1. health and fitness
2. therapy

“The Brain in Group:
How Individuals
Flourish Together”
Keynote Speakers
FEATURING THESE OUTSTANDING SPEAKERS
Keynote
Training Leaders
Susan P. Gantt,
Dr. Molyn Leszcz,
Jackie Kinley,
PhD, ABPP, CGP,
FAGPA, FAPA
MD, FRCP(C), DFAGPA
MD, FRCP(C),
Diplomat ABPN
May 6th to 9th, 2015
O
Our host hotel is the DoubleTree by Hilton Hotel,
108 Chestnut Street Toronto, ON
Wednesday, May 6th, 2015
8:00 – 8:30
Registration and Continental Breakfast
FULL DAY NATIONAL TRAINING
8:30 – 4:00
Pre 1:
Achieving and Sustaining Group Therapist Effectiveness
Molyn Leszcz, MD, FRCP(C), DFAGPA, Professor and Chair(Interim), Department of Psychiatry, University of Toronto,
Psychiatrist-in-Chief, Mount Sinai Hospital, Joseph and Wolf Lebovic Health Complex
Note: This is a
Full Day Training
Session
Combining didactic and experiential learning, this presentation will examine the factors that contribute to therapist
effectiveness in group therapy, looking more deeply at the finding that although the psychotherapies are generally
effective, not all therapists are equally effective. The workshop will address what unfolds at the level of the therapeutic
relationship in group therapy that can improve or impede clinical effectiveness. Areas that will be addressed include
understanding the central role of the alliance and group cohesion; empathy and attunement; therapeutic focus, activation
of the here and now; the value of interpersonal approaches as an integrative model; therapist use of self and judicious
transparency; therapeutic metacommunication; use of countertransference.
Learning Goals and Objectives:
1. Understand the key evidence based elements that contribute to group therapist effectiveness.
2. Integrate research, theory and clinical practice.
3. Gain capacity to activate the group within the here and now.
4. Understand the opportunities and risks of therapist use of self and transparency.
5. Utilize counter transference to enhance effectiveness.
We express our appreciation and acknowledge that this event is made possible by funds from
the former Toronto Training Program.
Pre 2:
Group Beginnings - Navigating Rough Waters
Jackie Kinley, MD, FRCP(C), Diplomat ABPN
Groups are exciting, and can also be nerve racking for new group leaders. And confusing at times! Starting out leading
groups, therapists need a chart to navigate through pockets of turbulence and what can be rough waters. All groups go
through a series of phases as they grow and develop. Knowing what to look for, and how to deal with issues as they arise,
helps the novice leader stay focused and on track. In this workshop we will outline the stages of group development,
focusing on the critical tasks that ensure successfully navigating the group into the working phase. We will discuss topics
such as: how to cohese a group, modeling group norms, handling negative affect, preventing scapegoating, managing
countertransference and deactivating projection to help members feel safe, and encourage interpersonal engagement and
support. For beginners / intermediate level group practitioners of any discipline.
Note: This is a
Full Day Training
Session
11:45 – 12:45
Learning Goals and Objectives:
1. Review the stage theory of group development.
2. Understand/recognize the signs of cohesion.
3. Identify when groups enter the differentiation stage.
4. Recognize scapegoating.
5. Develop skills to deactivate projective identification.
6. Learn ways to deal with negative affect.
Lunch (Provided)
FULL DAY NATIONAL TRAINING (continued)
4:15
Join fellow “Groupies” for Aprés Social
Let us gather informally at a designated local watering hole for refreshing beverages,
meeting friends and networking following the National Training.
Everyone welcome.
5:30
Board Meeting
CGPA 2015 Conference
2
Thursday, May 7th, 2015
8:00 – 8:30
Registration and Continental Breakfast
8:30 – 8:50
Welcome and Introductions
Joan-Dianne Smith, MSW, RSW, FCGPA and President CGPA
.
THURSDAY AM CONCURRENT SESSION A
9:00 – 11:45
Workshop A1:
Cognitive Processing Trauma Group for Men and Women
Ingrid Sochting, PhD, R.Psyc, Clinical Assistant Professor, UBC Psychology Clinic, Vancouver, BC
The Cognitive Processing Group Therapy workshop includes psycho-education, self-care skills, information processing
issues related to meaning of the event and “stuck points,” and how to develop a gradual approach to exposure to
traumatic memories. All structured group interventions capitalize on group process factors in order to maximize feelings of
safety and trust.
