The "Group Work Rainbow" is a metaphor for the varieties of group work practice which fall within the perview of the Association for Specialists in Group Work (ASGW). Specializations in working with task and work groups, leading psychoeducational groups, or providing group counseling or group psychotherapy services eminate from a solid grounding in core group work skills. The graphic below illustrates this metaphorical vision of group work preparation.

Each of the following selections lead to a folder which contains a description of the training area, a presentation of the ASGW training standards which apply, and a list of counseling training programs which subscribe to the ASGW standards for that training area.

• Core Training
• Task/Work Groups
• Psychoeducation Groups
• Counseling Groups
• Psychotherapy Groups
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All professional counselors should possess basic knowledge and basic skills in group work. Such skills will enable the counselor to understand the power and process in naturally occurring groups, interpret group process phenomena more accurately, and function more effectively in groups. Moreover, the basic competencies of core group work training provides a foundation upon which specialization training in group work builds.

Completion of core group work training competencies does not prepare a counseling professional to independently assume responsibility for conducting any of the specializations included in the ASGW Training Standards (e.g., task groups, psychoeducation groups, counseling groups, psychotherapy groups). Additional focused training is required for independent practice in a group work specialty.

ASGW has established Core Group Work Training Standards for the professional preparation of all counselors.

The task/work group specialist is trained to assist groups such as task forces, committees, planning groups, community organizations, discussion groups, study circles, learning groups, and other similar groups to correct or develop their functioning. The focus is on the application of group dynamics principles and processes to improve practice and the accomplishment of identified work goals.

ASGW has established Task Group Specialization Standards for the professional preparation of counselors who want to work with task and work groups.

The psychoeducational group specialist is trained to use the group medium to educate group participants who are presently unaffected by but "at risk" for a potential threat (such as AIDS), are approaching a developmental life event (such as a developmental transition point), or are coping with an immediate life crisis (such as the suicide of a loved one), with the goal of preventing an array of educational and psychological disturbance from occurring.

ASGW has established Psychoeducation Group Specialization Standards for the professional preparation of counselors who want to work with psychoeducation groups.

The counseling group specialist is trained to help group participants to resulve the usual, yet often difficult, problems of living through interpersonal support and group problem-solving. Group counseling specialists help participants to develop their existing interpersonal problem-solving competencies that they may better be able to haldle future problems of a similar nature. Non-severe career, educational, personal, social, and developmental concerns are frequently addressed.

ASGW has established Counseling Group Specialization Standards for the professional preparation of counselors who want to work with counseling groups.

The psychotherapy group specialist is trained to help individual group members to remediate, in-depth psychological problems. Because the depth and extent of the psychological disturbance is significant, the goal is to aid each individual to reconstruct major personality dimensions.

ASGW has established Psychotherapy Group Specialization Standards for the professional preparation of counselors who want to work with psychotherapy groups.