77th Annual Conference Sessions and Workshops
Saturday, March 7 (Details)

Early Bird Open Sessions
Early Morning Colloquies
All-Day Course
All-Day Workshops
Morning Open Sessions
Morning Workshops
Group Foundation Luncheon
Afternoon Open Session
Afternoon Workshops

For more information on those presenters who have the CGP credential, please click on their names to view their CGP profiles. 
 

Early Bird Open Sessions
7:45 – 8:45 A.M. 

Session 220
Contemporary Group Psychotherapy Research

Presented under the auspices of the AGPA Research SIG

Chair:
Cheri Marmarosh, PhD, Professor, George Washington University, Washington, DC

This is the Research SIG's annual paper session presenting current research in group psychotherapy.

Sessions also on Thursday and Friday (7:15-8:15 am)

Title: From Workshop to Published Manuscript: Tips from the Editors of the International Journal
of Group Psychotherapy
Authors: Jill Paquin, PhD and Joe Miles, PhD

Title: Cognitive-Behavioral Group Therapy for Psychosis: A Follow-up Meta-Analysis and Synthesis
Authors: Gary Burlingame, PhD, CGP, DFAGPA

This is a paper session in which panelists present new, clinically relevant research findings, with time for discussion and questions from the audience.

Learning Objectives:
The attendee will be able to: 
1. Summarize current research in group psychotherapy.
2. Integrate current group therapy research into clinical practice.
3. Match current research findings to areas of group practice and interest.
4. Discuss important principles related to developing and conducting effective group therapies.

Session 221
GeT Me HelP: Group Therapy for Mental Health Professionals

Chair:
John Asuncion, LMHC, CASAC, CT, Private Practice, Poughkeepsie, New York

GeT Me HelP is a self-exploration group for mental health professionals offering an integrative approach to group counseling. Providing affordable support for the helpers in our field, group members will increase self-understanding, and recognize, investigate, and grow through personal conflicts. GeT Me HelP is designed to help us manage stress, navigate counselor distress, and build a resilient network of colleagues and friends in a safer space and nurturing environment.

Learning Objectives:
The attendee will be able to: 
1. Identify compassion satisfaction, vicarious resiliency, and post-traumatic growth as potential positive effects of our work with clients.
2. List protective principles and practices they may incorporate their in self-care efforts.
3. State the benefits of affordable and accessible group therapy for mental health professionals.

Course References:
1. Ben-Porat, Anat. (2017). Competence of Trauma Social Workers: The Relationship Between Field of Practice and Secondary Traumatization, Personal and Environmental Mental Variables. Journal of Interpersonal Violence, 32, 1291-1309.
2. Harrison, R. L., & Westwood, M. J. (2009). Preventing vicarious traumatization of mental health therapists: Identifying protective practices. Psychotherapy: Theory, Research, & Practice, 46, 203–219.
3. Joseph, S., Murphy, D., and Regel, S. (2012). An affective-cognitive processing model of post-traumatic growth. Clinical Psychology and Psychotherapy, 19, 316-325.
4. Killian, K., Hernandez-Wolfe, P., Engstrom, D., & Gangsei, D. (2017). Development of the Vicarious Resilience Scale (VRS): A measure of positive effects of working with trauma survivors. Psychological Trauma: Theory, Research, Practice, and Policy, 9, 23–31.
5. Michalchuk, S., & Martin, S. L. (2018). Vicarious Resilience and Growth in Psychologists Who Work With Trauma Survivors: An Interpretive Phenomenological Analysis. Professional Psychology, No Pagination Specified.
6. Silveira, F. S., & Boyer, W. (2015). Vicarious resilience in counselors of child and youth victims of interpersonal trauma. Qualitative Health Research, 25, 513–526.
7. Wise, E. H., Hersh, M. A., & Gibson, C. M. (2012). Ethics, self-care and well-being for psychologists: Reenvisioning the stress-distress continuum. Professional Psychology: Research and Practice, 43, 487–494.

Session 222
The Challenges of Money in Group: The Dangers of Ignoring a Most Powerful Outside-the-Room Status Symbol Inside the Room

Presenter:
Markus Rogan, PsyD, LMFT, Performance Psychologist, Beverly Hills, California

This session will help clinicians confront fiscal prudishness by helping them become comfortable with conversations and challenges about money and, by extension, support their groups in doing the same. The goal is to help clinicians engage and explore how money is sometimes more difficult to discuss than sex.

Learning Objectives:
The attendee will be able to: 
1. Recognize when financial dynamics enter the therapeutic encounter.
2. Interpret the importance of financial dynamics to their respective clients.
3. Execute various techniques and strategies to engage clients in a therapeutically beneficial conversation about money.
facilitate groups in which Lust, Money and Rage surface.
4. Categorize, critique and diagnose, when appropriate, how their clients' relationship to money impacts their mental health.

Course References:
1. Berger, B., & Newman, S. (Eds.). (2012). Money talks: In therapy, society, and life, Vol. 13. Routledge.
2. Dimen, M. (1994). Money, love, and hate contradiction and paradox in psychoanalysis. Psychoanalytic Dialogues, 4(1), 69-100.
3. Freud, S. (1913). On beginning the treatment SE 12 [→]. Sobre la iniciación del Tratamiento (Nuevos consejos sobre la técnica del Psicoanálisis, I). En J. Strachey (trad.), Buenos Aires: Amorrortu, 1998, 129-130.
4. Gans, J. S. (1992). Money and psychodynamic group psychotherapy. International Journal of Group Psychotherapy, 42(1), 133-152.
5. Herron, W. G., & Welt, S. R. (1992). Money matters: The fee in psychotherapy and psychoanalysis. Guilford Press.
6. Trachtman, R. (1999). The money taboo: Its effects in everyday life and in the practice of psychotherapy. Clinical Social Work Journal, 27(3), 275-288.
7. Tomasulo, D. J. (2015). Action methods in group psychotherapy: Practical aspects. Taylor & Francis.
8. Levi, D. (2015). Group dynamics for teams. Sage Publications.‏

Session 223
Group Gaming and Self-Development: Using Video/Tablet Games in Group Therapy with Autism Spectrum Clients to Improve Self Awareness and Self Knowledge

Presenter:
Kevin Hull, PhD, Hull and Associates, Private Practice, Lakeland, Florida

Many clients with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) lack self-awareness and struggle with joint attention. Young people with ASD are attracted to technology and particularly video/computer/tablet games. These games have rich themes and metaphors that can be used in group therapy to help young people with ASD. Using these games in group therapy improves self-awareness and joint attention, as well as self-representation and social/relationship skills, in addition to reducing anxiety/depression.

Learning Objectives:
The attendee will be able to: 
1. Describe the lack of self-awareness and joint attention in ASD individuals.
2. Identify methods for increasing self-awareness and joint attention in group game play using video/tablet games.
3 Apply specific themes and metaphors from group game play to increase group member's self-awareness and joint attention.
4. Utilize material from game play and conduct group discussion to increase joint attention and self-awareness in group members.

Course References:
1. Hull, K. (2017). Children and adolescents with autism spectrum disorders. In C. Haen & S. Aronson (Eds.), Handbook of Child and Adolescent Group Therapy (pp. 347-356). New York: Routledge.
2. LaFleur, L.B., Hebert, Z.J. & Dupuy, A.S. (2018). Leveling up your game: The use of video games as a therapeutic modality. Journal of Creativity in Mental Health, 13(1), 58-67, DOI: 10.1080/15401383.2017.1328293.
3. Lind, S. E., Williams, D. M., Grainger, C., & Landsiedel, J. (2019). The Self in Autism and Its Relation to Memory. In The Wiley Handbook of Memory, Autism Spectrum Disorder, and the Law (eds J. L. Johnson, G. S. Goodman and P. C. Mundy). doi:10.1002/9781119158431.ch4
4. Mazefsky, C. A., Herrington, J., Siegel, M., Scarpa, A., Maddox, B. B., Scahill, L., & White, S. W. (2013). The role of emotion regulation in autism spectrum disorder. Journal of the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, 52(7), 679–688.
5. Stone, J. (2019). Integrating technology into modern therapies: A clinician’s guide to developments and interventions. New York: Routledge.
 

 

C8. Focused Brief Group Therapy:  An Eight Session, Integrative Interpersonal Model

Presented under the auspices of the AGPA Science-to-Service Task Force

Director:
Martyn Whittingham, PhD, CGP, FAGPA, Adjunct Professor, Xavier University, West Chester, Ohio

Focused Brief Group Therapy (FBGT) is an eight session, integrative interpersonal process approach to group therapy.  It draws on practice based evidence and evidence based common factors and best practices to generate measurable and achievable outcomes.  This workshop will combine didactic and experiential components to outline how it targets change.
 
Learning Objectives:
The attendee will be able to:
1. Discuss the role of the interpersonal circumplex in Focused Brief Group Therapy (FBGT).
2. Explain the role of screening and pre-group preparation in formation of the working alliance.
3. Evaluate which interpersonal styles are predictive of self-sabotage and premature dropout from group.
4. Evaluate how interpersonal styles create a functional or dysfunctional group dynamic.
5. Describe the role of inoculation in preventing premature termination.