Learning Goals and Objectives:
1. To become familiar with a mixed gender Cognitive Processing Group Therapy protocol for trauma.
2. To become familiar with how to integrate self-care skills with cognitive restructuring and exposure interventions.
3. To understand salient group process factors supporting the more structured interventions.
Workshop A2:
Are Two Minds Better Than One? What makes effective co-leader partnerships?
Joan-Dianne Smith, MSW, RSW, FCGPA Private Practice, Winnipeg, MB, Allan Sheps, MSW, RSW, FCGPA, Private Practice,
Thornhill, ON
When co-leaders are on the same page, the “in sync” feeling of connectedness can create a productive and therapeutic
experience for clients and a highly satisfying experience for the co-leaders. This meshing of mirror neurons doesn’t happen
by accident. After considering the potential pitfalls, we will, through an experiential exercise, offer practical criteria for
establishing a productive partnership. In addition we will demonstrate how to examine/monitor and reflect on the
relationship, and consider how differing therapist styles can be used effectively within the co- leadership team.
Learning Goals and Objectives:
1. Describe personal characteristics that impact selection of co-leaders.
2. List what makes a co-leadership work well.
3. Explain the potential pitfalls and be able to articulate ways of working through them in order to establish a viable coleadership relationship, perhaps even turning pitfalls into assets.
Workshop A3:
Beyond The Hero`s Journey: The Brain that is We
Hugh Smiley, BA, CHT, Toronto, ON, George Lewis, MD, Toronto, ON
Journeying from personal to transpersonal, from individual to group consciousness, is evolutionary. Integrating knowledge
of neurobiology with mindfulness in group psychotherapy enhances this movement through increased empathy, resonance
and authenticity. Participants will learn how to deepen experience, increase safety and nourishment, through exercises
involving mindfulness and loving presence.
Learning Goals and Objectives:
1. How to integrate mindfulness and the body into a group therapy process and an evolving group consciousness.
2. Experiencing how mindfulness training shifts the focus from group leader to the individual, thereby nourishing and
empowering the latter.
3. A better understanding of the integration of the personal with the transpersonal.
Workshop A4:
Introspection: Looking Inward as a Group Leader
John Sherry, PhD, RCC, CCC, Assistant Professor, University of Northern British Columbia, Prince George, BC,
Aida Cabecinha, OT Reg. (Ont), Dip.CGPA, Registered Occupational Therapist, Psychotherapist, Toronto Institute of
Group Studies, Toronto, ON
The Johari Window, a four cell personality paradigm, will be used as a conceptual frame to understand the psychological
processes that may affect how a group leader experiences the interpersonal events that unfold in group. Self-awareness
and how it informs group leadership will be facilitated through interactive group process.
Learning Goals and Objectives:
1. Participants will have a better understanding of how the process of introspection can enrich group leadership.
2. Participants will increase their awareness of different dimensions of self, using the Johari Window as a roadmap and
how this insight informs their work as group leaders.
3. Participants will have the opportunity to build on their knowledge of self through psychodrama and interactive group
process. The dimensions of blind spots, self-disclosure, and receiving feedback will be explored as a means of using
personal insight to create the conditions for effective group leadership.
11:45 – 12:45
LUNCH (provided)
CGPA 2015 Conference
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Thursday, May 7th, 2015
12:45 – 2:45
Interpersonal Neurobiology and Systems-Centered’s Functional Subgrouping: Building Groups that
are Mind-Changing
Susan P. Gantt, PhD, ABPP, CGP, DFAGPA, FAPA, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta
Interpersonal neurobiology is providing research and understandings that enable us to strengthen how we lead our groups
in ways that take advantage of the neuroplasticity of the brain. Building the group system or developing the group mind
regulates the flow of energy and information which enables groups to lower the acting out of reactivity in scapegoating.
Specifically, we will explore how functional subgrouping in the authority phase enables groups to integrate differences
rather than scapegoat them and use neuroscience to illuminate how a subgrouping communication pattern lowers the
brain/body reactivity and develops emotion-regulating secure subsystems. As groups work in the intimacy phase of
development, subgrouping enhances attunement and the reworking of attachment patterns. Though integral to systemscentered therapy, functional subgrouping can be used in any group process to lower scapegoating and create robust
conditions for changing the brain.
Learning Goals and Objectives:
1. Practice building a functional subgrouping pattern.
2. Explore how brain/body reactivity to differences leads to scapegoating.
3. Practice exploring differences differently, by shifting from "yes, but" and "because" to two subgroups exploring inturn.
