Use of experiential

groups in the training of

Counsellors and
Psychotherapists
Paper by Joan Hutten
Lecturer –Anca Filip
Training groups – T group

• First used by Kurt Lewin in the United States – a group

with no nominated leadership or agenda.
• Modified and codified as a training method and
eventually becoming the method used in the group
relations training by the Tavistock Clinic at Leicester –
now known as the “Leicester Conference”. The
“Leicester Conference” is the flagship of group
relations conferences, held annually and lasting 2
weeks, studying authority, roles and leadership in
small group, large group and inter-group events. A
composite of experiential learning from the work of
Lewin , Bion and others.
Experiential groups as a training
method…

• 1970s saw the introduction of process group as

part of the training experience for therapists –
for both trainee group and individual
therapists and for allied professionals such as
social workers , consultants ,and is now a
standard part of training in many courses.
• Key facet of the training – allowing students an
opportunity for independent experiential
learning
Seven facets of the learning in
Experiential groups …

• Hutten identifies SEVEN facets of learning to

gained:-
1. Heightening awareness of SELF in the here and now
2. Heightening awareness of OTHERS in the here and
now
3. Exploring the significance of perception and that
the same events are perceived differently by
individuals
4. Facilitating one taking responsibility for one’s own
learning
Seven facets of the learning in
Experiential groups
• 5. Heightening of group members’ capacity to
THINK about feelings and observations as they
happen
• 6. Furthering the appreciation of and use of
difference – differences of opinion, backgrounds,
life-experiences, culture, mother-tongue etc
• 7. Development of a capacity to recognise what
is “on task” and what is “off-task” – what is
“work” and what is a flight from ‘ here and
now’…
Tasks of the person in the
group… Hutten identifies 8:-
• 1. To be aware of what is happening in the GROUP, at
group level including his or her own transference to the
group and to be able to separate out what is as a result of
the group dynamics and what is due to the facilitators
own psychical state
• 2. To be able to keep in mind the group AND the
individuals within the group
• 3. To be able to identify patterns and sequences and what
these imply to the whole group and not just the actors
• 4. To be able to identify unacknowledged content and to
bring it to the attention of the group, always having
supporting evidence – the “because” clause..
Tasks of the person taking the
group… Hutten identifies 8:-

• 5. To be able to offer hypotheses to the group as to

what is happening and facilitate consideration of same
• 6. To explore societal processes that may be reflected
in the group – eg gender issues, inter-country conflicts
etc.\
• 7. To keep the group in touch with reality – keeping
time boundaries, keeping in mind the stage in the
semester, noting absences and the possible significance
of these factors
• 8. Liaising with lecturers and other class learning and
contribute to assessment
Possible titles for group taker…

• Group Consultant – emphasises the role involves being

available to identify and think about what is happening
• Group Conductor – Foulkes term suggesting an
orchestra and a conductor making sense of various
contributions
• Group Leader – suggesting dependency
• Group Facilitator - may foster an illusion that the
group should feel comfortable and learning should be
made easy
• Group Convenor – may have implicit that the group is
for the conductor’s convenience or agenda
Stages in the life of the group…

• Early stage – group is trying to form. May engage

in strategies to be safe and comfortable. The
role of the Group Conductor may be challenged
for “leadership” by members who feel they have
the skills
• During this the group may seek to iron out
differences and there is an excitement as they
grapple with the novel experience of studying the
“here and now”, the constant struggle may give
rise to sadness. An opinion may be expressed,
breathing new life and the cycle begins again..
Stages in the life of the group…

• Essential at this stage that the Conductor is aware of

his or her own experiences and possibilities of counter-
transference. Conductor must be able to withstand the
anxiety generated in the group and not react with over-
hasty or personalized interpretations or interventions.
• Conductor must not take an adversarial or over-bearing
stance. Must maintain an analytic position of keeping
the overall group dynamics in mind, not engaging in
counter-transferential responses, facilitating the group
to do its work and fostering a capacity in the group to
recognise and explore the phenomena
Stages in the life of the group…

• As the group continues, differences begin to emerge, some

members may try to take up a role as consultant and then
find (s)he is challenged by other members. Silences get
filled by material that may or may not be relevant by
members who find it hard to be silent. Other members may
keep silence because it’s the safe thing to do.
• Consultant should draw attention to what is going on without
inappropriate and/or irrelevant interventions or
interpretations. (S)he must contain his or her own anxiety
and that of the group while the group tries to find its way.
(S)he must be mindful of the task - enabling the group to
explore what is happening in the here and now – while
recognising the limitations of the stage in the group’s
development
Stages in the life of group…

• Absences – both of group members and of the

consultant must be examined. Is there a group
responsibility for them?
• Acknowledgement of and working with difference
instead of seeking to iron it out…
• Breaks – how are anxieties around them managed?
Being able to sit with them..
• As the group matures there is a greater feeling of
safety and trust and the group members develop
greater capacity to tolerate seeing, hearing and
interpreting group phenomena
Other factors ..

• Reasons why people take up courses in

counselling and psychotherapy – what are the
phantasies?
• The purpose of the group is education –
experiential learning about group dynamics,
learning about ourselves and facets of
ourselves – not about providing therapy or
diagnoses
Group ending…

• Initially it seems like there is an infinite amount of time

ahead. As the group settles, the present preoccupies but
as the end nears, there is often a “sudden” awareness of
ending
• Essential to accept that the group will end but the learning
will continue.. Time and place are essential boundaries of
experiential groups. Postponement and repetition are
renounced. The learning is in the here and now.
• Some of the experiences shared by the group
members may have been expressed ,while other
aspects might not have been acknowledged and may only
become apparent over time.
Hutten…

• “If experience in these groups enables students

to think on their feet, to take initiatives and to
co-operate with others, they will be better
prepared for taking their work forward in the
rapidly changing social context of the future”.
• Joan M. Hutten

JOAN M. HUTTEN (1996) The use of experiential

groups in the training of counsellors and
psychotherapists
Psychodynamic Counselling: Individuals , Groups and Organisations, 2:2, 247 – 256,
DOI:10.1080/14753639608411277