ABSTRACT
Having given careful thought to various aspects of the group, as outlined in earlier sections, and having planned an appropriate mix of activities for the current session, one final piece of preparation is advised. In order to gain members’ interest and cooperation from the moment they arrive, the leader needs to make mental preparation beforehand. For, just as a ‘cold’ group tends to be unresponsive until it is ‘warmed up’, so the leader must warm up too. This is achieved by allowing sufficient time to think about the group, to re-read notes from the previous session, to consider what was achieved and to identify other themes which may be appropriate to explore. All other preoccupations should be put to one side while a group is in progress.