Course References:
1. Whittingham, M. (2018). Innovations in group assessment: How Focused Brief Group therapy integrates formal measures to enhance treatment preparation, process, and outcomes. Psychotherapy, 55(2), 186-190.
2. Whittingham, M. (2018). Interpersonal Theory and Group Therapy: Validating the Social Microcosm. International Journal Of Group Psychotherapy, 68(1), 93-98.
3. Whittingham, M. (2018). Attachment and interpersonal theory and group therapy: Two sides of the same coin. International Journal of Group Psychotherapy, 67, 276-279.
4. Whittingham, M. (2015). Focused Brief Group Therapy: A Practice-based Evidence Approach. In E. Neukrug (Ed), The Sage Encyclopedia of Theory in Counseling and Psychotherapy. Washington DC: Sage Books.
5. Horowitz, L. M., & Strack, S. (Eds.). (2010). Handbook of interpersonal psychology: Theory, research, assessment, and therapeutic interventions. John Wiley & Sons.
6. Saxon, D., Barkham, M., Foster, A., & Parry, G. (2016). The contribution of therapist effects to patient dropout and deterioration in the psychological therapies. Clinical Psychology and Psychotherapy. DOI: 10.1002/cpp.2028.
7. Solstad, S.M., Castonguay, L.G., & Moltu, C. (2018). Patients’ experiences with routine outcome monitoring and clinical feedback systems: A systematic review and synthesis of qualitative empirical literature. Psychotherapy Research. doi=10.1080/10503307.2017.1326645.

 

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All-Day Workshops
9:00 – 11:30 A.M. & 2:00 – 4:30 P.M.

(Registration will only be accepted for both the morning and afternoon sessions.)

Workshop 75a
Experientially Exploring Identity: The Importance of Self Awareness to Effective Group Leadership

Presented under the auspices of AGPA Racial and Ethnic Diversity SIG

Chairs:
Karen Cone-Uemura, PhD, CGP, Staff Psychologist, University of Utah Counseling Center, Salt Lake City, Utah
Joshua Ziesel, PsyD, Staff Psychologist, Wake Forest University, Winston-Salem, North Carolina

Through mindfulness, individual and group activities, attendees will learn about identity, intersectionality, power and  privilege. Participants will experientially explore the significance self-awareness has on a leader’s ability to effectively facilitate. Activities fostering self-awareness and productive interpersonal interactions, along with in-vivo sharing, will provide participants skills they can employ in their own groups.
Experiential/ Demonstration/ Didactic/ Sharing of Work Experiences

Learning Objectives:
The attendee will be able to:   
1. Articulate the importance/reasons/benefits for increasing self awareness as a group facilitator.
2. Name newly discovered identity statuses of self along with ways in which the status confers power, holds privilege or is oppressed.
3. Express uncomfortable thoughts and feelings related to power, privilege and oppression in appropriate, respectful ways.
4. Identify factors that promote an environment conducive to fruitful interpersonal process.
5. Describe ways attendee can remain open to learning of own growth areas in regards to self-awareness and identity development.
6. Engage in mindfulness-based self care activities.

Course References:
1. American Group Psychotherapy. (2007). Practice guidelines for group psychotherapy. Retrieved from American Group Psychotherapy Association Science to Service Task Force America Healing. Downloaded April 26, 2019, from https://www.agpa.org/docs/default-source/practice-resources/download-full-guidelines-(pdf-format)-group-works!-evidence-on-the-effectiveness-of-group-therapy.pdf?sfvrsn=ce6385a9_2
2. Bozalek, V., & Biersteker, L. (2010). Exploring power and privilege using participatory learning and action techniques. Social Work Education, 29(5): 551-572.
3. Kivlighan III, D. M., & Chapman, N. A. (2018). Extending the multicultural orientation (MCO) framework to group psychotherapy: a clinical illustration. Psychotherapy, 55(1): 39-44.
4. Ratts, M. J., Singh, A. A., Nassar-McMillan, S., Butler, S. K., & McCullough, J. R. (2016). Multicultural and social justice counseling competencies: guidelines for the counseling profession. Journal of Multicultural Counseling and Development, 44: 28-48.
5. Talwar, S. (2015). Culture, diversity, and identity: from margins to center. Art Therapy: Journal of the American Art Therapy Association, 32(3): 100-103.

Workshop 76a
Introduction to Modern Group Process

Chairs:
Alice Brown, PsyD, CGP, Faculty and Supervisor, Center for Group Studies, New York, New York
Chris Dolin, LCSW, Private Practice, New York, New York

Utilizing a didactic and experiential model we will present Modern Group Process as it is taught at the Center for Group Studies.  We will combine process groups (one led by each of the co-instructors), large group didactic presentations, and supervision.   Contracting, emotional communication, working with aggression, and immediacy will be emphasized.  Specific techniques for working with the above will be presented, including elements of the contract, joining techniques, and bridging.
Didactic/ Demonstration/ Experiential/ Sharing of Work Experiences

Learning Objectives:
The attendee will be able to:   
1.  Identify the elements of the contract and its importance in forming and maintaining a group.
2.  Utilize the skills of bridging, joining, and working in the here and now with a group..
3.  Demonstrate an understanding of the meaning of resistance both as a necessary defense mechanism and as a means of communication.
4.  Recognize and explore ways of utilizing the aggression in a group to further emotional communication.
5.  Discuss varying interventions related to contracting, emotional communication, immediacy, and working with resistances and aggression.
6.  Identify basic countertransference reactions and how they inform interventions in groups.

Course References:
1.  Brook, M. (2001). The evolution of modern group process: An overview.  In L. B. Furgeri (Ed.), The Technique of Group Treatment: The Collected Papers of Louis R. Ormont. Madison, CT: Psychosocial Press.
2.  Holmes, L. (2009). The technique of partial identification. International Journal of Group Psychotherapy, 59:2.
3.  Kirman, J. (1986). The management of aggression in modern psychoanalytic treatment. Modern Psychoanalysis, II (1 and 2), (pp. 37-49).
4.   Levine, R. (2011). Progressing while regressing in relationships. International Journal of Group Psychotherapy, 61(4), (pp. 621-643).
5.   MacColl, G (2016). The art of bridging revisited. International Journal of Group Psychotherapy, 66(3), (pp. 443-454).
6.   Ormont, L. (1996).  Bringing life into the group experience: The power of immediacy. Group, 20(3), (pp.207-221).

Workshop 77a
Leadership Development: Using Group Therapy Skills in Corporate Culture

Chair:
Rick Tivers, LCSW, CGP, Adjunct Faculty, The Chicago School of Professional Psychology, Chicago, Illinois

This active workshop will explore best practices in Leadership Development and will enable attendees to transfer their group skills to the business environment. Members will experience a Leadership Training where the focus will be on Authority, Power, and Control from both an internal and external process.
Experiential/ Sharing of Work Experiences/ Demonstration/ Didactic

Learning Objectives:
The attendee will be able to:
1. Diagnose defenses in self and that of the culture they are consulting.
2. Design appropriate interventions using a group development model.
3. Differentiate between traditional group therapy, group development, and team building.
4. Work through internal fears of authority.
5. Choose best practices in goal development and attainment.
6. Identify fee structures appropriate for the industry and trainer experience.

Course References:
1. Noe, R, (2017). Employee Training and Development. New York, NY: McGraw Hill.
2. Morrison, T., & Conway, W. (2006). Kiss, Bow, or Shake Hands. Avon, MA: Adams Media.
3. Craig, R, (1996). The ASTC Training and Development Handbook. New York, NY: McGraw Hill.
4. Huges, M., Patterson, L.B., & Terrell, J.B. (2005). Emotional Intelligence in Action. San Fransisco, CA: Pfeiffer.
5. Handshaw, D. (2014). Training That Delivers Results. New York, NY: American Management Association.

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Morning Open Sessions
9:00 – 11:30 A.M.

Session 310
Louis R. Ormont Lecture- Reflections on Art and Life through Dolls: The Power of Visual Images to Evoke Personal and Social Themes  
 
Supported by the Louis R. Ormont Lecture Fund’s contributions to the Group Foundation Education Endowment

Chair:
Morris Nitsun, PhD, Consultant Clinical Psychologist in Group Psychotherapy, Camden and Islington NHS Mental Health Trust, London, United Kingdom

This event reflects the coming together of the presenter’s two main professional interests, psychotherapy and art. Themes that emerged from group reflections on his doll painting exhibit included projections and perspectives on childhood. Implications for incorporating these reflections in group psychotherapy are discussed.

Learning Objectives:
The attendee will be able to:
1. Describe the coming together of the presenter’s two main professional journeys.
2. Assess the significance of dolls in children’s development.
3. Differentiate the range of responses to the doll paintings.
4.  Evaluate the influence of gender on relationship to dolls and responses in the exhibition.
5.  Propose ways in which visual images could be used to encourage exploration in a group.
6.  Suggest advantages to bridging two professional activities such as psychotherapy and art.
7. Assess the influence of social constructs on human development.

Course References:
1. Hwang, C.P., Lamb, M.E., & Sigel, I.E. (eds) (1996). Images of Childhood. New York: CRC Press.
2. Jack, C., & Devereux, L. (2019). Memory objects and boarding school objects.
    www. emeraldinsight.com/<http://emeraldinsight.com/> 0819 - 8691htm
3. McNamara, T. (2019). Language and Subjectivity. Chapter 1. Cambridge: Cambridge Universities Press.
4. Nitsun, M. (2015). Beyond the Anti-group: Survival and Transformation. Chapter 8. London: Routledge.

 

Session 311  
The US Migration Crisis: Implications for Group Therapists
 
Co-Chairs: 
Robert Klein, PhD, ABPP, CGP, DLFAGPA, Clinical Psychiatry Faculty- Retired, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, Connecticut
Suzanne Phillips, PsyD, ABPP, CGP, FAGPA, Postdoctoral Certification Psychoanalyst, Derner Institute, Adelphi University, Northport, New York

 

Presenters:
Leonardo Leiderman, PsyD, ABPP, CGP, FAGPA, Private Practice, Westchester, New York
Annabel Raymond, LMFT, CGP, Private Practice, Los Angeles, California
Victor Schermer, MA, LFAGPA, Harmony Mental Health Services, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Hawthorne Smith, PhD, Director, Bellvue/NYU Program for Survivors of Torture, New York, New York
Jessica Young, Esq, Westchester Supervising Attorney, Make the Road New York, White Plains, New York

The US migration crisis has profoundly affected the lives of thousands of migrants and their families. In this roundtable Open Session a diverse panel of mental health professionals and attorneys will assess what is needed, the nature and effectiveness of their work, recommendations for training, and the emotional impact of the work upon providers. Opportunities will be provided to gain a comprehensive assessment of the responses undertaken and how best to apply the lessons learned.

