One’s Self, Leading Groups

1 Response- Read post below and answer questions A, and B.

Competency in intervention/theraputic material: Emerging. I feel that I am always learning. I feel consistently caught in a space of learning what I do not know and trying to integrate it into what I do know, or challenging that. Not simply due to being in school, but in a space with clients who challenge my understanding and skills as I meet them where they are and allow their stories to be heard. I do not feel I will necessarily ever get to a place higher than this due to my desire to always be learner.

Ability to attune: Proficient. I think that I am fairly versed in catching subtle shifts within a group setting. I try to actively scan and see where individuals cut their eyes, fidget, pull someone else in to indicate the temperature of the group and the individuals. Despite this, there are always things that can be missed or perhaps I do not deem it necessary to address in the moment, but it was more that my initial assessment. I’d like to advance in the natural intonation in which I address these things, and find ways to continue to invite clients to gentle participate within that contract as well.

Staying Present: Emerging. A few months ago, I think I would have placed myself in a proficient category. However, due to several attention demands I have felt myself struggling to remain present in conversations that did not used to challenge me. My mind wanders, or pulls a blank when I know I should be listening. I would like to become better practiced at this so as to grow back to what I used to be capable of.

Once again, please read your colleague’s work which evokes your admiration, from last week’s writings on vulnerability in group life. Specifically, you are appreciating your colleague’s own vulnerability that was entailed either in one or more particular posts that they entered.

A – Let them know what it was about their writing that evokes this response, and why: What about their work was so admirable?

B – And as we have done, let your colleague know what you would like for yourself that this other person seems to have, i.e., what capacity do you see in them -that comes through in this writing – that you would like more of for yourself!

2 Reflections on videos- Review the two videos below and answer question A.

A – Please share your reaction to these senior group therapists reflections, how group leaders contribute AND are affected in group therapy, how group leaders can/should show up in the group/as humans, and how groups foster our common humanity and existential connection.

3 – Integrative Considerations- Read below and answer question A.

A – Please consider what aspects of group work you like and enjoy, which ones you might find that feel more challenging, and which ones you simply do not like.

Let us know, in some detail, both description of your experience with each of these categories and why you feel as you do.

4- Writing Assignment- Read below and answer question A.

A– Imagine that you are being interviewed for an employment position as a trainer for licensed therapists who are interested in developing a specialization as a leader of psychotherapy groups. For this, you have been given training tapes of graduate students in their own course on group therapy (our own classes Live class/ training tape titles listed below!) and are asked to select the top 10 themes that most stand out (two for each of the 5 live classes from the topics below)reverberatefor you.

While your potential employer tells you that there are no right answers to thisthat it’s more of a Rorschach-type thing than anything else, you have been told that your discussion of the themes and why they stand out for you needs to be rich with depth and detail.

Please revisit the five classes that have already taken place in this course, and:

Moreover, each of these 10 themes needs to circle back to your own relationship to your development as a group leader.

Training tape / Live Classes topics listed below

1: The Projection Imperative in Human Experience and On the Personal Shadow

2: On the Dynamics of Scapegoating and the Collective Shadow

3: Stages of Group Life

4: Sub-Grouping, Splitting, Dyadic Withdrawal and Other Common Group Dynamics: The Power of Now

5: Unfolding Being: Vulnerability in Group Life and One’s Self, Leading Groups

5 Termination- Read below and answer questions A, B, C, D and E.

A – In light of termination and the ending of groups – as well as the end of our course together – reflect on what has meant the most to you in our exploration this term.

B – What you have found most surprising.

C – What you wish to remember or take with you going forward.

D – Whether any particular colleagues’ contributions, reflections, or reactions have particularly affected you. (If a colleague, please name them in bold before sharing more.) Please also reflect on your triad experience in light of this TCoP coming to a close, (Make this up).

E – Lastly, consider whether a ritual, image, or other type of expression would support our bringing this course to a close – and share that with us.

6 – Practice Journal- Read below and answer question A (ONE PAGE)

You will note that the overall directions for each week’s entry in the Practice Journal include the following: “…It is important for your practices to include contemplative, somatic, expressive, and dialogic practices.”

A – Please upload your writing and expressive artifacts (such as poems, artwork, etc.), here. Please use these to describe and reflect on your experience of practicing group leadership skills, interventions, and capacities in your Standing Practice Triad Meetings (make it up if you dont have experience. Also this weeks subject is One’s Self, Leading Groups: It is important for your practices to include contemplative, somatic, expressive, and dialogic practices.

Please limit your discussion to your own process your own internal landscape, images and insights about your own life that arise, etc. Do not describe, comment on, or interpret your partners’ process, at all.

NOTEThis was the directions for this weeks Triad group–

For this Week’s Triad:

1. This week’s last triad is a very different scenario. For this week, the other two members of your triad should take turns playing the group leader and an ordinary group member, for two, 10-minute rounds. You (the Focus) will find two different subjectivities or figures, based very much on a real subjectivity within, who, if they could come out in full force and without any modulation, would present a major challenge to any group and group leader who had to deal with them.

As such, the person who will get the real ‘workout’ for each turn is the ‘therapist’ who is needing to somehow work with that person’s process.

In this respect, this is less a role play than it is an opportunity for the Focus to feel into two different subjectivities/figures of this sort.

2. The group therapist should try their best to cope/manage/ intervene with this person. The ‘ordinary’ group member will just provide a foil to play off of.

For the next 5 minutes of each turn:

The person who has been the Focus brings themself through the (RP). While the other triad members can help to coach, it is hoped that at this point the Focus can largely do their own work without major need for prompts or questions by others.

For the last 5 minutes of each turn:

The Focus and the person who played the ‘ordinary group member’ should first debrief, keeping their comments focused on:

What the ‘therapist’ did well in handling each of the subjectivities.

Then, the ‘therapist’ and the ordinary group member should explore their own internal process (at two minutes for each person).

The Focus and the person who played the ‘ordinary group member’ should first debrief, keeping their comments focused on:

what the ‘therapist’ did well in handling each of the subjectivities;

then, the ‘therapist’ and the ordinary group member should explore their own internal process (at two minutes for each person).