ACOM / Study / Units / C8121C Group Process

C8121C Group Process

This unit will equip students to deliver and facilitate various ministry, pastoral, counselling, and spiritual direction groups as a professional supervisor.
Unit Overview

Qualification

Graduate

Unit Availability

Trimester 1 2025

Study Mode

No Facilitation, Online Facilitation

Placement

N/A

Prerequisite

N/A

Corequisite

N/A

Notes

Available to Counselling or Professional Supervision students only

Schedule
Availability Facilitation Type Time Dates Facilitator
Trimester 1 2025 Online Facilitation 10am – 2pm
(AEDT)
Tuesday 4 March
Tuesday 25 March
Tracey Milson

Unit Details

This unit will equip students to deliver and facilitate various ministry, pastoral, counselling, and spiritual direction groups as a professional supervisor. Understanding group processes and supervising groups is deemed a growth area with much merit for positive outcomes for leaders and participants across many fields and areas of practice.

In this unit students will not only develop a thorough understanding of many supervisory group models and skills, but also develop their professional ability to run successful groups. As such, some of the complexities and issues of group dynamics will also be explored and critiqued; including problematic personality behaviours of group participants. The importance of participant self-care, identified triggers, topic and agenda notifications, group administration, group rules of engagement, informed consent, and group supervised supervision will be covered in the course content. Undergirding this unit will be an ethical and legal awareness rooted in managing risk and liability. Safe group practice is therefore what we are aiming to achieve.

At the end of this unit students will be able to:

  1. Exhibit a critical appreciation of the need for integration and understand the use of an eclectic approach.
  2. Exhibit a well-developed competency and evaluation of group leadership skills. Elaborate regarding key character traits and the group as social microcosm.
  3. Employ a thorough knowledge of the key concepts, therapeutic techniques and procedures involved in utilising the psychoanalytic approach, psychodrama, the person-centred approach, gestalt therapy, transactional analysis, cognitive behavioural approaches and reality therapy in group work.
  4. Exercise discernment and clear understanding regarding difficult people and maladaptive interpersonal behaviours within group settings.
  5. Demonstrate thorough knowledge of the nature of group psychotherapy, psycho educational groups, task groups and work groups.
  1. Introduction to group processes and the supervisory role
  2. Theoretical underpinning of supervised group processes
  3. Models for facilitating groups
  4. Supervision leadership and facilitation skills development
  5. Supervision management of group dynamics and difficult participants
  6. Ethical and best practice in administration, management, and delivery of supervised groups
  7. Cross-cultural and diversity inclusion in process groups
  8. Different groups, goals, and outcomes in ministry and allied contexts
  9. The person of the group supervisor
  10. The group supervisor facilitator in action

Student Stories

Studying with ACOM provided me with a unique and incredible academic experience! ACOM worked with me to deliver a course that benefited and enriched my role in ministry, and that was of great benefit as it meant that I was actively able to apply the material that I had been studying. What stood out for me though while studying with ACOM was how seamlessly spiritual formation was integrated with academic learning. Instead of studying material and writing assessments that had little to do with the complexities of life in ministry, many of the units that I studied were tailored in such a way that I was engaging with God, my heart, and others which led to a deep transformation in my own character and relationship with God. I would highly recommend ACOM to anyone who desires more in their life with God!
Alec Van Bockel – Bachelor of Ministry

Student Stories

Studying with ACOM has been a transformational and empowering experience for me. The flexibility has allowed me to pursue my studies at my own pace without compromising ministry work. The trimester system makes it achievable to complete units at a pace that suits my schedule, while the practical ministry focus ensures what I learn is applicable to my day to day ministry. As a Youth Pastor, ACOM has been a supportive and accessible environment, empowering me to grow academically and spiritually while serving in my church context.
Grace Cook – Master of Leadership

Student Stories

As a person who is holding down a job, and volunteering at my local church leading in our youth ministry, my studies would not be possible without the flexibility that studying with ACOM provides. Their understanding of my ‘all of life’ and working with me to participate in study in a meaningful way that flexes to my life circumstances has been amazing. I am not sure I could have pursued my studies without it.
Tessa Sedawie – Bachelor of Ministry

Student Stories

ACOM's flexible delivery has been instrumental in my studies. I have benefited greatly from the ability to read through the coursework in my own time, around my busy schedule. The supportive staff and excellent online resources have also been invaluable.
Natalie Crawford – Master of Theology

Student Stories

A lot of theology training focuses on helping you know what to do, formation helped me go deeper and learn about who I wanted to become. As someone who learns a lot by doing, the highly practical nature of the ACOM model helped me put theory into practice immediately. The online learning helped me do that in the context I’d grown up in.
Ben Dainton – Graduate Diploma of Arts

Student Stories

My studies at ACOM equipped me to be job-ready by providing the ability to complete my student ministry placement in local churches, allowing me to apply what I was learning directly to real-world situations. The practical elements of the coursework gave me the hands-on experience and confidence needed to step into ministry roles, fully prepared to make a meaningful impact.
Lachie Ashworth – Bachelor of Ministry

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