeper and broader in their feeling expressions with the group. However, if group members are not adequately prepared for these revelations or show ridicule or bias after members discloses something personal or painful, relations between all members can be injured. I remember that at the beginning of this class we were broken into smaller groups. There was a lot of apprehension by many within the small groups as to what level of disclosure would be expected, and what type of embarrassing topics we might be made to discuss. When we had our first group meeting it was interesting that while some group members remained superficial and held on to their fears, one member disclosed something very personal about her previous relationship with a women. Although I was personally surprised by the disclosure so early on in the formation of the group, others responded by stating how “courageous and brave” the member had been in letting us know her in this way. I think this situation illustrates how complex personal information is within group. My own understanding of what groups were and how the functioned, limited my imagination and kept my experience in a safe-zone. I feared rejection and reprisal by the group and basically limited my participation. Another interesting thing about this interaction is that other members did mention their shock at both idea of the lesbian relationship and at the disclosure stating “ Wow, that was brave , I didn’t know if I could do that, and I think that would be hard to talk about.” I interpreted her tone as almost sarcastic but also honest in that she was stating what many members might be feeling. When the group leader, asked the revealer “How was it for you to tell this group about that experience?” the member responded that she had met a lot of adversity and now was very open about telling things about herself.” Although I don’t think this experience was the model of self-disclosure it did illustrate to me how disclosure by members or leaders can complicate group interactions. When people do disclose information, how it delivered and how it is received can set the group up for further exploration or failure. In this situation, things might have gone better if the group had clearer goals and had outlined what type of disclosure would be typical. On the other hand , things could have been worse, had people in the group responded with “eww that’s gross” or “ I don’t think that’s relevant to this group” or other ridiculing comments, then group might have loss any sense of trust and the reveling member might withdraw emotionally or physically from group.

Reflections

What I found most interesting in learning about self-disclosure was the belief that some leaders think it is okay not to disclose to the groups they lead. I do understand the reasoning that leaders can act as mirrors for members and receive their projective experience , however I personally think that a group leader who isn’t willing to disclose may not be able to establish a trust bond with members. I do think it pertinent that self-disclosure by leaders adhere to a theoretical or conscious intervention. One shouldn’t just go on and on about their own problem monopolizing the members. I think that would as unbearable as not disclosing at all. Others seem to benefit from self disclosure because it allows them an opportunity to question if they link or not with this members experience. It allows them to see the edge of their own values and whether there is unresolved business. Groups in the working stage seem to experience more self disclosures and are better able to deal with personal and painful experiences revealed by members by effectively relying on trust and support.