4. Develop an ability to see and enhance the emotional regulation function of a group.
5. Describe the neurobiological understandings of functional subgrouping.
6. Apply the neurobiological views on emotional regulation to group psychotherapy and group processes.
Susan P. Gantt is a psychologist in private practice in Atlanta and Assistant Professor in Psychiatry at Emory University
School of Medicine where she coordinates group psychotherapy training. She is the Director of the Systems-Centered
Training and Research Institute, which was recognized with the 2010 Award for Outstanding Contributions in Education and
Training in the Field of Group Psychotherapy by the National Registry of Certified Group Psychotherapists. She trains,
supervises and consults in the practice of SCT in the USA and Europe and leads ongoing training groups for therapists and
consultants in Atlanta, San Francisco and Amsterdam. She has published numerous journal articles and co-authored the
texts Autobiography of a Theory, SCT in Action, and Systems-Centered Therapy: Clinical Practice with Individuals, Families &
Groups with Yvonne Agazarian. She co-edited the book The Interpersonal Neurobiology of Group Psychotherapy and Group
Process with Bonnie Badenoch in 2013. She was awarded the 2011 Alonso Award for Excellence in Psychodynamic Group
Psychotherapy by the Group Psychotherapy Foundation for her work in editing (with Paul Cox) the special issue of the
International Journal of Group Psychotherapy on “Neurobiology and Interpersonal Systems: Groups, Couples and Beyond.”
We express our appreciation and acknowledge that this event is supported in part by
the Canadian Group Psychotherapy Foundation.
THURSDAY PM CONCURRENT SESSION B
3:00 – 4:00
Workshop B1:
Living in the Moment: A Support Group for Individuals with Neurocognitive Disorders
Cindy Grief, MD, MS, FRCPC, Geriatric Psychiatrist, Rosalie Steinberg, MD, MSc, Carrie Buckspan, OT, William Davidovitz,
MSW, Baycrest Centre for Geriatric Care, Toronto, ON, Shoshanna Campbell, MSc, BEd, Vancouver, BC
A weekly, open-ended support group for individuals with dementia presents challenges but is meaningful for participants.
In this workshop, members` and facilitators` experiences are shared, and a film depicting the group in vivo is shown. The
use of personal narratives as a means for reducing stigma is explored.
Learning Goals and Objectives:
1. Describe the challenges and benefits of facilitating a support group for individuals with dementia.
2. Discuss the relevance of using personal narratives to address stereotypes and stigma.
3. Reflect on his or her own attitudes towards individuals with dementia.
Workshop B2:
Establishing a Robust Group Psychotherapy Training Program
Tevya Zukor, PhD, CGP, Director of the Counseling Center, Katy Kopp Miller, PsyD, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA
Many organizations emphasize the role of training for new professionals. However, the focus is often solely on providing
individual therapy. The skills that develop through group facilitation, including the understanding of process and the
underlying dynamics that emerge between group members, are central to being a skilled clinician and enhance the work
that can be done in either group or individual therapy.
Learning Goals and Objectives:
1. Design a comprehensive group training experience.
2. Summarize research related to group efficacy.
3. Differentiate the roles facilitation vs. process observation.
4. Organize trainee-developed new groups.
CGPA 2015 Conference
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Thursday, May 7th, 2015
3:00 – 4:00
Workshop B3:
The Increasing Scope for Treating Medically Ill and Geriatric Patients
Kenneth Schwartz, MD, FRCP(C), Psychiatrist, Baycrest, Marta Novak, MD, PhD, Associate Professor of Psychiatry,
University Health Network, Kathleen Bingham, PGY5, Psychiatry Resident, University of Toronto, Maddie Levinson, MSW,
RSW, Toronto, ON
Group therapy is particularly suited to help the medically ill and older adult struggling with depression and interpersonal
issues cope and grow emotionally while living with their many challenges. Therapists of various experience and age will
explore feelings related to working with these populations.
Learning Goals and Objectives:
1. Identify at least three common psychological reactions to medical disability in both younger and older adult
populations.
2. Become more aware of one’s own personal feelings with respect to issues of aging and medical disability and its
impact on working with this population.
3. Identify three practices/techniques that facilitate the psychological coping and healing process in adults with medical
problems.
Workshop B4:
Build a Flourishing Group Psychotherapy Practice with Marketing and Networking Skills
Carol Dallinga, LCSW, CGP, EMDR, Psychotherapist, Ardsley, NY
This workshop is designed to motivate group psychotherapy professionals in various settings to build their unique practice
with proven marketing and networking techniques. By learning cutting edge skills and developing a clear, concise business
plan, you will expand your ability to connect and serve a larger community.
