How To Launch and Sustain a Vibrant Group

Workshop 1: The composition of the group

4 sessions

January 10, 17, 24, & 31, 2026 9:00 - 10:15 am PST

This foundational section guides participants through the intricate process of establishing a cohesive and therapeutic group environment. You will learn how:

  • To prepare and assess an individual’s readiness for group.

  • How to craft a mutual agreement that outlines the responsibilities and expectations of the participants and the group leader.

  • How the contract in any group setting guides the group process.

  • How a well-composed contract can overcome resistance to progress and mitigate anxieties that hinder the group process.

Workshop 2: preparing the group leaders

4 sessions

February 21 & 28, 2026 and March 7 & 14, 2026 9:00 am - 10:15 am PST

Three oranges on a reflective surface with a gray background.

These four sessions highlight the role of the group leader in creating an environment for change. You will learn how to:

  • Address both overt and subtle resistance within the group

  • Techniques to manage immediate emotional responses.

  • Transform silence—an important element—into an opportunity for reflection.

  • Strategies for engaging quieter members.

  • Use emotional communication to resolve resistance within the group.

Workshop 3: the group leader’s emotional experience

4 sessions

April 4, 11, 18, & 25, 2026 9:00 am - 10:15 am PST

This workshop will teach you:

  • The importance of the group leader’s emotional experience.

  • How to analyze your emotional reactions.

  • How the group leader’s emotional landscape can shape and influence the group environment

  • Techniques to develop mindful interventions. 

Workshop 4: techniques for any group setting

4 sessions

May 2, 16, & 30, 2026 and

June 6, 2026 9:00 am - 10:15 PST

These four sessions will provide you with:

  • Techniques to create connections among group members

  • Techniques to navigate and channel negative impulses into verbal expressions

  • Techniques that offer emotional communication.

  • Techniques to assess group dynamics with clarity and understanding of the underlying dynamics among members.

  • Techniques to anchor discussions in the here and now.

  • Techniques to sustain the group through progressive emotional communication.

Assorted sliced tropical fruits including dragon fruit, blood orange, kumquat, and lychee on a pink background.

Registration begins November 5, 2025, and ends January 9, 2026

A limited number of applicants are accepted

Each individual session is 75 minutes and is eligible for 1.5 continuing education (CE) credits, totaling 6 CE credits for each workshop, for LMFT, LPCC, LEPS, and LCSW professionals licensed in California. Each 4-session workshop will equal 6 (CE) credits. A certificate of attendance with CE hours is offered to those not licensed in CA.

View Learning Objectives