Learning Objectives:
The attendee will be able to:
1. Analyze the current migrant crisis and how group therapists can be of help.
2. Identify the needs and challenges faced by immigrants and those who wish to help.
3. Describe the immigration and asylum laws that govern this crisis and how they affect migrants, families and helpers.
4. Differentiate paths to fulfillment for immigrants and obstacles to their success and what group therapists can offer.
5. Appraise what group interventions have proven helpful and apply lessons learned going forward.

Course References:
1. Farmer, P. (1996). On suffering and structural violence: A view from below. Daedalus, 125, 261-283.
2. Grace, B.L., Bais, R. & Roth, B.J. (2018). The violence of uncertainty---Undermining immigrant and refugee health. New England Journal of Medicine, 379, 904-905.
3. Human Rights Watch (2018). Q & A: Trump administration’s “Zero Tolerance” immigration policy. https://www.hrw.org/news/2018/08/16/qa-trump-adminstrations-zero-tolerance-immigration-policy
4. Klein, R. H. et.al. (2020). Special Issue: The migration crisis in the US: Implications for group work. International Journal of Group Psychotherapy (in press).
5. Light, M. & Miller, T. (2018). Does undocumented immigration increase violent crime? Criminology, 56, 370-401.
6. NPR (2018). Doctors concerned about “Irreparable Harm” to separated migrant children. https://www.npr.org/2018/06/15/620254326/doctors-warn-about-dangers-of-child-separations.
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Session 312    
Creating Safe Spaces in Groups: Working with Intersecting Identities in Child and Adolescent Groups

Chair:
Tony Sheppard, PsyD, CGP, FAGPA, Founder & Director, Groupworks, Louisville, Kentucky

Presenters:   

Robin Dean, PsyD, Licensed Psychologist, New York Office of Mental Health, Syracuse, New York
Madeline Stein, MA, Interfaith Bridge, Denver, Colorado
Zachary Thieneman, PsyD, CGP, Assistant Director, Groupworks, Louisville, Kentucky

Youth come to us with a great deal of vulnerability related to intersecting identities in addition to the mental health concerns they are facing. This session will focus on the ways in which we create safe spaces for them to explore their identities and consider the impact on mental health. We will discuss the nature of identity and collaborate on how to minimize therapist bias that can be so harmful to vulnerable young people.

Learning Objectives:
The attendees will be able to:
1. Identify at least two reasons it is important to consider identity factors in group treatment with children and adolescents.
2. Reflect on the intersections of their identity and consider ways it impacts their treatment with diverse youth.
3. Discuss identities and intersectionality within their group treatment of children and adolescents.

Course References:
1. Benson, P. L., Scales, P. C., Syvertsen, A. K., & Roehlkepartain E. C. (2012). Is Spiritual Development a Universal Process in the Lives of Youth? An International Exploration. Journal of Positive Psychology, 7(6), 453–470. doi: 10.1080/17439760.2012.732102
2. LaRoche, M.J., & Maxie, A. (2003). Ten considerations in addressing cultural differences in psychotherapy. Professional Psychology: Research and Practice, 34(2), 180-186.
3. Levy-Warrn, M. (2014). A knot in the gut: Transference/counter-transference and issues of race, ethnicity, and class in an adolescent treatment. Journal of Infant, Child, and Adolescent Psychotherapy, 13(2), 89-97.
4. Scales, P. C, Syvertsen, A. K., Benson, P. L., Roehlkepartain, E. C., & Sesma, A., Jr. (2014). The Relation of Spiritual Development to Youth Health and Well-being: Evidence From a Global Study. In A. Ben-Arieh, F. Casas, I. Frones, & J. E. Korbin (Eds.) The handbook of child well-being (pp. 1101-1135). New York, NY: Springer.
5. Young-Bruehl, E. (2013). Childism: Confronting Prejudice Against Children. New Haven, CT: Yale University Press.

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Morning Workshops
9:00 – 11:30 A.M.

Workshop 78
White Fragility, Transference and Countertransference
 
Chair:
Ani Mirasol, LCSW, Diversity, Inclusion, and Equity Committee Member, Austin Group Psychotherapy Society, Austin, Texas
Kristin Shanahan, MA, LPC-S, Private Practice, Austin, Texas
 
White Fragility: the discomfort and defensiveness white people express when racial equity is acknowledged. Blending theory from biology, psychology, education, and trauma-informed practice, this workshop explores clinical skills and approaches to increase resiliency among white clinicians. Specific attention will be paid to the unconscious, transference, and resistances in groups.
Experiential/ Demonstration/ Didactic/ Sharing of Work Experiences
 
Learning Objectives:
The attendee will be able to:
1. Describe one limitation of psychotherapy groups due to white fragility and the advantages of a more complex and fluid approach.
2. Identify two fears related to the discussion of racism, racial inequality, white privilege, and white fragility in their own groups.
3. Identify one potential countertransference issues about racism, racial inequality, white privilege, and white fragility.
4. List two benefits of examining the impact of racism on ourselves as individuals, mental health providers, group leaders, and group members.
5. Formulate one intervention to expand the conversation on racism, racial inequality, white privilege, and white fragility.
 
Course References:
1. DiAngelo, R. (2011). White Fragility. International Journal of Clinical Pedagogy, 3 (3) 54-70.
2. Bemak, F., & Chi-Ying Chung, R. (2019). Race Dialogues in Group Psychotherapy: Key Issues in Training and Practice. International Journal of Group Psychotherapy, 69:2, 172-191.
3. Stevens, F.L., & Abernethy, A.D. (2018). Neuroscience and Racism: The Power of Groups for Overcoming Implicit Bias. International Journal of Group Psychotherapy, 68:4, 561-584.
4. Haen, C., & Thomas, N.K. (2018). Holding History: Undoing Racial Unconsciousness in Groups. International Journal of Group Psychotherapy, 68:4, 498-520.
5. Chang-Caffaro, S., & Caffaro, J. (2018). Differences that Make a Difference: Diversity and the Process Group Leader. International Journal of Group Psychotherapy, 68:4, 483-497.

Workshop 79
Overlapping Identities within Ourselves and our Groups: Privileged, Marginalized, Accepted, and Eccentric

Chair:
Francis Kaklauskas, PsyD, FAGPA, Director- Group Psychotherapy Training Program, University of Colorado, Boulder, Colorado

Being a psychotherapist and group leader holds a position of power and authority, however many clinicians have different experiences in their lives, including discrimination and stereotyping.  Parts of our identities can often be in conflict within ourselves and in conflict with the dominant culture of paradigms. This workshops explores the shifting identities within ourselves and affords the opportunity to learn from others’ experiences towards the goal of accepting and celebrating our wholeness.
Experiential/ Demonstration/ Didactic/ Sharing of Work Experiences

Learning Objectives:
The attendee will be able to:
1.  Articulate Derald’s Sue Tripartite Multicultural models.
2. Identify their varied identities present in their work and personal lives.
3. List skills to help group members to be allies to one another in the group.
4. Identify challenges and rewards for group members  participating in difficulty dialogues around difference.
 
Course References:
1. American Psychological Association (2017). Multicultural guidelines: An ecological approach to context, identity, and intersectionality. Retrieved from http://www.apa.org/about/policy/multicultural-guidelines.PDF
2. Cone-Uemara, K., & Bentley, E. S. (2017). Multicultural/ Diversity issues in groups.  In M. D. Ribeiro, J. Gross, & M. M. Turner (Eds.) The college counselor’s guide to group psychotherapy (pp. 21-35).  New York, NY: Routledge.
3. Kivlighan, D. M. III, & Chapman, N. A. (2018). Extending the multicultural orientation (MCO) framework to group psychotherapy: A clinical illustration. Psychotherapy, 55, 39-44.
4. Riberio, M. D., & Turner, M. M. (2017). Racial and social justice implications on the practice of group psychotherapy. In M. D. Ribeiro, J. Gross, & M. M. Turner (Eds.) The college counselor’s guide to group psychotherapy (pp. 36-55).  New York, NY: Routledge. 
5. Steffen, J. (2015). A paradigm shift from safe space to brave space: Dialogues in multicultural group therapy.  The Group Psychologist, 25(1), 6-8.
 
Workshop 80
Don't Push the River; It Flows By Itself…Exploring Existential Factors in Group
 
Chairs:
Maryetta Andrews-Sachs, MA, LICSW, CGP, FAGPA, Dean- National Group Psychotherapy Institute, Washington School of Psychiatry, Washington, DC
Farooq Mohyuddin, MD, CGP, FAGPA, Chair of Psychiatry Training, St. Elizabeths Hospital, Washington, DC

Existential issues weave throughout all of our work in group therapy. This workshop is focused on the vital role that having choices, finding purpose, feeling connected, and confronting our losses plays in human lives. In order to be fully alive, we must move past our defenses, risk vulnerability, and confront "the givens of existence."  In this workshop, we will combine didactic and experiential experiences to explore these issues together.
Experiential/ Demonstration/ Didactic/ Sharing of work experiences

Learning Objectives:
The attendee will be able to:
1. Identify existential issues as they weave throughout all of our work in group therapy.
2. State the role isolation plays in the lives of group members.
3.  Analyze the denial in our culture around issues of termination, death, and other losses.
4.  Teach group members how to create goals for living life without accumulating regret.
5..Describe the effectiveness of an approach that focuses on existential issues.
 