Learning Goals and Objectives:
1. Define who you are as a professional group therapist and how to overcome guilt about marketing one`s practice.
2. Learn how to use an advanced networking model to cultivate and deploy the marketing skills needed for building a
referral community.
3. Begin to develop a strategic plan for building a self-sustaining practice.
4:15 – 5:30
Annual General Meeting
2015 AGM of the Canadian Group Psychotherapy Association
Come and join us to learn about our association, how our board functions, and what happens in our work
together. Participate in elections of new board members. We welcome all our members as well as other
interested attendees.
6:30
Welcome to Toronto “Subgroup” Dining Experiences
Hosted by CGPA Local Organizing Committee
Come and savour Toronto's mosaic of culinary delights for dinner at a local restaurant. You are invited to join
one of four dinner groups hosted by Aida Cabecinha, Karen Redhill-Feinstein, Terry Simonik and Alina Isaac for
some delicious food and fun company. Four easy walking-distance restaurants have been selected and
reservations will be made for this extended group experience. More information upon registration.
CGPA Board of Directors
Joan-Dianne Smith, MSW, RSW, FCGPA, President
Jackie Kinley MD, FRCPC, Diplomat ABPN, Past President
Kasra Khorasani MD, FRCPC, Vice President
Colleen Wilkie PhD, RPsych, Secretary
Stephen Gillies LLB, Director
Lois Goodman RN, FCGPA, Director
Janice Popp MSW, RSW, Director
Ken Schwartz MD, FRCPC, Director
Wendy Wildfong, MSW, PhD, Director
Ward Yuzda MD, MSc, FRCPC, Director
Maureen Coleman RN, FCGPA, Director
Jane Mitchell MBA, Director
Conference Planning Committee
Joan-Dianne Smith
Maureen Coleman
Janice Popp
Wendy Wildfong
Marta Novak
Conference Academic Planning
Maureen Coleman
Janice Popp
Terry Simonik
Allan Sheps
Association Management
CGPA 2015 Conference
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Friday, May 8th, 2015
8:00 – 8:30
Registration and Continental Breakfast
8:30 – 9:00
Welcome and Introductions
9:00 – 11:45
Large Group Session
Susan P. Gantt, PhD, ABPP, CGP, DFAGPA, FAPA, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta
This large group experience will practice and then use systems-centered’s functional subgrouping to explore together, to
see to what extent creating a subgrouping pattern enables the group to self-regulate and to survive, develop and transform
from simpler to more complex.
We express our appreciation and acknowledge that this event is supported in part by
the Canadian Group Psychotherapy Foundation.
11:45 – 12:45
Lunch (Provided)
FRIDAY PM CONCURRENT SESSION C
12:45 – 2:45
Workshop C1: Peace of Mind: Mindfulness Groups Create Opportunities for Older Adults to Remember,
Reflect and Repair Relationships in an Effort to Flourish Toward Their End of Life.
Ruth B Z Thomson, MSW, Clinical Social Worker, Private Practice, Winnipeg, MB
Peace of Mind: Mindfulness groups create opportunities for older adults to remember, reflect and repair relationships in an
effort to flourish toward their end of life. This workshop will demonstrate the effectiveness of mindfulness meditation
groups for older adults through story-telling, method description and role-playing experience.
Learning Goals and Objectives:
1. Describe the techniques used to adjust typical group methods for an older adult population.
2. Identify and list the theoretical frameworks to design a group for older adults responding to various levels of cognitive
and physical functioning of group members.
3. Describe an adjusted mindfulness group therapy session.
Workshop C2:
Rehabilitating Brains and Relationships in Groups for Concurrent Disorders
Jan Malat, MD, Psychiatrist, Pamela Stewart, MD, CCFP, FRCP(C), ASAM, Psychiatrist, Julie Henderson, MD, FRCP(C),
Psychiatrist, Centre for Addiction and Mental Health, Toronto, ON
This workshop will focus on a variety of integrative, trauma-informed and trauma-specific group therapies for concurrent
disorders. The goal of these groups is to activate reflective functioning, attachment capacities and coping skills. Several
different types of groups will be described across the continuum from brief, skill-based groups to long term psychodynamic
approaches.
Learning Goals and Objectives:
1. To identify common dilemmas treating concurrent disorders in a group setting.
2. To describe modifications to group technique.
3. To appreciate the difference between trauma-informed and trauma-specific approaches.
EXPERIENTIAL TRAINING GROUP (ETG)
.
