Communication in Groups

“The language of the symptom, although already a form of communication, is autistic. It mumbles to itself secretly, hoping to be overheard…” (Foulkes and Anthony 1957, pg. 260)

Members of a group bring to it their ‘illness’ – the disturbances and conflicts that can not, yet, be articulated. These are expressed in the content of their story, the manner in which it is told, their relationship with individual members and the group as-a-whole, their presence and absence and how they spend their time in and with the group. The task of the conductor and the group is to, then, help members become aware of and voice disruptions in communication.

Seminar Leaders

Swathi Prabhu

Psychotherapist

Swathi is a lover of languages, books, and the conquest of new words. She works with adolescents and young adults in Individual and Group Psychotherapy. She has a Masters in Psychology from the Indian Institute of Psychology and Research, Bangalore and is a certified Graphoanalyst. She believes that group spaces created with a therapeutic intent give a voice to silenced distressed. She is most fascinated by how groups rhythmically flow from chaos to creativity. She has recently completed the Foundation year of Group Analytic training and is on her way to becoming a group analyst.

Mohit Sharma

Psychotherapist

Mohit’s curiosity about group analytic work was aroused by his therapy. Over the last few years, he has become interested in creating spaces within consulting rooms and the larger community where people can come together and try to have difficult conversations. He has recently begun his journey in group analysis and is eager to share his appreciation and experiences of groups and how they work.