Group Work, Therapy, Workshops & Projects

The process and intention behind Group Therapy, Art Therapy and Enrichment Groups, Workshops and Group Projects can be very different.

Group Therapy is a very specific inter-personal and dynamic group process that implies that when you bring a group of individuals together with the purpose of offering therapy, the microcosm of that group emulates their other relational experiences, most specifically their primal family of origin group, eliciting relational and emotional patterns to invariably begin playing out in the group setting. It is the notion of re-creating relational dynamics and, “holding up” of the metaphorical mirror to the other, thereby creating a context and opportunity for examination, exploration and compassionate challenge around these patterns of behaviour, that makes this style of group work a powerful process and mechanism for change. Inter-personal or Relational Group Therapy is a challenging and confronting experience but when managed well and the space is held safely, it can offer some of the most powerful and poignant moments in therapy. It can be instrumental in creating significant change for individuals seeking deep insight into, and understanding of themselves and how they operate in the world of others. I will often incorporate an art making process into a traditional interactive group therapy process to deepen the meaning making process.

Art Therapy Group Work is also a specific therapeutic process designed to support people by drawing on the collective group process and wisdom to deepen their understanding of themselves but tends to be somewhat less confrontational and challenging than the traditional ‘Group Therapy’ process and is primarily a creative and arts-based process. My art therapy groups are not art and craft groups, but rather, they are designed to offer a safe place to more deeply explore and make sense of shared experiences of struggle and personal understanding and to inspire a greater sense of meaning and purpose. In most instances, they will focus on a specific theme such as groups for those experiencing grief and loss, addiction, trauma and life transitions or for those seeking greater personal enrichment and existential exploration. In many situations these groups will be closed groups and smaller in size, allowing for trust and safety to be built and offering continuity for participants. They may run over a series of weeks or as a one-off group experience. They aim to offer a more gentle way to explore personal struggle and suffering. Moreover, they offer time to create alone and moments of quiet reflection and contemplation as well as opportunities to talk and share as a group. With respect to the existential and personal development groups, these are designed to be expand ones perspective, ideas and experiences and to push your boundaries in pursuit of deeper growth, meaning and purpose. Hence, these art therapy groups may feel gentle and more dynamic, challenging, edgy and raw.

Group Workshops and Projects offer a more prescribed project and process of art making that all participants partake in and these tend to be more general in nature in terms of the focus and themes of the group such as; wellbeing, connection, story-telling, resilience, purpose, calls to action and various forms of creative expression and personal development. They also emphasise the collective group process in the exploration and meaning-making process and may involve creating a joint art project such as a large mandala, group installation or mural, though this is not necessary the case. Smaller individual projects and personal creative work is equally undertaken as part of the workshops as well. Workshops tend be more informal and may feel less intense than deeper group therapy. Some workshops are specifically designed to simply be creative, joyful and fun.

All Wayfarer Groupwork share a common thread however, that being an appreciation of the value and power of the ‘collective’ in the sharing of experiences, insights, ideas and perspectives as a way of developing personal growth and understanding, creating meaning together, connection, purpose and transformation. It is important to emphasise some key aspects of all group process;

1. Safety, Respect and Confidentiality are paramount
2. One only shares what they feel comfortable and safe to share
3. Different views, ideas, backgrounds and perspectives are encouraged, valued, respected and embraced
4. One does not need to be artistic to participate in Art Therapy, they need only bring an openness and curiosity and a spirit of imagination, courage and boundless creativity….And each of us has the capacity for self-expression and the means of being able to ‘create’ in various and non-conventional ways, even adults!!