The Experiential Training Group (ETG) is a key training component of CGPA. What better way to learn about group
dynamics than to be part of a group committed to examining its own process and development! These process focused
groups are facilitated by experienced group leaders who are members of CGPA. Our leaders have been selected based on
their experience and training in facilitating experiential process groups. Although each group is slightly different, they all
reflect on the process occurring within the group itself. The ETG provides a unique opportunity for reflection, feedback,
and shared understanding. These groups are not intended to serve as ‘therapy’, yet there will be a degree of connection
and personal disclosure that will naturally unfold as the members get to know one another. Members will also be able to
understand their experience using the theoretical models provided during the didactic summary at the end of the formal
group experience. As part of the contract, group members agree to participate for the whole duration of the group, and
also participate in debriefing and evaluation of the group experience.
Consultant
This year’s consultant to the ETGs is Allan Sheps, MSW, RSW. Allan has co-ordinated and consulted to the ETG’s
predecessor program, the Institute, from 1987-89 and 1993-96 and been a group leader on numerous occasions. He was
trained at the American Group Psychotherapy Association in leading process groups and is a graduate of the Ontario
Group Psychotherapy Association Training Program. He is a past president and Fellow of CGPA. He is in private practice
in Thornhill, Ontario where he runs 2 weekly groups.
CGPA 2015 Conference
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Friday, May 8th, 2015
12:45 – 5:00
Note: This
session will
continue
through to
Saturday
Afternoon
C3 Experiential Training Group (ETG): Mixed levels of experience including those early in their careers
Steve Schklar BSc, CGP (AGPA)
Session C3 offers participants the opportunity to learn about group process and group dynamics by being a member of a
small group (6-10 members) committed to examining its own process. The group leader will model competent leadership
by shaping positive norms, establishing a safe environment, and assisting the group with honest dialogue about issues as
they occur in the here and now experience. As the group develops, it will naturally move through a series of stages,
common group themes, and dynamic issues such as boundaries, attachment, conflict, envy, competition, intimacy, group
cohesion, and termination.
Experiential Training Group (ETG) Objectives:
1. Identify developmental stages in the group experience.
2. Articulate common themes and dynamics in the group process.
3. Link personal subjective responses with theoretical concepts.
4. Describe leader interventions that facilitated group process and assisted the group’s forward movement.
Steve Schklar BSc, CGP (AGPA) is a Clinical Member and a Past President of the Ontario Society of Psychotherapists, and
has been in private practice since 1995 leading groups from both Self Psychology and Self –in- Relation models. Currently
in addition to his mixed gender group, Steve is facilitating a weekly ongoing group for psychotherapists.
C4 Experiential Training Group (ETG): Making Space for Self for the Over-burdened Therapist
Ken Schwartz, MD, FRCPC
Note: This
session will
continue
through to
Saturday
Afternoon
This group will be conducted in a similar manner as the General ETG, with added focus on self-care, personal sharing, and
support. This ETG will appeal to those whose weekly schedule includes tending to others-- at work and at home-- while
placing self at the seldom-met end of the 'to do list.' Creating a space for personal growth and nourishment can make or
break the balance essential to long term well-being. Like the General ETG, this small group offers an opportunity for group
leaders to learn about group process and group dynamics by participating in a group while it examines its own process in
the here and now. The leader will model competent leadership by shaping positive norms, establishing a safe environment,
and assisting the group with honest dialogue about a range of issues including those related to the theme of space for self.
As the ‘group’ develops, it will naturally move through a series of stages, common group themes and dynamic issues such
as boundaries, attachment, conflict, envy, competition, intimacy, group cohesion, and termination.
Experiential Training Group (ETG) Objectives:
1. Identify developmental stages in the group experience.
2. Articulate common themes and dynamics in the group process.
3. Link personal subjective responses with theoretical concepts.
4. Describe leader interventions that facilitated group process and assisted the group’s forward movement.
5. Articulate methods for tending self as a way of better balancing one’s life.
Ken Schwartz, MD, FRCPC, Assistant Professor of Psychiatry, University of Toronto, leads 10 weekly older adult groups at
Baycrest Centre and other Long Term Care facilities. He has led experiential groups at CGPA and for Psychiatry Residents.
He has presented at national and international conferences, supervises and teaches Residents, and has published group
therapy manuals and book chapters.
Thank you to our sponsors
CGPA 2015 Conference
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Friday, May 8th, 2015
12:45 – 5:00
C5 Experiential Training Group (ETG): Are WE now THEM? A group for senior therapists
Allan Surkis, PhD, C PSYCH, FCGPA, Clinical Psychologist, Medical Scientist - McGill University Health Centre
Note: This
session will be
offered on Friday
only
It slips up on us, but after a while we move into a role of mentor, supervisor consultant, focusing our energy on helping the
next generation of group leaders emerge. It dawns on us eventually that we’re getting older and we won’t be here forever.
Senior therapist, Allen Surkis says:
As I engage in my practice I am fully aware that sitting on my shoulder, just out of sight, are teachers and mentors,
and colleagues who continue to be an influence. I am also aware that I sit on the shoulder of many others.
Come and join us – on the verge of becoming them – and explore the layers of mixed feelings at this transitional stage of
our careers. This thematic ETG will be similar to general ones in that the group leader will model competent leadership by
shaping positive norms, establishing a safe environment, and assisting the group with honest dialogue about issues as they
occur in the here and now experience, but with a focus on this life stage as – dare we say – seniors.
Experiential Training Group (ETG) Objectives
1. Review dynamics and developmental stages of the group.
2. Articulate the leader’s interventions that facilitate open personal sharing and group process.
3. Describe common concerns and dilemmas for the senior group therapist.
4. Examine developmental tasks, conflicts, and needs for the senior therapist.
Allen Surkis, PhD, C PSYCH, FCGPA, is currently associated with the McGill University Hospital Centre as a Medical Scientist,
where he conducts three groups per week at the Extended Care Borderline Personality Disorder Clinic. From 1969 -2008 he
was Psychologist in Chief at the Montreal General Hospital and Director of the Group Psychotherapy Training and Service
Program. He is a Past-President and Fellow of CGPA and served on the Board of the International Association of Group
Psychotherapy. Allen also maintains a private practice.
Peer Circle
The Peer Circle provides an opportunity for those wishing to develop skills to lead Experiential Training Groups, to meet with the Faculty
and the Consultant during the debriefing meetings. In addition the members of the peer circle will be meeting with the consultant to
further pursue leadership issues. This year’s confirmed members of the Peer Circle include:
Kosu Boudreau, MDiv, MPS
Aida Cabecinha, BSc, OT (C)
John Sherry, PhD
Colleen Wilkie, PhD, R. Psych
FRIDAY PM CONCURRENT SESSION D
3:00 – 5:00
Workshop D1:
The Executive Brain in Groups
Karen Redhill-Feinstein, MA, C.Psych.Assoc., InMind Psychology, Toronto, ON
In order for group goals to be met, a degree of organizing, rationality, tracking of process and evaluation is required. This is
the domain of executive functioning. However, there are often powerful forces at play in interpersonal dynamics that
influence the course of the group, often leading to unexpected and unplanned outcomes. This workshop will be essentially
experiential in nature, but will be processed afterwards with an understanding of the interplay of the neurological systems
involved in group dynamics and leadership.
Learning Goals and Objectives:
1. To learn to deconstruct experiential group processes into those that serve the goals of the group and those that divert
from the intention of the group.
2. Understand the importance of executive skills in developing optimal group functioning.
3. Understanding the neurobiology of executive skills and how you may use these to order and utilize the input from the
emotional pathways of the brain.
Workshop D2:
Safety Planning Group in the Context of an Urgent Care Program
Yvonne Bergmans, MSW, Suicide Intervention Consultant, Arthur Sommer Rotenberg Chair in Suicide Studies, Danijela
Ninkovic, RN, CPMHN(C), Brenda Bergamin, RN, BScN, CPMHN, Wellness and Recovery Enhancement Program, Nadiya
Sunderji, MD, FRCP(C), Medical Director, Ambulatory Care, St. Michael`s Hospital, Toronto, ON
In this workshop, participants will learn the theory and rationale for the utilization and process of safety planning groups
for clients recently discharged from hospital. The interprofessional presentation team will lead participants through the
development of a safety plan while elucidating ways in which clients come to understand suicidal thoughts and behaviours
while they create their own unique plans.
Learning Goals and Objectives:
1. Participants will learn the theory and utility of safety plans.
2. Partiicpants will engage in the process of creating a safety plan.
3. Participants will receive resources for strategies and concepts to be used in their practices.
CGPA 2015 Conference
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Friday, May 8th, 2015
3:00 – 4:00
Paper Forum D3- PartA: Emotional Incest in Group Psychotherapy-A Conspiracy of Silence
Robert Pepper, LCSW, PhD, CGP, Director of Education and Training, Long Island Institute for Mental Health, New York, NY
Abuses of power can occur when the boundary is blurred between therapy and not therapy in analytic group treatment.
