Weaving Bonds in the Territory through Group Counseling for the Communicative Transformation of Teachers in Municipalized Contexts

Abstract

The purpose of this research was to implement a group counseling program for the strengthening of functional communication and coexistence among teachers at the "Francisco Bello Pineda" National High School, located in a municipalized educational context in Falcón state, Venezuela. This qualitative study was framed within the socio- critical paradigm and developed under the participatory action research method. Thirteen (13) teachers participated as key informants. The initial diagnosis, conducted through interviews, participant observation, and SWOT analysis, revealed communication weaknesses affecting institutional coexistence, organized into three categories: group counseling, communication, and coexistence. The theoretical foundation was based on Virginia Satir's postulates on functional and dysfunctional communication, David Berlo's communicative model, and the contributions of Bisquerra and Collazo on group counseling. The transformative actions comprised twelve (12) experiential strategies implemented during September-October 2018. Information analysis through triangulation, categorization, and theoretical contrast evidenced significant achievements: appreciation of functional communication as the basis for harmonious interpersonal relationships, adoption of an ethical stance toward conflict, and recognition of the importance of maintaining continuous group counseling meetings. It is concluded that group counseling constitutes a pertinent pathway to enhance the personal and professional development of the teaching collective in municipalized contexts, contributing to the construction of healthy school environments.