Diversity in Groups: The Other in Me

The National Group Psychotherapy Institute (NGPI) of the New Washington School of Psychiatry (NWSP)

has now opened registration for individuals interested in single-weekend participation for its award-winning, 2-year Intensive Training Program, Group Therapy in the 21st Century: Dynamics, Identities, Hope and Healing

Diversity in Groups: The Other in Me

Co-Chairs: Reginald Nettles, PhD, CGP, Steven Van Wagoner, PhD, CGP, AGPA-F, Ayana Watkins-Northern, PhD, CGP, AGPA-F

(Co-sponsored by NWSP’s Center for Race, Ethnicity and Culture)

Date: November 8-9, 2024

Time: 8:30 AM - 4:30 PM on Friday, November 8th and 8:00 AM - 5:15 PM on Saturday, November 9th, 2024

Location: Friends Meeting House of Washington, 2111 Decatur Pl NW, Washington, DC 20008, In-Person Only

11.75 CEs

Program Description: 

Based on the pioneering concepts of Harry Stack Sullivan, this conference will focus on the presence and impact of difference and unconscious bias in therapy groups. We will introduce the concept of intersectionality and pay special attention to the process of “othering”, exploring ways to foster cohesion and interpersonal connection between members and between members and leaders by embracing differences and intervening when prejudice and microaggressions arise. Experiential learning is a hallmark of the weekend. In addition to participating in interactive plenaries, participants will be assigned to a small, here-and-now-centered process group that will meet 4 times over two days. The entire student membership also takes part in three facilitated large groups, which are uniquely powerful in highlighting the impact of identity and social forces (e.g., power, privilege and prejudice) on group dynamics. Overall, our aim is to build a skilled and aware community of group therapists and contribute to a broader dialogue of hope, healing, and growth.

Learning Objectives:

1. Participants will be able to identify the dynamics of othering and micro-aggressions that are always present in groups but often unseen or not addressed.
2. Participants will be able to apply didactic and experientially learned material to address othering and micro-aggressions in their therapy groups.
3. Outline the basics of Harry Stack Sullivan's Interpersonal theory and how his insights might apply to issues of both sexual and racial othering.
4. Discuss the broad range of identities included in the concept of intersectionality.
5. Discuss the impact of intersectionality on group psychotherapy and the role of the group therapist.
6. Describe the role of envy and competition in perpetuating prejudice and hatred.
7. Explain how envy can be destructive in groups and how Sullivan’s idea of “Prehension” may play a role in the destructiveness of envy/competition.
8. Identify one way in which envy can be used to promote mutual growth between group members.
9. Explore how unaddressed unconscious biases and prejudicial attitudes can cause harm to group members.
10. Identify two examples of othering in communication.
11. Describe the impact on group members when othering is ignored.
12. Explain the impact of micro-aggressions and macro-aggressions in othering.
13. Describe the role of projection and projective identification in the process of othering.
14. Describe the concept of “the other in me” within the context of diversity in groups and relate this to Sullivan’s concept of the “not-me.”.
15. Identify three methods for addressing micro-aggressions in groups.
16. Observe group process as it emerges in the here-and-now.

Schedule and Faculty

Click here to download the Conference schedule and Conference staff.