There are seven dangers of blurred boundaries: 1. Breaches of confidentiality 2. Looping 3. Dumping 4. Gaslighting
5. Overstimulation 6. The "emperor`s new clothes effect` 7. Scapegoating
Learning Goals and Objectives:
1. Attendees will be able to distinguish boundary crossings from boundary violations.
2. Attendees will understand the iatrogenic treatment reactions of blurred boundaries.
3. Attendees will become aware of the importance of maintaining the frame in analytic group therapy.
Paper Forum D3- PartB: Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Therapy Groups following Traumatic Brain Injury:
Lessons Learned About Group Therapy with Individuals with Cognitive Impairments
Naomi Ennis, BA(Hons), MA(C), Tian Renton, BA (Hons.), MSc Rehabilitation Science Candidate, University of Toronto,
Jane Topolovec-Vranic, PhD, Clinical Researcher, Rachael Frankford, MSW, RSW, Mental Health Social Worker, Lauren
Massey, MSW, RSW, Mental Health Social Worker, Donna Ouchterlony, MD, Staff Physician, Shree Bhalerao, MD, Staff
Physician, St. Michael`s Hospital, Toronto, ON
This presentation will discuss lessons learned from developing and implementing mindfulness-based group therapy for
individuals with traumatic brain injury. Challenges, modifications, strengths and weaknesses of applying a group format
with this population will be discussed.
Learning Goals and Objectives:
1. To provide information on the strengths and challenges of facilitating group therapy with individuals with TBI and
similar symptom profiles, such as cognitive deficits.
2. To provide information on modifications made to traditional mindfulness-based cognitive therapy to tailor the
program to individuals with TBI and other populations with potential cognitive deficits.
3. To discuss areas for future research in terms of group facilitation with populations with TBI or similar cognitive
deficits.
CGPA SOIREE
6:30 – 11:00
CGPA Soiree: Sip, Nibble, Dance, Mingle At Campbell House
Come celebrate our passion for group, our diversity and legacy of learning, connecting and playing together at the
historical Campbell House in downtown Toronto. Campbell House, the oldest surviving Georgian building from the Town of
York, was home to Chief Justice William Campbell, who championed freedom of the press in Canada. Let's bring to life the
words "freedom of expression" in a fun filled evening of CGPA style camaraderie. Connect with old friends and make new
ones over sumptuous hors d'oeuvres and desserts created by “Toben, Food by Design”, specializing in the art of fine
cuisine. Share your latest dance moves on the dance floor as we shortcut to happiness together!
CGPA 2015 Conference
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Saturday, May 9th, 2015
8:00 – 8:30
Registration and Continental Breakfast
SATURDAY AM CONCURRENT SESSION E
8:30 – 10:30
Workshop E1: The Five Questions: An Exploration of The Dynamic Relationships Between Individual and
Group Dynamics
Allen Surkis, PhD, C PSYCH, FCGPA, Medical Scientist, McGill University Health Centre, Montreal, QC, Samantha Emma
Surkis, Doctoral Candidate, Adler School of Professional Psychology, Chicago, IL
Focus on aspects of individual identity and prospects for an individual’s personality course correction in relation to group
identity and its prospects for adaptive relating. Material will be presented from an art therapy group as well as a
conversational therapy group. Psychodynamic concepts will be introduced to further discussion and understanding.
Learning Goals and Objectives:
1. The stimulus value of The Five Questions.
2. Employing The Five Questions to facilitate psychodynamic process course corrections for the individual and the group.
3. Clarifying the relationship between individual and group processes.
4. An approach to conceiving of and working toward the repair of the individual self and the self of the group.
Workshop E2: MAST: A Brief Psycho-educational Group Intervention to Introduce Mindfulness and
Emotion Regulation Skills in a Hospital Based Urgent Care Setting
Rachael Frankford, MSW, Mental Health Clinician, St. Michael`s Hospital, Toronto, ON
Mindful Awareness Stabilization Training (MAST) is a brief 4 week group that teaches introductory mindfulness and
emotion regulation skills to outpatients of a hospital based Urgent Care program. In this presentation, participants will be
introduced to some of the experiential exercises and visual handouts from the MAST sessions with a particular focus on
mindfulness and the brain.