Course References:
1. Iacovou, S., & Weixel-Dixon, K. (2015). Existential Therapy: 100 Key Points and Techniques. London, England & New York, NY: Routledge/Taylor & Francis Group.
2.  Deurzen, E. van & Adams, M.  (2016). Skills in Existential Counseling & Psychotherapy (2nd ed., Skills in Existential Counseling and Psychotherapy Series). London, England: Sage.
3,  Yalom, I.D. (2017). Becoming Myself: A Psychiatrist's Memoir. New York, NY: Hachette.
4.  Grossmark, R. & Wright, F. (Eds.). (2015). Personal Reflections on Hugh Mullen: Existential Group Therapist, The One and the Many - Relational Approaches to Group Psychotherapy. Abingdon, England: Routledge.
5.  Schneider, Kirk J.  (2017). The Spirituality of Awe: Challenges to the Robotic Revolution. Buffalo, NY:  Waterfront Press.
6  Tillich, P. (1952). The Courage to Be. New Haven, CT: Yale University Press.

Workshop 81
Group Psychotherapy Supervision: Expanding Reach and Knowledge (AGPA Leadership Track)

Presented in cooperation with the International Board for Certification of Group Psychotherapists Practice Development Committee and under the auspices of the AGPA Group Supervision and Training SIG
 
Chairs:
Michelle Collins-Greene, PhD, ABPP, CGP, Private Practice, Hamden, Connecticut and Port Washington, New York
Noelle Lefforge, PhD, MHA, CGP, Associate Professor-in-Residence, University of Nevada, Las Vegas, Nevada
Stephanie McLaughlin, PhD, CGP, Licensed Psychologist I, Rawsen Neil Hospital, Las Vegas, Nevada

Attendees will increase expertise in conducting group psychotherapy supervision within their respective practice setting (e.g., academic, private practice, hospitals and agencies). The workshop will address personal challenges of group psychotherapy supervision, and include an overview of CGP requirements, theories of supervision, and practical steps to forming new supervision groups.
Didactic/ Experiential/ Sharing of Work Experiences/ Demonstration

Learning Objectives:
The attendee will be able to:
1. State challenges, practical aspects, and solutions to develop a supervision group within your respective setting to meet CGP supervision training requirements.
2. Identify the structure, model, contract, transference/countertransference of your group Supervisory Relationship.
3. State common ethical challenges in group training and supervision.  
4. Identify strategies for training group leaders to develop cultural humility in group leadership.

Course References:
1. American Group Psychotherapy Association Science to Service Task Force (2007). Practice Guidelines for Group Psychotherapy. Available at http://www.agpa.org/home/practice-resources/practice-guidelines-for-group-psychotherapy
2. Stockton, R., Morran, K., & Chang, S. (2014). An overview of current research and best practices for training beginning group leaders. In J. DeLucia-Waack, D. Gerrity, C. Kalodner, & M. Riva (Eds.), Handbook of Group Counseling and Psychotherapy (pp. 133-145). Thousand Oaks: SAGE.
3. Counselman, E.F., & Abernethy, A. (2011). Supervisory reactions: An important aspect of supervision. International Journal of Group Psychotherapy, 61(2), 196-216. doi: 10.1521/ijgp.2011.61.2.196
4. Riva, M. (2014). Supervision of group leaders. In J. DeLucia-Waack, D. Gerrity, C. Kalodner, & M. Riva (Eds.), Handbook of Group Counseling and Psychotherapy (pp. 133-145). Thousand Oaks: SAGE.
5. Goodrich, K. (2008) Dual relationships in group training. The Journal for Specialists in Group Work, 33:3, 221-235, DOI:10.1080/01933920802204981
6. Spitz, H. I., & Bernard, H. S. (2006). Training in Group Psychotherapy Supervision. New York: American Group Psychotherapy Association.
7.Bemak, F., & Chi Ying Chung, R. (2018). Race Dialogues in group psychotherapy: Key issues in training and practice. International Journal of Group Psychotherapy, 69(2), 172-191.

Workshop 82
A Creative Exploration of Co-Leadership in Groups
 
Chairs:
Roberta Mineo, PhD, Senior Research Fellow, University of Modena and Reggio Emilia, Italy
Mona Rakhawy, MD, CGP, President, The Egyptian Association for Group Therapies and Processes, Cairo, Egypt

Co-leading can be exceptionally powerful source of productivity and creativity but may imply vulnerability. Co-leading dynamics swing between complementarity/integration and narcissism/schism. Ambivalence and confusion lie in middle. Cooperation for survival tends to drive the ongoing work forward. The workshop is experiential including didactic part and facilitated by creative arts.
Experiential/ Sharing of Work Experiences/ Demonstration/ Didactic
 
Learning Objectives:
The attendee will be able to:
1. Identify some of the dynamics of co-leadership in group and organizations.
2. Discuss those dynamics with a special emphasis on the co-leader’s needs.
3. Distinguish between complementarity/integration and schism/opposition in co-leadership.
4. Specify some cues for a successful co-leadership.
5. Highlight the role  of creativity in facilitating the understanding of our dynamics on personal, interpersonal and professional levels.
 
Course References:
1. Fall, K.A. (2016). Using choice theory to conceptualize co-leader relationships in group work. International Journal of Choice Theory & Reality Therapy, 36 (1), 81-91.
2. Ohrt, J. H., Ener, E., Porter, J., & Young, T. L. (2014). Group leader reflections on their training and experience: Implications for group counselor educators and supervisors. Journal for Specialists in Group Work, 39 (2): 95-124.
3. Pender, D. A., & Anderton, C. (2016). Exploring the process: A narrative analysis of group facilitators’ reports on critical incident stress debriefing. Journal for Specialists in Group Work, 41 (1): 19-43.
4. Polk, M. (2015) Transdisciplinary co-production: Designing and testing a transdisciplinary research framework for societal problem solving. Advances in transdisciplinarity 2004-2014. Futures, 65:110-122
5. Sánchez-Bahíllo, Á., Aragón-Alonso, A., Sánchez-Bahíllo, M., & Birtle, J. (2014) Therapist characteristics that predict the outcome of multipatient psychotherapy: Systematic review of empirical studies. Journal of Psychiatric Research, 53(1).
 
Workshop 83
ESP or Induction: Cultivating Intuition in Group
 
Chair:
Michelle Bohls, LMFT, IRT, CGP, Private Practice, Austin, Texas
 
We will explore the group processes that facilitate the development of intuition, or alternative channels of perception. In welcoming all aspects of knowing, the group feedback process can strengthen members’ confidence regarding their intuitive experiences and ameliorate the invalidation of growing up in a world biased for logical thinking.
Demonstration/ Experiential/ Didactic/ Sharing of Work Experiences
 
Learning Objectives:
The attendee will be able to:   
1. Define intuition and list the Nine Traits of An Intuitive Mind.
2. State how an "Invalidation Wound" happens, how it affects intuitive people, and how it can lead to the cluster of systems typically seen in highly intuitive and creative people who present for treatment in our offices, i.e. feeling emotionally overwhelmed, anxiety, self doubt, destructive behaviors, and fears of being exposed as a fraud.
3. Create an environment that encourages members to share all forms of their moment-to-moment experiences including images, body sensations, and "irrational" emotions.
4. List the risks and advantages for members to share their intuitive experiences in a group setting.
 
Course References:
1. Billow, R.M. (2016). The Therapist Dissociates: Psychic Nodules and Group Process. International Journal of Group Psychotherapy, 66:2, 261-281.
2. Burlingame, G. M., Strauss, B., & Joyce A. (2013). Change mechanisms and effectiveness of small group treatments. In M. Lambert (Ed.) Bergin & Garfield handbook of psychotherapy and behavior change. (6th ed. 640-689).  New York: Wiley & Sons.
3. Cohen, S.L. (2011). Coming to Our Senses: The Application of Somatic Psychology to Group Psychotherapy. International Journal of Group Psychotherapy, 61:3, 396-413.
4. Holmes, L. (2009). The Technique of Partial Identification: Waking Up to the World. International Journal of Group Psychotherapy, 59:2, 253-265.
5. Price, J. (2018). Into the Wild: Working with Preverbal Experiences in a Group. International Journal of Group Psychotherapy, 68:1, 1-16. DOI: 10.1080/00207284.2017.1338522
 
Workshop 84
Group Dynamics and the New Heroism: Creating a Group Context that Supports Courageous Nonviolent Action
 
Chairs:
Bill Roller, MA, LFAGPA, Private Practice, Berkeley, California
Yong Xu, MD, FAGPA, Faculty, Department of Psychiatry, Shanghai Medical School, Fudan University, Shanghai, China

What group dynamics allow individuals to obey their conscience? New research by Bill Roller and Philip Zimbardo has investigated the situational context that allows people to take nonviolent action in defense of ethical principles or people in need. The Berkeley Civic Courage and Heroism Experiment explored how to create a cohesive social network ready to pursue ethical goals. Participants will replicate some of the group dynamics of the Experiment.
 
Learning Objectives:
The attendee will be able to:
1. Practice with confidence and assertiveness the group dynamics necessary to create a Strategic Subgroup that supports conscientious behavior.
2. State the group norms that facilitate collaborative leadership in the completion of tasks of ethical significance.
3. Defend the contributions of the Scapegoat Leader by actively resisting aggressive scapegoating both inside and outside the group boundary.
4. Distinguish between sociocentric and egocentric leadership.
5. Practice how to encourage fellow participants to imagine and pursue a course of action with political and social consequences.
 
