Group Dynamics and Process: Theory, Skills, Choreography

A hands-on training with Nick Duffell (UK): Fortbildung für Gruppenleiter:innen im Beratungs- und Psychotherapiebereich

Context

Groups are like people – they are born, grow, develop and die. A group has its own unique field which inevitably asserts itself on the members and the facilitator. Whatever the topic, there will always be underlying processes at play that influence group dynamics.

Recognising and creatively engaging with presenting dynamics is key to the worker’s ability both to facilitate process and to successfully teach prepared material. Whenever groups meet in succession — as in the case of any training or in-depth programme — this is of utmost importance.

• Without group dynamic skills, group leaders often find themselves wasting time and energy dealing with subtle interferences and sabotage.
• These manifest as interpersonal disputes, the formation of subgroups, lateness, absences, dropping out and other kinds of provocative or disruptive behaviours.
• It is not enough simply to be a trained therapist nor to use classic body-psychotherapy style of telling participants what to do.
• Untrained group-workers may lose the group’s trust and end up blaming participants or co-workers.
• The creativity of groups depends on the choreography.

But workers who are attuned to the life-cycle of groups, understanding why disruptions happen and how to choreograph them creatively, will be better equipped to help participants become empowered to joyfully do the work they really want to do.

The training

The days will combine theoretical presentations with experimental aspects to bring the material alive. We will use sharing, role play and reflections on interpersonal interactions to explore the dynamics at play in groups. The aim is to give participants practical understanding and immediately applicable basic tools for working more creatively with groups.

In the latter part of the training event there will be an opportunity to work participants’ case-study material or the group’s own experiences. Participants will receive a written hand-out following the course.

Scope of the training

• Understanding the group as a ‘Matrix for Change’.
• How to recognise and attune to the ‘Three Phases of Group Development’.
• Employing the ‘Three Principles of Thematic Groupwork’.
• ‘The Pump’: group safety and autonomy following the order of Love and Will needs.
• How to recognize themes and patterns in group process; how to influence and ‘choreograph’ them.
• Roles, double-roles and scapegoating.
• Learning to understand group-member behaviour in context.
• How to read and ‘surf’ the transferential field
• How to use your authority as a group leader appropriately and effectively.
• Exploration of how group dynamics affect co-leaders.

The trainer

Nick Duffell has been working groups since 1987 and is a psychotherapist, psychohistorian and author. Born in England in 1949, he worked as a teacher and a carpenter, after Oxford University, before retraining as a psychotherapist.

Nick qualified in Systemic Family Therapy, Psychosynthesis and body psychotherapy, and studied Jungian and Kleinian psychoanalysis. For several years he ran a private practice in London; he has been working as a freelance trainer and supervisor since 1990 and still sees some couples. In 1990 he founded Boarding School Survivors and in 1996 co-founded The Centre for Gender Psychology. He trains couple-workers and psychotherapists in a style of groupwork that is effective, creative and fun.

For several years, Nick ran the group-dynamic module on the therapist’s training for Sexual Grounding Therapy and recently has run two trainings in facilitating therapeutic men’s groups.

Nick is the author of several books and a frequent writer and broadcaster on matters psychological. He is father of two grown-up sons, loves to build with wood and stone and play tennis. He lives between London, Wales and la France profonde.

Further reading

Benson, Jarlath F., (1987) Working More Creatively with Groups, Tavistock Publications, London.
Yalom, Irvin D., (1970) The Theory and Practice of Group Psychotherapy, Basic Books, NY.

Assistent:innen

Notburga und Robert Fischer

Zielgruppen

Bereits mit Gruppen arbeitende Psychotherapeut:innen, Berater:innen, Pädagog:innen und Erwachsenenbildner:innen sowie solche, die in nächster Zeit mit Gruppen arbeiten wollen

Kurszeiten

Kosten

Fortbildungshonorar: CHF 480.00
Unterkunftskosten: UK inkl. Vollpension, abhängig von Zimmerwahl

Zimmerreservation

Reservation bitte direkt unter www.idyll-gais.ch buchen und zahlen