At times, all clinicians get stuck in their work. Whether it has to do with one particular client, or a familiar, dispiriting kind of moment in the therapy hour, we find ourselves lost, confused, or even frustrated. We want to helpful. But nothing we’ve tried seems to help, and we’re just not sure which way to go.
A “Consultation in Action” is a group of clinicians gathered to help one another work through these impasses with compassionate support and confidence.
What does “In Action” mean?
We’ll spend some time in the beginning of the group getting to know one another and warming up to a theme or themes for the meeting. Someone from the group will emerge to present a scene: the moment in the therapy hour when the clinician first realizes they’re struggling. Let’s call this person the “protagonist” of a short drama — the drama of the stuck therapist.
In working with the challenges, we won’t merely talk about the problem or difficulty that the clinician is facing; instead, the protagonist shows us the challenge, “in action,” through a slow and careful walking through of the scene, including the dialogue, the body postures, the tones of voice, etc. The protagonist will alternately “play” the therapist and the client, showing the group what actually happens.
But the group does not passively watch. Fellow group members may be called upon at different moments to represent the clinician or the client. With the protagonists’ permission, they may also briefly enter the edge of the scene to offer an intervention prompt for the clinician’s consideration (the clinician may refuse any suggestion). Also, depending on what arises within the protagonist during this exploration — for example, in cases of counter-transference — group members may also be called upon to represent figures from the clinicians life, in a scene-behind-the-scene.
Afterwards, each group member shares with the protagonist something from their own experience that was activated within themselves by the scene. In this way, all members are included, and the protagonist gets to hear the ways in which their colleagues share in the challenges of being a therapist (and a person).
Bring your most challenging moments. We’ll have time for two situations to explore. Even if you don’t present your specific challenge to the group, you’ll participate and learn from presentations of common clinician difficulties.
What: An open Action Group for psychotherapy consultation.
Who: Licensed clinicians interested in using action methods to help one another move through blocks and challenges in clinical work.
When: The next Consultation in Action will be held on Monday, July 31st, from 5:30 to 8pm (2.5 hours).
Where:
GETME
615 Congress Street
Suite 423
Portland, ME, 04101
Facilitator: Tom Kubasik, LCPC, NCC
Cost: Attendance is $50 for the 2.5 hours.
Does this provide continuing education hours toward licensure renewal? This meeting is consultation, not training, so there is no certificate of continuing education hours. However, a certificate of consultation hours will be provided. The Maine Counseling Board allows for 15 of the required 55 biennial contact hours to be from consultation. The certificate for this meeting can be used for this purpose.
A note on theory: In this group, theoretical discussion is minimized in favor of doing and experiencing for oneself. That said, the general theoretical bent of the group is experiential: Client-Centered, Gestalt, Focusing, and Emotion-Focused. In general, interventions and intervention suggestions that are not grounded in client experiencing are discouraged.
Register for Consultation in Action: