NEWS RELEASE
College of Liberal Arts and Sciences, Iowa State University
www.las.iastate.edu
9-8-09
Contacts:
Nathaniel Wade, Psychology, 515-294-1455 (nwade@iastate.edu)
Steve Jones, Liberal Arts & Sciences Communications, (515) 294-0461 (jones@iastate.edu)
Group counseling research program looking for
participants wanting help to overcome past grudges
AMES, Iowa – Counseling sessions to help people overcome grudges or past hurts are available for free at Iowa State University this autumn as part of a research project in the Department of Psychology.
The ISU Group Counseling Study is looking for individuals to participate in counseling sessions to test the effectiveness of counseling intervention strategies, said Nathaniel Wade, associate professor of psychology.
“We are interested in working with people who can recall a time when they were offended or hurt by someone and have not gotten beyond the experience,” Wade added. “In other words, people who are eligible would likely say that they are still angry, hurt or upset about the event, or are still holding a grudge.
“This is actual group counseling,” Wade said. “It’s a great resource for the community.”
The specifics of the hurts might vary for eligible participants, Wade said, from painful experiences such as divorce or betrayals to physical or sexual abuse.
Research has shown that counseling can help people overcome grudges and move on in their lives, Wade explained. Individuals receiving treatments report less depression and anxiety, greater well being, and even report greater forgiveness for the offense.
“Interventions designed explicitly to promote forgiveness appear to be effective,” he said. However, it’s not known whether these interventions are more effective than traditional group counseling.
The group sessions led by specially trained counselors, which can cost hundreds of dollars off campus, are free. In addition, the study will pay participants approximately $40 for their time. Individuals will participate in eight weekly 90-minute sessions with one follow-up session for completing questionnaires. Participants will be assigned randomly to treatments during times that work for their schedules. All participant responses are kept strictly confidential.
Wade heads the ISU Group Counseling Study. He has led previous studies on the effectiveness of forgiveness therapy strategies, but he says more information is needed.
“These outcomes will be useful for understanding the types of group processes and personality types that respond well to forgiveness interventions and help counselors know the best way to help people resolve their grudges and past hurts,” Wade explained.
Persons wanting to learn whether they are eligible to participate in the study should contact the ISU Group Counseling Study at 515-294-1898 or at info@isugroupstudy.com. More information about the study can be found at www.isugroupstudy.com. Groups are forming now.
Funding for the study comes from a grant from the Fetzer Institute, Kalamazoo, Mich.
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