You never realize how much work goes into something until you are the person doing that something. This is how I felt about leading a group session. Just from observing our teachers lead group sessions in class, it seemed pretty simple. Come up with a fun activity that gets everyone involved, and allow everyone to process what was said in the group so that they all walk away with a new nugget of information. Maybe it's because my teachers have done this awhile, or maybe it was that I really was naive about this whole group thing. One thing is for sure, leading a group is not as easy as it looks. In fact, I found myself in the middle of leading the session that was supposed to be easy thinking "Oh no, this is definitely not how I saw this group playing out in my head." Sure, we did all the planning. We got a really fun activity, created our goals, had everything prepared and laid out for our group members. But then the group member showed up and our activities and discussion went in a totally different direction than we had planned. It turned out that our collaboration activity was actually really hard for the group members to work together on, and by the end of the activity, several of them concluded that they would much rather just work by themselves than by a group. (Not exactly the glowing response or golden nugget that we wanted them to take away from the activity.) Good thing our frame of reference allowed some wiggle room for the group members to define where the discussion of the group went (Thank you MOHO and Psychodynamic Approach). All of this sounds a bit dramatic and maybe (hopefully) we looked a little more pulled together and like we knew what we were doing than I am writing, but even my teacher pointed out at the end of the group that I looked a bit frazzled and unsure of how to get the group members back on track on our fascinating topic of collaboration, rather than talking about their upcoming basketball game. But I think that is where I have had time to think and process (and were I know there is plenty of room to grow.) Group sessions will always be a little unpredictable, a little free-spirited, and totally dependent on the group members response (as well as the leadership of the facilitator.) This is not necessarily a bad thing, and when it is lead well, can actually lead to a very positive group experience that allows group members to express and learn as they go. That being said, the take away from this experience that you always need to be prepared as the facilitator to be willing go where the group leads, and use different situations for rich learning opportunities. If plan A doesn't work out, have plan B, C, and maybe even a plan D that you can follow through with. The goal at the end of the day isn't to have a perfectly run, well-oiled group... It is to help and hear your group participants out, to provide them with opportunities to share and work and open up and connect with other group members. I still have a long way to go before I think I will feel really comfortable doing this, but that will come with more practice and time.