How to launch & sustain a vibrant group learning objectives

How to launch & sustain a vibrant group

Four workshops with four 75-minute sessions each

This workshop series comprises four workshops, each with four sessions. The workshop series will teach you how to develop the process of launching and sustaining a vibrant group. Groups are a tremendous opportunity for growth and development. Groups are successful when leaders and participants understand and agree on what their respective responsibilities are for the group to progress forward. In these workshops, we will study the text “The Technique of Group Treatment” by Louis R. Ormont and associated papers for each session, and engage in in-depth discussions designed to bring the group experience into the immediate moment.

Workshop I: How to Start a Group

This foundational section guides participants through the intricate process of establishing a cohesive and therapeutic group environment. 

—Session 1: Preparation of Patients: Learn the art of preparing and assessing individuals’ readiness for group dynamics, fostering an open-minded atmosphere that encourages vulnerability.

— Session 2: Establishing the Group Contract: Learn to craft a mutual agreement that delineates the responsibilities and expectations of all participants, including the group leader, thereby setting the stage for meaningful interactions. 

  — Session 3: The Role of the Contract in Group Settings: Explore the significance of the contract in any group setting, not merely as a formality but as a living document that guides the group process and serves as a constant reminder of shared goals and a framework that supports individual and collective progress.

— Session 4: The Importance of the Contract in Overcoming Resistance to Progress: By understanding the mechanisms behind resistance, group leaders will learn how a well-crafted contract can effectively mitigate anxieties that hinder participants from fully engaging in the group process and embracing change. 

Workshop II: Preparing the Group Leader(s)

This segment examines the group leader’s pivotal role in fostering an environment conducive to transformation, emphasizing the skills that facilitate a thriving therapy group.

— Session 1: The Group Leader’s Role in Addressing Resistance: Group leaders will explore strategies to identify and skillfully address overt and subtle resistance within the group, equipping leaders with tools to foster an atmosphere of honesty and trust.

— Session 2: Strategies for Overcoming Resistance to Immediacy: This module teaches various techniques to help group leaders guide group participants in expressing emotions and issues in real-time, cultivating the power of the present moment in a group that promotes deeper exploration.

— Session 3: Managing Silence: Group leaders will learn to interpret the often complex nature of silence within the group dynamics, turning it from a source of discomfort into a powerful opportunity for reflection and introspection. Techniques for Engaging Silent Members in Groups: Group leaders will acquire skills to draw out quiet group members, ensuring that every voice is heard and valued in the collective narrative.

— Session 4: Utilizing Emotional Communication to Resolve Group Resistance: Group leaders will explore the richness and transformative power of emotional communication, learning techniques that will foster connection and understanding, and break down barriers within the group.

Workshop III: Countertransference in Group Settings

This session invites participants to explore countertransference, the emotional responses that group leaders experience in relation to group members.

— Session 1: Exploring Countertransference in Group Leaders: Group Leaders will gain insights into their emotional responses, learn to recognize these feelings, and understand how the implications of countertransference can shape and influence the group environment, leading to more mindful interventions. 

— Session 2: Using Countertransference as a Group Setting Technique: This section provides group leaders with strategies for harnessing countertransference as a tool for understanding the group’s emotional landscape. It informs group leaders to use their reactions to enhance the group’s engagement and effectiveness. 

— Sessions 3 & 4: The Modern Analytic Experience of a Group: Participants will learn Modern Analytic approaches that integrate countertransference within the group setting, facilitating a richer understanding of group dynamics and the subtle interplay of the group leader and participants’ emotional lives. 

Workshop IV: Modern Analytic Techniques in the Group Setting

In this advanced session, group leaders will learn cutting-edge techniques to elevate the group experience.

— Session 1: Bridging Techniques: Attendees will learn to skillfully create connections among group members, fostering mutual understanding, a sense of community, and empathy that enriches group cohesion. Providing Emotional Support: Group leaders will explore various methods for establishing a potential for emotional safety, enabling group members to express their vulnerabilities and seek support, even in the face of judgment.

— Session 2: Addressing Aggression: This section provides in-depth strategies for skillfully navigating and channeling aggressive impulses, transforming potential conflict into constructive discussions that promote personal growth and group unity.

— Session 3: Developing the Observing Ego: This section focuses on cultivating the observing ego. It enables group leaders to step back and analyze group dynamics with clarity, thereby enhancing their self-awareness and insight into the emotional undercurrents at play within the group. 

— Session 4: Progressive Emotional Communication: This portion of the workshop will teach group leaders methods of expressing thoughts and feelings progressively, helping group members articulate their experiences in ways that promote understanding and connection among group members. Engaging in the Here and Now of the Group Setting: Group leaders will learn techniques for anchoring discussions in the present moment. This will allow group members to derive insights from real-time thoughts and feelings, fostering a spontaneous and interactive environment.

Ormont, L. (1992). The technique of group treatment. Library of Congress.

Offered by: Angela R. Wurtzel, a Licensed Marriage & Family Therapist #33686,

Certified Eating Disorder Specialist & Consultant, Perinatal Mental Health Certified Specialist, and Certified Group Psychotherapist

Angela R. Wurtzel is approved by the California Association of Marriage and Family. Therapists to sponsor continuing education for LMFTs, LCSWs, LEPs, and LPCCs. Angela R. Wurtzel, CAMFT provider #29074, is responsible for the programs and their content.

FEE: $650 for a complete four-session workshop. Payment is due 48 hours before the start of each four-component session. A full refund will be granted with a 48-hour cancellation policy. If you are unable to attend, please notify Angela R. Wurtzel at (805) 884-9794. If you are ill, you will receive a full refund regardless.

Accommodations for special needs, please email angela@angelawurtzelmft.com.

Grievances: To obtain the grievance policy or report a grievance, please email angela@angelawurtzelmft.com.

Certificates: Course completion certificates will be awarded upon completion of the course, provided a completed evaluation form is submitted.

The course meets the qualifications for 1 hour of continuing education credits for LMFTs, LCSWs, LPCCs, and LEPs as required by the California Board of Behavioral Sciences.