Course References:
1. Agazarian, Y. (1992). Contemporary Theories of Group Psychotherapy: A Systems Approach to the Group-as-a-Whole. International Journal of Group Psychotherapy, 42(2), 177-205.
2. Beck, A.P. (1981). The Study of Group Phase Development and Emergent Leadership. GROUP, 5, 48-54.
3. Beck, A.P. (2014). The Natural Evolution of Work Teams and Their Leaders. An unpublished article.
4. Milgram, S. (1975). Obedience to Authority: An Experimental View. New York: Harper.
5. Miller, A.G. (1986). The Obedience Experiments: A Case Study of Controversy in Social Science. New York: Praeger.
6. Roller, B., & Zimbardo, P. (2017). The Berkeley Civic Courage and Heroism Experiment: The Group Dynamics of Individuals Acting in Concert to Advance Ethical Goals in the Public Interest. International Journal of Group Psychotherapy, 67 (3).
7. Zimbardo, P. (2007). The Lucifer Effect: Understanding how Good People Turn Evil. New York: Random House.
 
Workshop 85
A Compassion Focused Approach to Group Therapy
 
Chairs:
Mark Beecher, PhD, ABPP, CGP, Clinical Professor, Brigham Young University, Provo, Utah
Gary Burlingame, PhD, CGP, DFAGPA, Faculty, Brigham Young University, Provo, Utah
Michael Buxton, PhD, Associate Clinical Professor, Brigham Young University, Provo, Utah
Kara Cattani, PhD, Associate Clinical Professor, Brigham Young University, Provo, Utah
Derek Griner, PhD, ABPP, CGP, Associate Clinical Professor, Brigham Young University, Provo, Utah
Kristina Hansen, PhD, CGP, Associate Clinical Professor, Brigham Young University, Provo, Utah
Klinton Hobbs, PhD, Associate Clinical Professor, Brigham Young University, Provo, Utah

In our workshop, we will provide participants with a basic overview of CFT, its core components, and ways to implement this form of therapy in a group setting. Our workshop will be largely experiential and will demonstrate a variety of group interventions aimed at increasing compassion toward oneself and others. These interventions also help members to increase their capacity to receive compassion from others.
Experiential/ Demonstration/ Didactic/ Sharing of Work Experiences
 
Learning Objectives:
The attendee will be able to:
1. Describe the three flows of compassion (toward self, toward others, from others).
2. Explain the concept of the tricky brain and the three emotion systems (drive, threat, soothing).
3. Identify ways to regulate body systems using soothing rhythm breathing, imagery, and other mindfulness activities.
4. Practice implementing compassion building exercises commonly used in a CFT group.
 
Course References:
1. Gale, C., Schröder, T., & Gilbert, P. (2017). ‘Do You Practice What You Preach?’ A Qualitative Exploration of Therapists' Personal Practice of Compassion Focused Therapy. Clinical Psychology & Psychotherapy, 24(1), 171-185.
2. Gilbert, P. (2009). The compassionate mind. London: Robinson.
3. Gilbert, P., & Choden. (2014). Mindful compassion: How the science of compassion can help you understand your emotions, live in the present, and connect deeply with others. Oakland, CA: New Harbinger Publications.
4. Luberto, C. M., Shinday, N., Song, R., Philpotts, L. L., Park, E. R., Fricchione, G. L., & Yeh, G. Y. (2018). A systematic review and meta-analysis of the effects of meditation on empathy, compassion, and prosocial behaviors. Mindfulness, 9(3), 708-724.
5. Sommers-Spijkerman, M. P. J., Trompetter, H. R., Schreurs, K. M. G., & Bohlmeijer, E. T. (2018). Compassion-focused therapy as guided self-help for enhancing public mental health: A randomized controlled trial. Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology, 86(2), 101.

Workshop 86
Systems-Centered Consultation: Shifting from Them to Us

Chair:
Susan Beren, PhD, Private Practice, New York, New York
 
When we respond to work frustrations by pathologizing patients/groups, we neglect our own challenges.  Learn to use a systems-centered (SCT)® approach to shift from seeing the problem “out there” to exploring our struggles as therapists.  We will do consultations in a fishbowl and use SCT methods to process the experience.
Experiential/ Demonstration/ Sharing of Work Experiences/ Didactic
 
Learning Objectives:
The attendee will be able to:
1. Describe one empathic skills acquired by shifting the focus of our challenges with our patients from “out there” to within ourselves.
2. Describe what it means to see the psychotherapy context as a system.
3. Describe the difference between explaining and exploring.
 
Course References:
1. Agazarian, Y.M. (1997). Systems‑centered therapy for groups. New York, NY: Guilford. Re‑printed in paperback (2004). London, UK: Karnac Books.
2. Ladden, L.J., Gantt, S.P., Rude, S., & Agazarian, Y.M. (2007). Systems-centered therapy: A protocol for treating generalized anxiety disorder. Journal of Contemporary Psychotherapy, 37(2), 61-70.
3. O'Neill, R.M., Constantino, M.J., & Mogle, J. (2012). Does Agazarian’s systems-centered functional subgrouping improve mood, learning and goal achievement?: A study in large groups. Group Analysis, 45, 375-390.
4. O’Neill, R.M. (2014). Systems-centered management: A brief review of theory, practice and research. Review of Public Administration and Management, 2(1).
5. O’Neill, R.M., & Mogle, J. (2015). Systems-centered functional subgrouping and large group outcome. GROUP: The Journal of the Eastern Group Psychotherapy Society, 39 (4), 303-317.
6. O’Neill, R.M., Murphy, V., Mogle, J., MacKenzie, M.J., MacGregor, K.L., Pearson, M., & Parekh, M. (2013). Are systems-centered teams more collaborative, productive and creative? Journal of Team Performance Management, 19(3/4), 201-221.

Workshop 87
Explorando la Barrera Idiomática en Grupo: El Sonido de Emociones en Español (Exploring the Language Barrier in Group: The Sound of Emotions in Spanish)

Chair:
Joan Coll, MD, Psychotherapist and Group Analyst, Private Practice, Palma, Spain
 
In an all-English speaking environment, but in a city where Spanish is the second most spoken language, we aim to find a space of dialogue between the two cultures. Spanish-speaking and bilingual participants are welcome, but also monolingual English speakers willing to immerse themselves in the sounds of a community that is both familiar and alien to them. The workshop will be conducted in Spanish (and in English whenever necessary).
Experiential/ Sharing of Work Experiences/ Demonstration/ Didactic
 
Learning Objectives:
The attendee will be able to:
1. Experience the joy (and/or the challenge) of using an unusual working language.
2. Revise preconceptions and prejudices.
3. Trust the emotions beyond the words.
4. Detect the resistances to progressive emotional communication in the here-and-now,
regardless of (or because of) the language used.
5. Feel part of a larger community.
6. Distinguish between a language-discordant and language-concordant clinician.
7. Gain thought flexibility and relational competence.
8. Manage integrative complexity.
 
Course References:
1. Guilman, S.R. (2015). Beyond interpretation: The need for English-Spanish bilingual psychotherapists in counseling centers. James Madison Undergraduate Research Journal, 2(1), 26-30.
2. Guttfreund, D.G. (1990). Effects of language usage on the emotional experience of Spanish-English and English-Spanish bilinguals. Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology, 58(5), 604-607.
3. Wierzbicka, A. (1994). Emotion, language, and cultural scripts. In S. Kitayama & H.R. Markus (Eds.), Emotion and Culture (pp. 133-196). Washington, DC: American Psychological Association. 
4. Ormont, L.R. (1999). Progressive emotional communication in the group setting: Criteria for a well-functioning group. Group Analysis, 32, 139-150.
5. Sunyer Martín, J.M. (2008). Psicoterapia de Grupo Grupoanalítica. Madrid, Spain. Editorial Biblioteca Nueva, S.L.
6. Price, J. (2017). Into the wild: Working with preverbal experiences in a group. International Journal of Group Psychotherapy. doi: 10.1080/00207284.2017.1338522. 
7. Zeisel, E. (2016). Plenary Address to the AGPA Institute: Undaunted Courage. International Journal of Group Psychotherapy, 66:4, 624-635.
8. Kapasi, Z., & Melluish, S. (2015). Language switching by bilingual therapists and its impact on the therapeutic alliance within psychological therapy with bilingual clients: A systematic review. International Journal of Culture and Mental Health, 8: 4. 458-477. doi: 10.1080/17542863.2015.1041994
 
Workshop 88
The Opposite of Addiction is Connection: The Group as an Agent Toward Sustainable Sobriety

Presented under the auspices of the AGPA Addiction & Recovery SIG and the Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual, Transgender, and Queer Issues SIG
 
Chair:
Andrew Susskind, LCSW, SEP, CGP, Private Practice, Los Angeles, California

Based on the theory that addiction stems from attachment ruptures, this workshop will explore the reparative factors of group therapy. Such themes as emotional sobriety, shame and regulation of the nervous system will be addressed. Addiction crosses all sexual and gender orientations as well as SES and cultural/ethnic backgrounds.

Learning Objectives:
The attendee will be able to:
1. Describe the correlation between trauma, addiction and attachment.
2. Explain how group members with a history of addiction develop more secure attachments through a group experience.
3. List three examples of emotional sobriety.
 
Course References:
1. Braun-Harvey, D., & Vigorito, M. (2010). Treating Out of Control Sexual Behavior: Rethinking Sex Addiction. New York: Springer.
2. Corrigan, F., & Grand, D. (2013). Recruiting the midbrain for accessing and healing sensorimotor memories of traumatic activation. Science Direct, 6 (80), 759-766.
3. Flores, P. (2004). Addiction as an Attachment Disorder. New York: Jason Aronson.
4. Katehakis, A. (2017). Sex Addiction as Affect Dysregulation: A Neurobiologically Informed Holistic Treatment. New York: W.W. Norton and Company.
5. Reid, R., Harper, J., & Anderson, E. (2009). Coping Strategies Used by Hypersexual Patients to Defend Against the Painful Effects of Shame. Journal of Clinical Psychology and Psychotherapy, 16 (2), 125-138.
6. Susskind, A. (2019). It’s Not About the Sex: Moving from Isolation to Intimacy after Sexual Addiction. Las Vegas, NV: Central Recovery Press.
7. Susskind, A. (2014). From Now On: Seven Keys to Purposeful Recovery. League City, TX: America's Press.
 

