The course examines all the essential skills required to be an effective leader of a variety of groups in a variety of settings. It explores the history of group therapy work, and the development of groups – how they grow, how they change, and how various groups differ. It addresses the specifics of working with children, adolescents, and adults. It also discusses prominent theoretical perspectives from which groups can be approached, covering how each theory evolved, how it is practiced, and the results it most commonly achieves. Coverage is bolstered throughout by numerous local case examples and exercises that are particularly helpful in applying theory into application.