In psychotherapy groups, members cope with vacillating experiences of inclusion and exclusion that arouse powerful feelings of attraction and identification, as well as frustration, jealousy, and envy. Left unexplored, these dynamics contribute to destructive forces in the group, leading to self-defeating isolation and distancing from others. During this didactic and experiential workshop the potentially destructive feelings of envy, jealousy and perceived loss of power will be brought to the fore and verbalized so that group members can move from a state of emotional isolation to one of intimacy and relatedness.
Learning Objectives: Participants will be able to:
1. Identify hidden feelings of jealousy, envy and competition in the group, themselves, and the leader.
2. Describe various ways of constructing intimacy from these feelings.
3. Explain the role shame plays in inhibiting or promoting the expression of these feelings.
Date: Sunday, April 19, 2026
Time: 4:00 - 6:30 pm EST
Instructor: Steve VanWagoner
Location: Online via Zoom, link to be provided.
Skill Level and Target Audience: All