Emotional competence in group counseling

Abstract

Group supervisors' emotional competence is key when it comes to dealing with their own emotions and also understanding the emotions of their supervisees in a constructive way. The purpose of this study is to explore how group supervisors experience and apply their emotional competence when providing guidance to their group members. The data, which are based on in-depth interviews with three group supervisors, were analyzed using the constant comparative method. Three main themes were identified: (1) emotional responses, (2) empathic presence, and (3) facilitation of emotional competence among supervisees. The results highlight the importance of supervisors' self-awareness and empathic presence, which form the basis for constructive communication with and between group members.