66th Annual Conference

Thursday, February 19

Morning Workshops

10:00 A.M.-12:30 P.M.

Workshop 18       

Stimulating Community Change: A Systems Consultation Model for Training Community Mental Health Workers

Presented in cooperation with The Athenian Institute of Anthropos

Chairs:

George Gournas, M.D., ECP, CGP, Directing Scientific Committee Member, The Athenian Institute of Anthropos, Athens, Greece

Mina Polemi-Todoulou, Ph.D., ECP, CGP, Directing Consultative Committee Member, The Athenian Institute of Anthropos, Athens, Greece

A group consultation model used in Community Mental Health and Prevention Programs on the Greek Islands and mainland Greece will be presented through both didactic and experiential methods.  This program involves the use of systems theory and parallel process concepts to provide training and consultation to staff in diverse geographical areas.  Specifically the consultation group processes are studied to both identify community impasses in prevention work and develop strategies for community change and cohesion.  This model has important implications for large scale agency supervision and training as well as community organization.

experiential-didactic-sharing of work experiences-demonstration

Learning Objectives:

The attendee will be able to:

1. Learn the importance of highlighting the connection between individual themes, small group themes and the large group reality to community building and to creating feelings of belongingness.

2. View personal difficulties and feelings, that emerge in community settings and within particular roles, in the context of the immediate group and in the wider socio-cultural milieu that undergoes rapid changes. 

3. Formulate objectives for prevention work in a particular community by drawing upon the group themes that emerge in consultation with community professionals.

Course References:

1. Polemi-Todoulou, M., Vassiliou, V., Vassiliou, G., (1998). The Grouping Process Across Cultural Change. In Group, Eastern Group Psychotherapy Society, Vol. 22, No.2, p. 105-119.

2. Protopsalti-Polychroni, K and Gournas, G. (2004). Inner voices and dialogue in Family therapy and systemic training. European Family Therapy Context, June, p11-12.

3. Vassiliou, G. & V., (1983). On the Diogenes Search: Outlining a Systemic Dialectic Approach, Concerning the Functioning of Anthropos and his Suprasystems. In Pines, M. (ed.),  The Evolution of Group Analysis. London:Routledge and Kegan Paul.

4. Vassiliou, G. & V., (1981). Outlining the Synallactic Collective Image Technique as Used Within a Systemic Dialectic Approach.  In Durkin, J. (ed.),  Living Groups. New York: Brunner/Mazel,. 218.Durkin, J. (ed.), Living Groups. New York: Brunner/Mazel,. 218.