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 Group Foundation for Advancing Mental Health Luncheon
11:45 A.M. – 1:45 P.M.

Chamber Music Society of Lincoln Center

Chamber music is a form of classical music performed by a small group of players, without a conductor. Decisions about the music are made by consensus. Players must simultaneously be masters of their instrument while being highly empathetic to the other members and aware of the whole group in order to play with precision and artistic sensitivity. We are privileged to welcome three extraordinary musicians from the Chamber Music Society of Lincoln Center, Nicholas Canellakis, Paul Neubauer, and Arnaud Sussman, who will perform and also discuss some of the challenges they face as members of a leaderless group charged with such a demanding undertaking. AGPA Member Priscilla Kauff, PhD, DLFAGPA will lead the discussion.

This event is included with the five-day Institute and Conference package or the three-day Conference registration.

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Afternoon Open Session
2:00 – 4:30 P.M.

Session 313
The Large Group

Presented in cooperation with the Systems-Centered Training and Research Institute

Facilitators: 
Susan Gantt, PhD, ABPP, CGP, DFAGPA
Claudia Byram, PhD, CGP
Frances Carter, MSS, LSW
Ray Haddock, MBChB, MMedSc, FRCPsych

Consultant: 
Robi Friedman, PhD
 
Using systems-centered’s (SCT) method of functional subgrouping, this large group will explore the emergent system dynamics and conflicts we have as members, subgroups and as a large group-as-a-whole in each phase of system development. Functional subgrouping supports discriminating and integrating differences as the process by which all living human systems survive, develop and transform. Thinking systems facilitates us discovering how our large group functioning is isomorphic with the larger social contexts in which we are nested.

Sessions are also offered Thursday and Friday (1:00-2:15pm)

Participants are encouraged to attend all sessions

Learning Objectives:
The attendee will be able to:
1. Apply functional subgrouping in a large group context.
2. Identify how functional subgrouping enables groups to develop by integrating differences rather than splitting and polarizing.
3. Describe the similarities and differences between the inner-person where we feel like ourselves, the inter-person where we are related with others toward a common goal, and the whole-system context and its norms.
4. Differentiate between what the large group is open to in each phase and what it is closed to.
5. Discuss how the large group is nested in the context of the AGPA conference which is nested in the context of AGPA and how the large group functions is isomorphic with its larger context both within AGPA and at all system levels.
6. Differentiate between explaining which reiterates the known and exploring which takes us to the unknown and opens to emergence.
 
Course References:
1. Agazarian, Y.M., & Carter, F. (1993). The large group and systems-centered theory. GROUP: The Journal of the Eastern Group Psychotherapy Society, 17(4), 210-234.
2. Gantt, S.P., & Agazarian, Y.M. (2011). Highlights from ten years of a systems-centered large group: Work in progress. Voices: The Art and Science of Psychotherapy, 47(1), 40-50.
3. Gantt, S.P., & Agazarian, Y.M. (2017). Systems-centered group therapy. International Journal of Group Psychotherapy, 67(sup1), S60-S70. doi: 10.1080/00207284.2016.1218768
4. Gantt, S.P. (2018). Developing groups that change our minds and transform our brains: Systems-centered’s functional subgrouping, its impact on our neurobiology, and its role in each phase of group development. Psychoanalytic Inquiry: Today’s Bridge Between Psychoanalysis and the Group World [Special Issue]. 38(4), 270-284.
5. O’Neill, R.M., & Mogle, J. (2015). Systems-centered functional subgrouping and large group outcome. GROUP: The Journal of the Eastern Group Psychotherapy Society, 39 (4), 303-317. doi: 10.13186/group.39.4.0303
6. Whitcomb, K.E., O’Neill, R.M., Burlingame, G.M., Mogle, J., Gantt, S.P., Cannon, J.A.N., & Roney, T. (2018). Measuring how systems-centered® members connect with group dynamics: FSQ-2 construct validity. International Journal of Group Psychotherapy, 68(2), 163-183. doi: 10.1080/00207284.2017.1381024

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Workshop 89
Microaggressions from the Inside Out: Self, Pairs, and Group Impact

Chair:
Sabrina Crawford, PsyD, Private Practice, Washington, DC
 
This workshop explores the insidious nature of microaggressions and their impact within the individual, dyads, and groups, illuminating how seemingly innocent comments can be disruptive to forging life-giving relationships personally and professionally.  Two psychologists of color will gently raise awareness around microaggressions using self-disclosure and experiential dyadic and group exercises.  The group will work together to explore how best to handle microaggressions and facilitators will demonstrate how to work with them in the demonstration groups.
Experiential/ Demonstration/ Sharing of Work Experiences/ Didactic

Learning Objectives:
The attendee will be able to:
1. Describe one's own culture and upbringing and examine its impact on his or her outlook and cultural assumptions.
2. Identify well-meant comments that have the potential to offend.
3. Attendees will be able to distinguish between helpful generalizations and stereotypes that we use to categorize people, being able to use the first, and avoid the latter.
4. Explain what a microaggression is including the often unconscious or unintentional component.
5. Demonstrate productive dialogue on a topic that is so often characterized by heated debate.
 
Course References:
1. Comas-Díaz, L. (2016). Racial trauma recovery: A race-informed therapeutic approach to racial wounds. In A. N. Alvarez, C. T. H. Liang, & H. A. Neville (Eds.), The cost of racism for people of color: Contextualizing experiences of discrimination. Cultural, racial, and ethnic psychology book series (pp. 249 –272). Washington, DC: American Psychological Association. http://dx.doi.org/10.1037/14852-012
2. Nadal, K. L., Griffin, K. E., Wong, Y., Hamit, S., & Rasmus, M. (2014). The impact of racial microaggressions on mental health: Counseling implications for clients of color. Journal of Counseling and Development, 92, 57– 66. http://dx.doi.org/10.1002/j.1556-6676.2014.00130.x
3. Sue, D. W., Alsaidi, S, Awad, M.N., Glaeser, E., Calle, C.Z., & Mendez, M. (2019). Disarming racial microaggressions:  Microintervention strategies for targets, white allies, and bystanders. American Psychologist, 74 (1), 128-142.
4. Williams, M. T., Kanter, J., & Debreaux, M. (2017, November). Trauma symptoms and racial mistreatment in African Americans. Symposium presentation for the 51st Annual Convention of the Association of Behavioral and Cognitive Therapies. San Diego, CA.
5. Williams, M. T., Printz, D. M. B., & DeLapp, R. C. T. (2018, October 1). Assessing Racial Trauma With the Trauma Symptoms of Discrimination Scale. Psychology of Violence. Advance online publication. http://dx.doi.org/10.1037/vio0000212
 
Workshop 90
Breaking the "No Talk" Rule Around (Real) Money Issues

Chairs:
Michelle Davenport, LMFT, CGP, Private Practice, Maui, Hawaii
Richard Kahler, MSFP, ChFC, CFP, Adjunct Faculty, Golden Gate University, San Francisco, California

Group therapists are more comfortable facilitating discussions of clients' most intimate sexual details than talking about their money issues. The intense shame most therapists and clients carry about money issues make it a taboo topic in most groups. This workshop uses real money exercises and didactic processes to promote healthy attachments to money in practitioners and clients. Please bring an amount of cash in small bills you are willing to lose.
Experiential/ Sharing of Work Experiences/ Didactic/ Demonstration

Learning Objectives:
The attendee will be able to:
1. Describe and identify disordered and problematic money behaviors formed by early childhood trauma.
2. Identify personal disordered money and problematic money behaviors in yourself that may harm the therapeutic relationship.
3. Experience accessing your disordered and problematic money behaviors using real money in group exercises.
4. Compare and contrast several real money exercises to help group members surface awareness of disordered money behaviors in the group setting.
5. Identify your most influential money scripts and money type.
 
Course References:
1. Klontz. B. Kahler. R., & Klontz. T. (2016). Facilitating Financial Health. Kentucky: NUCO.
2. Klontz. B, Britt. S., & Archuleta. K. (2015). Financial Therapy. Switzerland: Springer International.
3. Klontz. B, Britt. S. Mentzer, J., & Klontz. T. (2011). Money beliefs and financial behaviors: Development of the Klontz Money Script Inventory. Journal of Financial Therapy, 2, 1-22.
4. Gale, J., Goetz. J., & Bermudez. M. (2009). Relational Financial Therapy - The not-so-surprising relationship of money to relationships. Family Therapy Magazine. September/October. 25-29.
5. Klontz. B, Klontz. P. Bivens. A. Wada. J. & Kahler. R. (2008). The Treatment of Disordered Money Behaviors: Results of an Open Clinical Trial. Psychological Services, 5(3). 295-308.

Workshop 91
Where the Wild Things Are: Finding our “Other” in Group

Presented under the auspices of the AGPA Mental Health and Institutional Settings SIG

Chairs:
Simon Bresler, LCSW, CGP, Family Services of Westchester, Community Mental Health, White Plains, New York
Kerin Nadler, MS, BC-DMT, LCAT, CGP, Mount Sinai Hospital and Private Practice, New York, New York

In intimate and polarized spaces we take refuge in our affiliations, overestimate our differences, and live in the comfort of our narratives. This workshop explores the ways we (dis)engage with and (de)identify as the “Other,” both intrapsychically and interpersonally, and how we can communicate more authentically to deepen connections.
Experiential/ Didactic/ Sharing of Work Experiences
 
Learning Objectives:
The attendee will be able to:
1. Explore who/what is the “Other,” and where it may be located.
2. Recognize and identify signs that “Othering” is occurring.
3. Identify 6 leadership skills to address “Othering.”
4. Define qualities of healthy “Othering.”
5. Practice tolerating experiences that may be uncomfortable in clinical work.
 
