Presenters: |
Rosemay A. Segalla, PhD
|
Self Psychology Page | 20th Conference Program
This workshop will consist of three papers, each 15 minutes in length, and a 45 minute discussion period. The papers will cover the application of current perspectives in self psychology applied to group psychotherapy. The three perspectives to be presented are:
Motivational Systems/Groupobject Perspective- Rosemary Segalla The Intersubjective Perspective- Damon Silvers The Developmental (Mutual Influence Theory) Perspective- Bruce Wine Dr. Segalla's paper will develop her original conceptualization of the notion of groupobject experiences, where groups and group members have groupobject needs, much like we all have selfobject needs, that need to be addressed in treatment. Additionally, her paper will focus on whole group experiences, intra- and intersubjectivity, and the large group. She will also address the application of Lichtenberg's Motivational Systems theory to group therapy including the use of model scenes.
Dr. Silvers' paper will describe how the intersubjective perspective has focused our clinical attention on a wider range of selfobject and conflictual, repetitive and resistive transference phenomena manifested in the co-determined, mutually regulated interactions between group members and members and leaders. Additionally, he will discuss how the presence of the co-leader in the intersubjective group context may elicit important additional transference phenomena which can be understood from Stolorow's notion of the bipolar dimensions of transference.
Dr. Wine's paper will focus on the work of Beebe and Lachmann (Mutual Influence Theory) and the developmental perspective as it applies to group therapy. He will focus on the concept of organizational (representational) schema as they apply to the individual in the group and the group as a whole. He will discuss how these schema are organized and impacted by group interventions via the three principles of salience, as described by Beebe and Lachmann, namely, (1) ongoing, mutual regulation of self and other; (2) disruption and repair cycles; and (3) heightened affective moments.