Learning Goals and Objectives:
1. To understand the impact of the MAST group on teaching mindfulness skills for emotion regulation with a basic
understanding of how mindfulness positively impacts the brain.
2. To consider less intensive mindfulness based interventions for people suffering from acute mental health problems
and unable to benefit from MBCT/MBSR.
3. To appreciate the benefit of short term, psychoeducational group approaches for people in urgent need of
psychotherapeutic support with the use of handouts and guided meditations to reinforce learning acquired in group.
EXPERIENTIAL TRAINING GROUP (ETG) (Lunch Provided)
8:30 – 4:00
C3 Experiential Training Group (ETG): Mixed levels of experience including those early in their careers
Note: This session is a continuation from Friday Afterrnoon .
Steve Schklar BSc, CGP (AGPA)
C4 Experiential Training Group (ETG): Making Space for Self for the Over-burdened Therapist
Note: This session is a continuation from Friday Afterrnoon .
Ken Schwartz, Assistant Professor of Psychiatry, University of Toronto
Vision
We will create public awareness about the merits of group
processes and therapy in Canada, and become the primary
resource for expertise, education and networking in the field.
Mission
To provide Canada-wide accessible expertise, education
and networking resources to students and professionals
interested in group processes and therapy.
CGPA 2015 Conference
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Saturday, May 9th, 2015
SATURDAY PM CONCURRENT SESSION F
11:00 – 1:00
Workshop F1:
Dynamic
The Illusion of Control in the Group Context: Managing Control Issues in the Group
David Holan, MA, Lumina Counselling, St. Jacobs, ON
The illusion of control is another subtle layer of control issues that impact group dynamics, and therefore the
developmental potential of the group. Learn to identify, confront and resolve illusions of control in a group.
Learning Goals and Objectives:
1. Learn what the illusion of control is, and how it presents itself in the group context.
2. Learn to identify specific individual illusions and confront them in group context.
3. Learn to help identify and resolve illusions of control in individual group members.
Workshop F2:
Group CBT for Depression in Adults
Ingrid Sochting, PhD, R.Psych, Director of Psychology Clinic, Clinical Assistant Professor, CONT, Department of Psychology,
University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC
The Group CBT for Depression in Adults colloquium addresses how to present psycho-education, behavioural and cognitive
interventions, and relapse prevention including mindfulness. Group preparation, group members’ expectations, dropout
prevention, outcome measures, group process factors, and leader qualifications will be addressed.
Learning Goals and Objectives:
1. To become familiar with the literature on group CBT for depression.
2. To support clinicians in developing and implementing a group CBT protocol in their practice.
3. To appreciate the challenges of working with both structured and process oriented interventions.
4:00
Closing Circle
.
Please stay and join us for the closing reception. (As group facilitators, we know how important termination is for any
group!) This informal gathering will provide an opportunity to unwind, process some of your learning, say farewell to
colleagues and friends and witness the torch being passed to our 2015 conference hosts.
Hotel Accommodations
For our 2015 Conference, CGPA will be at the
DoubleTree by Hilton
108 Chestnut Street,
Toronto, ON, M5G 1R3
For Additional Information
CGPA 2015
c/o First Stage Enterprises
1 Concorde Gate, Suite 109
Toronto, ON M3C 3N6
Tel: 416-426-7229
Fax: 416-426-7280
Toll free: 1-866-433-9695
Email: admin@cgpa.ca
Set in the center of Toronto's financial, research and shopping
districts, DoubleTree by Hilton Hotel Toronto Downtown offers a
quiet retreat in the heart of a vibrant, urban location. Guests enjoy
easy access to the city center and attractions including The CN
Tower, the Hockey Hall of Fame, Royal Ontario Museum and
Ripley's Aquarium.
This downtown Toronto hotel features stylish and spacious guest
rooms, all offering modern amenities and thoughtful touches. Stay
connected with internet access or watch movies on the flat-screen
TV. Enjoy signature chocolate chip cookie, as a welcoming gift to
you. Connect with colleagues and family with complimentary WiFi
throughout the hotel.
Special CGPA Conference Rate
Single or Double $195.00
You can make a reservation directly at: 416-977-5000, 1-800-6686600 or visit their website at
http://doubletree.hilton.com/en/dt/groups/personalized/Y/YTOCSDT-CGP20150502/index.jhtml?WT.mc_id=POG . Indicate you are with the
Canadian Group Psychotherapy Association for the special rate.
PLEASE CLICK HERE TO REGISTER FOR THIS CONFERENCE
CGPA 2015 Conference
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