Course References:
1. Aron, L. (2006). Analytic impasse and the third: Clinical implications of intersubjectivity theory. The International Journal of Psychoanalysis, 87(2), 349-368.
2. Berman, A. (2014). Post-Traumatic Victimhood and Group Analytic Therapy: Intersubjectivity, Empathic Witnessing and Otherness. Group Analysis, 47(3), 242-256.
3. Brons, Lajos L. (2015). Othering, an analysis. Transience, a Journal of Global Studies, 6 (1):69-90.
4. Gillespie, A. (2007). Collapsing self/other positions: Identification through differentiation. British Journal of Social Psychology, 46(3), 579-595.
5. Rosenberg, M. (2015). Nonviolent Communication: A Language of Life: Life-Changing Tools for Healthy Relationships. PuddleDancer Press.
6. Suchet, M. (2010). Face to face. Psychoanalytic Dialogues, 20(2), 158-171.

Workshop 92
Memorializing Farewell
 
Chairs:
Jeffrey Mendell, MD, CGP, Medical Director (retired), Allegany County Health Department, Outpatient Mental Health Center, Cumberland, Maryland
Marsha Vannicelli, PhD, CGP, LFAGPA, Private Practice, Cambridge, Massachusetts
 
Salient aspects of termination, and resistance to experiencing the attendant sadness, regret and disappointment, will be illuminated. A structured experiential format will help participants explore the meaning of endings in their own lives, and in the groups that they lead, as they say good-bye at the end of the conference.
Experiential/ Demonstration/ Sharing of Work Experiences/ Didactic
 
Learning Objectives:
The attendee will be able to:
1. Describe salient aspects of termination, grieving and loss as it relets to participants own personal experience.
2.Enumerate the kinds of endings that people face and the complicated feelings associated with endings.
3. Describe the work that get done, (as well as resistance) as individuals are faced with the task of saying goodbye.
4. List ways that they can help their patients more effectively do the work of termination and break through defenses.
 
Course References:
1. Behnke, S, (2009). Stephen Termination and abandonment: A key ethical distinction. Monitor on Psychology, 40: 8.
2. Brown N.W. (2014). Is there an afterlife. In L. Motherwell & S. Shay (Eds.), Complex Dilemmas in Group therapy, 215 -222.
3. Mangione, L., Forti, R., & Jacuzzi, C. (2007). Ethics and endings in group psychotherapy: Saying goodbye and saying it well. International Journal of Group Psychotherapy, 57(11), 25-40.
4. Rutan, J.S., Stone, W.N., & Shay, J.J. (2014). Termination in Group Psychotherapy, Psychodynamic Group Psychotherapy (5th Edition). Guilford, 2014. chapter 16, pp. 376-399.
5. Vannicelli, M. (2005). Commentary on Therapist Initiated Termination. International Journal of Group Psychotherapy, 55: 311-15.

Workshop 93
Authenticity in Leadership: Uses of Self in Group Work
 
Presented under the auspices of the AGPA Mental Health Agency and Institutional Settings SIG

Chairs:
Elizabeth Dietrich, MSW, Private Practice, Palo Alto, California
Kurt White, LICSW, LADC, CGP, FAGPA, Senior Director of Ambulatory Services, Brattleboro Retreat, Brattleboro, Vermont

New—and experienced—group leaders hesitate to reveal a foible, raise their voice, or crack a joke.  Yet spontaneity, like silence, has tremendous power.  This workshop explores how to remain client-centered as you become more genuine and authentic in groups.
Sharing of Work Experiences/ Demonstration/ Didactic/ Experiential

Learning Objectives:
The attendee will be able to:
1. Name three ways group members benefit when their leader is more human and accessible.
2. Describe three group leader behaviors that demonstrate spontaneity and increase connection.
3. Describe two options for responding when a group member is angry at you.
 
Course References:
1. Alonso, A., & Rutan, J. S. (1996). Activity/Non-activity and the group therapist: Don't just do something, sit there!; Group, 20(1).
2. Aran, L W. (2016). The conductor’s self-disclosure of negative countertransference in group analytic psychotherapy. Group Analysis, 49(4), 385-397.
3. Fosha, D., Siegel, D.J., Solomon, M., Editors (2009). The healing power of emotion: Affective neuroscience, development, and clinical practice. New York: W.W. Norton.
4. Gans, J. (2010). Difficult topics in group psychotherapy. London: Karnac Books.
5. Havens, L. (1996). A safe place: Laying the groundwork for psychotherapy. Cambridge: Harvard University Press.
6. Milgrom, H., Hait, T., & Vogel, T. (2016). Intricate interplays in women's groups: Vulnerability and strength meet in the second half of life. Women & Therapy, 39:3-4, 260-279, DOI:10.1080/02703149.2016.1116860
7. Miller, W. R. & Rollnick, S. (2013). Motivational interviewing: Helping people change, 3 rd Ed. New York: Guilford Press.
8. Wallin, D. J. (2007). Attachment in psychotherapy. New York: Guilford Press.

Master Workshop 94
The Aging Therapist
 
Chairs:
Rachel Ginzberg, PsyD, Private Practice, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Elizabeth Shapiro, PhD, CGP, Assistant Professor of Psychology in the Department of Psychiatry (part time), Harvard Medical School, Cambridge, Massachusetts

Open to participants with more than ten years of group psychotherapy experience

This workshop will examine how aging affects the therapist and his/her practice of group and individual psychotherapy. Presenters will include a didactic component, small group discussion of vignettes, and a process group in which themes of aging will be explored. We will examine the intersection of the personal and professional life of the therapist and the value of peer support and group process.
Didactic/ Experiential/ Sharing of Work Experiences/ Demonstration

Learning Objectives:
The attendee will be able to:
1. Assess how aging has impacted their professional lives in ways that enhance and diminish their capabilities.
2. Identify fears and concerns they have as they face the complexities of aging. In particular, they will identify areas that may require change and/or accommodation.
3. List the factors to consider when they are ready to close or limit their practice of psychotherapy. This will include discussion of a professional will, termination and communication with current and former patients.
4. State the ethical factors related to aging, retirement, and cognitive capacity.
 
Course References:
1. Baum-Baicker, C., & Sisti, D.A. (2012). Clinical wisdom in psychoanalytic and psychodynamic psychotherapy: A philosophical and qualitative analysis. Journal of Clinical Ethics, 23(1), 13-27.
2. Fieldsteel, N.D. (2011). The aging therapist. Group. Eastern Group Psychotherapy Society, 35(1), 11-16.
3. Masur, C. (Ed.). (2018). Flirting with death: Psychoanalysts consider mortality. London: Karnac Books.
4. Orlinsky, D.E. and Ronnestad, M.H. (2015). Psychotherapists growing older: A study of senior practitioners. Journal of Clinical Psychology: In Session, 7(11), 1128-1138.
5. Rutan, J.S. (2011).  Introduction: The aging of group therapists. Group: The Journal of the Eastern Group Psychotherapy Society, 35(1), 3-5.
6. Staroba, K. (Ed.). (2017). Aging and psychotherapy. Voices: The Art and Science of Psychotherapy. American Academy of Psychotherapists, 53(3).
7. Steiner, A. (2011).  The therapist's professional will: A backup plan every clinician needs. Group: The Journal of the Eastern Group Psychotherapy Society, 35(1), 33-40.

Workshop 95
Eliciting Compassion and Acceptance in Group: Experiential Interventions for Shame and Self-Criticism

Presented under the auspices of the AGPA College Counseling and Other Educational Settings SIG

Chair:
Giovanna Rivano Gomez, PsyD, Licensed Clinical Psychologist, Private Practice, Chicago, Illinois
Scott Hamilton, MS, LMHC, Staff Counselor/Outreach Coordinator, DePauw University, Greencastle, Indiana
Leslie Veach, MS, LPCS, NCC, Group Coordinator/Counselor, East Carolina University, Greenville, North Carolina

The critical-self, manifested by thoughts, feelings, and beliefs can result in experiential avoidance This workshop explores Acceptance and Commitment Therapy and Compassion-Focused Therapy, evidence-based theoretical frameworks that offer experiential avenues to promote acceptance of difficult internal responses that clients might otherwise move away from, further insight, and build group cohesiveness.
Experiential/ Didactic/ Demonstration/ Sharing of Work Experiences

Learning Objectives:
The attendee will be able to:
1. Identify the primary goals of Acceptance and Commitment Therapy and Compassion-Focused Therapy.
2. Define experiential avoidance and describe how it may impact behavior in and out of group.
3. List and describe experiential interventions that can be utilized in group to develop compassion toward self and others.
4. List and describe experiential interventions that can be utilized in group to deepen psychological flexibility.
5. Describe ways ACT and CFT interventions are utilized in College/University Counseling Center groups.
 
Course References:
1. Neff, K. D., & Germer, C. (2017). Self-Compassion and Psychological Wellbeing. In J. Doty (Ed.) Oxford Handbook of Compassion Science, Chap. 27. Oxford University Press.
2. Pistorello, J. (Ed.) (2013). Mindfulness and Acceptance for Counseling College Students: Theory and Practical Applications for Intervention, Prevention, and Outreach. Oakland, CA: Context Press.
3. Ribiero, M.D., Gross, J.M., & Turner, M.M. (Eds). 2018. The College Counselor’s Guide to Group Psychotherapy. New York, NY; Routledge.
4. Tirch, D., Schoendorff, B., & Silberstein, L. R. (2014). The ACT Practitioner's Guide to the Science of Compassion: Tools for Fostering Psychological Flexibility. Oakland, CA: New Harbinger Publications.
5. Westrup, D., & Wright, M. J. (2017). Learning ACT for Group Treatment: An Acceptance and Commitment Therapy Skills Training Manual for Therapists. Oakland, CA: Context Press.

