63rd Annual Conference

Friday February 24

Early Bird Open Sessions

7:15 A.M. – 8:15 A.M.

Session 214

Why Should Group Therapists Know About Interpersonal Neurobiology?

Chair:        

David Brook, M.D., CGP, LFAGPA, Professor of Psychiatry, New York University School of Medicine, New York, New York

Presenter: 

Paul Cox, M.D., CGP, Associate Professor of Psychiatry, UC Davis School of Medicine, Sacramento, California

Interpersonal Neurobiology offers a framework for group therapists and members alike to harness the powerful insights of neuroscience in their efforts to help themselves and each other.  The brain is profoundly interpersonal, and emotions organize the brain.  Narrative and attachment are fundamental to changing behavior and mediate changes in the brain and mind.  Group therapists can add another dimension to their perspectives by considering people’s neurobiological profile.

Learning Objectives:

The attendee will be able to:

1. Appraise their potential group clients of how an interpersonal experiences such as group psychotherapy experience can change people's brains, minds, and behavior.

2. Describe the broad strokes of how neuroimaging and neuroscience are progressing rapidly in support of the efficacy of psychotherapy.

3. Relate specific findings from the neuroscience research literature to the unique therapeutic factors of group process.

Course References:

1. Wylie, M., & Simon, R. (2002). Discoveries from the Black Box: How the neuro-science revolution can change your practice. Psychotherapy Networker. 26(5), htt/://pqasb.pqarchiver.com/psychotherapynetworker.

2. Siegel, D. (1999). The Developing Mind: Toward a neurobiology of interpersonal experience. New York: Guilford Press.

3. LeDoux, J. (2002). Synaptic Self: How our brains become who we are Penguin USA.