64th Annual Conference

Saturday, March 10

Morning Workshops

8:45 A.M.-12:00 noon

Session 80

Personal Stories Seeking Meaning in a Group Theme: An Illustration of a Systemic Model for Therapy and Training Using Drawings in a Family Simulation

Chairs:

George Gournas, M.D., Vice-Director of Psychiatric Clinic, Soteria General Hospital of Athens, Athens, Greece

Mina Polemi-Todoulou, Ph.D., CGP, Senior therapist-trainer-supervisor-consultant, The Athenian Institute of Anthropos, Athens, Greece

The workshop aims at illustrating a systemic therapy session that uses group process facilitated by drawings in a family simulation to interweave the meaning of individual stories into a group theme. This theme will be further explored  in a sociocultural perspective. Discussion will follow about how themes from different grouping levels interconnect.

experiential,  demonstration, didactic, sharing of work experiences

Learning Objectives:

The attendee will be able to:

1. Trace the connection among individual stories, the emerging small group theme and the large group reality.
2. See personal difficulties and feelings that emerge during therapy in the context of the immediate group and in the wider sociocultural milieu.
3. Formulate objectives for prevention by drawing upon the group themes that emerge in therapy.

Course References:

1. Polemi-Todoulou, M., Vassiliou, V., Vassiliou, G. (1998). The Grouping Process Across Cultural Change. Group. Eastern Group Psychotherapy Society. 22(2), 105-119.

2. Protopsalti-Polychroni, K and Gournas, G. (2004). Inner Voices and Dialogue in Family Therapy and Systemic Training. European Family Therapy Context. 11-12.

3. Vassiliou, G. and V. (1983). On the Diogenes Search: Outlining a systemic dialectic approach, concerning the functioning of anthropos and his suprasystems. In M. Pine (Ed.). The Evolution of Group Analysis. London: Routledge and Kegan Paul.