Workshop 96
Aspects of Hope: Time, Limitations and Imagination in the Analytic Group
 
Chair:
Ido Peleg, MD, Director, Acute Open Department of Psychiatry, Mazor Mental Health Center, Akko, Israel

Hope can be seen as the willingness to exercise transcendent imagination in an attempt to overcome obstacles to the fulfillment of desirous expectations. A hopeful attitude toward the future is related to one's history of eliciting attuned responses from significant others, leading to a sense of agency. This workshop will explore the ways a group affects its members' perception of future possibilities, holding in its matrix both opportunities and limits.
Didactic/ Experiential/ Demonstration/ Sharing of Work Experiences
 
Learning Objectives:
The attendee will be able to:
1. Discuss theoretical aspects of the concept of 'hope' and their relevance to group therapy.
2. Explain the relation between hope, forms of vitality and the subjective experience of time.
3. Explain the concept of 'Ego training in action'.
4. Identify enactments of future possibilities in a group process.
5. Identify how the leader and the group co-construct feelings of aliveness and hope in the group.
6. Apply the concepts presented to his groups.

Course References:
1. Brown, D. (1994). Self development through subjective interaction: A fresh look at 'ego training in action'. In D. Brown & L. Zinkin (Eds.), The psyche and the social world (pp 89-98). London & Philadelphia: Jessica Kingsley Publishers.
2. Cooper, S. (2016). Revisiting the analyst as old and new object: The analyst's failures and the therapeutic action of psychoanalysis. In S. Cooper (Ed.), The analyst's experience of the depressive position. London & New York: Routledge.
3. Grossmark, R. (2015). Repairing the irreparable: The flow of enactive engagement in group psychotherapy. In R. Grossmark & F. Wright (Eds.), The one and the many: Relational approaches to group psychotherapy. New York & London: Routledge.
4. Hopper E. (2003). On the Nature of Hope in Psychoanalysis and Group Analysis. In: A. Hopper (Ed.), The social unconscious. London & Philadelphia: Jessica Kingsley Publishers.
5. Lewis, A., & Atlas, G. (2015). Generative Enactment: Memories From the Future. Psychoanalytic Dialogues, 25:3, 309-324
6. Seligman, S. (2016). Disorders of Temporality and The Subjective Experience of Time: Unresponsive Objects and the Vacuity of the Future. Psychoanalytic Dialogues, 26:2, 110-128
7. Schwartz-Cooney, A. (2018). Vitalizing Enactment: A Relational Exploration. Psychoanalytic Dialogues, 28:3, 340-354.
 
Workshop 97
The Rules of Engagement: Using Couples Therapy Principles in Group

Chair:
Lee Kassan, MA, CGP, LFAGPA,Private Practice, New York, New York

The same guidelines that foster attachment and intimacy in couples can also create engagement in group. This workshop will teach principles and techniques for fostering emotional communication and authenticity. A process group will show how to apply these ideas to help people confront their fears of self-disclosure.
Experiential/ Didactic/ Demonstration/ Sharing of Work Experiences
 
Learning Objectives:
The attendee will be able to:
1. State the rules for emotionally intimate conversation.
2. Utilize these rules to improve communication in the group.
3. Identify resistances that block intimate self-disclosure.
 
Course References:
1. Gottman, J. M. (1994). Why marriages succeed or fail: And how you can make yours last. New York: Simon & Schuster.
2. Johnson, S. (2004). The practice of emotionally focused couple therapy: Creating connection. New York: Routledge
3. Pearl, L., & Kassan, L. D. (2012). Beginning couple therapy: Helping couples attain emotional fluency. GROUP, 36(1), 3–18.
4. Wallin, D. (2007). Attachment in psychotherapy. New York: Guilford.
5. Wile, D. W. (1981). Couples therapy: A nontraditional approach. New York: Wiley.

Workshop 98
Core Integrative CBT Skills for Adult ADHD Groups

Presented in cooperation with the International Board for Certification of Group Psychotherapists
 
Chair:
Greg Crosby, MA, LPC, CGP, FAGPA,Private Practice, Lake Oswego, Oregon

Adult ADHD is not just attention deficit in low interest activities it is also over focusing in high interest activities. This workshop will delineate core integrative CBT skills that can be easily used in group. The workshop will examine  how IPNB and  Howard Gardner’s Intelligence Theory can be used in group.
Didactic/ Experiential/ Demonstration/ Sharing of Work Experiences
 
Learning Objectives:
The attendee will be able to:
1. Delineate over and under focusing in ADHD and examine group leader facilitation skills in this area
2. Identify key behavioral, cognitive and communication tools and how to sequence and pace them in group.
3. Delineate how learning styles can impact attention and illustrate group leader skills to identify learning styles.
 
Course References:
1. Armstrong, T. (2010). Neurodiversity. Boston: Da Capo Life Long Learning Book.
2.. Brown, T. (2015). Attention deficit disorder: The unfocused mind in children and adult. New Haven, CT.: Yale University Press
3. Crosby, G., & Lippert, T. (2017). Transforming ADHD: Simple, effective & action regulation to help you focus & succeed. Oakland, CA.: New Harbinger Press.
4.Danker, Y., et al. (2017). Corigendum: Prestimulus Inhibition of Saccades in Adults With and Without  Attention –Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorders: An Index of Temporal Expectations. Psychological Science, 28 (9), pp.1369-1370.
5. Driessche, C.V., Bastian, M., Peyre, H.,Stordeur, C., Acquaviva, E., & Bahadori, S. (2017). Attentional Lapses in Attention-Deficit/Hyperactive Disorder: Blank Rather than Wandering  Thoughts. Psychological Science, 28 (10).
6. Kane, M.J.,Gross ,G.M., Chun,C.A., Smeekens, B.A., Meier., M.E., Silvia, P.J.,& Kwapil, T.R. (2017). For  Whom  the Mind Wanders, and When ,Varies across Laboratory and Daily Life Settings. Psychological  Science, 28(9) 1271-1289.
7. Kolberg, J., & Nadeau, K. (2012). Organize your mind: Organize your life. New York: Psychology Press.

 

Workshop 99
Renewing Attention to the Here-and-Now: Present-Centered and Wellness Group Treatments for PTSD

Chair:
Barbara Niles, PhD, Clinical Psychologist, National Center for PTSD, VA Boston Healthcare System, Boston, Massachusetts
Daniel Gross, MSW, Clinical Social Worker, Veteran's Administration Puget Sound Healthcare System, Seattle, Washington
DeAnna Mori, PhD, Director of Behavioral Medicine, VA Boston Healthcare System, Boston, Massachusetts
William Unger, PhD, Clinical Psychologist, VA Healthcare System, Providence VAMC, Providence, Rhode Island
Melissa Wattenberg, PhD, Program Manager, Psychosocial Rehabilitation and Recovery Center, VA Boston Healthcare System Outpatient Clinic, Boston, Massachusetts

Present-centered and wellness approaches to PTSD have garnered recent attention as effective treatments that do not require a focus on traumatic events. Course leaders will review evidence and provide demonstrations to illustrate two treatments for promoting positive functioning and wellness and methods for managing in-group reactions to trauma triggers.
Didactic/ Demonstration/ Experiential/ Sharing of Work Experiences
 
Learning Objectives:
The attendee will be able to:
1. Identify DSM-5 diagnostic criteria for PTSD and symptoms that relate to group therapy.
2. Describe the rationale for Present Centered Group Therapy for PTSD.
3. Identify components of Wellness promotion and goal setting.
4. Discuss methods for managing intense reactions to trauma triggers in group therapy settings.
 
Course References:
1. Frost, N. D., Laska, K. M., & Wampold, B. E. (2014). The Evidence for Present‐Centered Therapy as a Treatment for Posttraumatic Stress Disorder. Journal of Traumatic Stress, 27(1), 1-8.
2. Niles, B. L., Klunk-Gillis, J., Ryngala, D. J., Silberbogen, A. K., Paysnick, A., & Wolf, E. J. (2012). Comparing mindfulness and psychoeducation treatments for combat-related PTSD using a telehealth approach. Psychological Trauma: Theory, Research, Practice, and Policy, 4, 538-547. doi: 10.1037/a0026161.
3. Polusny, M.A., Erbes, C.R., Thuras, P., et al. (2015). Mindfulness-based stress reduction for posttraumatic stress disorder among veterans: A randomized clinical trial. Journal of the American Medical Association, 314, 456-465. DOI: 10.1001/jama.2015.8361.
4. Schnurr, P.P., Friedman, M., Foy, D.W., Shea, M.T., Hsieh, F.Y., Lavori, P.W., Glynn, S. M., Wattenberg, M., & Bernardy, N.C. (2003). Randomized Trial of Trauma-Focused Group Therapy for Posttraumatic Stress Disorder: Results From a Department of Veterans Affairs Cooperative Study. Archives of General Psychiatry, 60, 481-489.
5. Sloan, D. M., Feinstein, B.A., Gallagher, M.W., Beck, J.G., & Keane, T.M. (2013). Efficacy of group treatment for posttraumatic stress disorder symptoms: A meta-analysis. Psychological Trauma: Theory, Research, Practice, and Policy, 5, 176-183.

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Thursday, March 5:

• Overview of Thursday Sessions

• Event Descriptions for Thursday
   
  

Friday, March 6:

• Overview of Friday Sessions

• Event Descriptions for Friday

Click here to register now!