Group Action: The Dynamics of Groups in Therapeutic, Educational and Corporate Settings (International Library of Group Analysis, 19)

298 Pages·2001·1.09 MB·English

by  Martin T. Ringer

Group Action: The Dynamics of Groups in
Therapeutic, Educational and Corporate Settings
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TherapeuticCommunities8
Group Action: The Dynamics of Groups
in Therapeutic, Educational and
Corporate Settings
T. Martin Ringer
Jessica Kingsley Publishers
London and New York
Allrightsreserved. Nopartofthispublicationmaybereproducedinany
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orunderthetermsofalicenceissuedbytheCopyrightLicensingAgencyLtd,
90TottenhamCourtRoad,London,EnglandW1P9HE. Applicationsforthe
copyrightowner’swrittenpermissiontoreproduceanypartofthispublication
shouldbeaddressedtothepublisher.
Warning:Thedoingofanunauthorisedactinrelationtoacopyrightworkmay
resultinbothacivilclaimfordamagesandcriminalprosecution.
TherightofT.MartinRingertobeidentifiedastheauthorofthisworkhas
beenassertedbytheminaccordancewiththeCopyright,DesignsandPatents
Act1988.
FirstpublishedintheUnitedKingdomin2002
byJessicaKingsleyPublishersLtd
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and
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Copyright©T.MartinRinger2002
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ACIPcataloguerecordforthisbookisavailablefromtheBritishLibrary
ISBN1843100282
PrintedandBoundinGreatBritainby
AthenaeumPress,Gateshead,TyneandWear
Contents
Acknowledgements and locating the book
in a social context 8
Foreword by Malcolm Pines 13
Foreword by Claudio Neri 15
Author’s preface 16
Introduction 17
Prelude: stories and the demise of a wombat 39
Part 1
1. Constructing reality in groups 47
2. Internal working models 64
3. Conscious, preconscious and unconscious 77
4. Aspects of the unconscious, preconscious
and conscious that influence behaviour in groups 91
5. Unconscious processes: language and symbolism 121
6. Projection and other phenomena
of the unconscious 133
7. Patterns in the group-as-a-whole 144
Part 2
Introduction to Part 2: application of principles 173
8. A psychodynamic view of experiential learning
in groups 175
9. Linking, containment and affiliative attachment
in groups 190
10. Enhancing group effectiveness through creating
and maintaining a ‘reflective space’ 218
11. Six perspectives on facilitation and group leadership
competencies: integrating the rational with the
non-rational 238
12. Leaders as artists: unconscious processes
in groups 265
REFERENCES 282
AUTHORINDEX 290
SUBJECTINDEX 293
To Françoise
Acknowledgements and locating
the book in a social context
The writing and publishing of a book is a social phenomenon rather than a
purelypersonalone.Thefollowingacknowledgementsareintendedtoservetwo
functions:firsttorecognizethosewhohavecontributedtothefinalproductand
secondlytoplacethebookinthesocialandintellectualcontextfromwhichit
wasconceived,grownandmadepublic.Formethereweretwooriginsofthis
manuscript.Onewasthedevelopmentofmycapacitytowriteaboutgroupsand
thesecondwastheoriginofthespecificprojectthatresultedinthebook.The
twostoriesareinterwoven.
At the age of four and a half years I was allowed to attend the tiny rural
schoolwheremyfatherwasthesoleteacher.ForthenextsevenandahalfyearsI
belongedtowhatInowunderstandtohavebeenanactiveexperientiallearning
groupthatwasfacilitatedby‘MrRinger’theteacherandincludedpupilsranging
fromfivetothirteenyearsold.FortheseyearsIexperiencedbeingamemberof
whatwasprimarilyasuccessfullearninggroup.Thatwasapowerfulbuildingof
the capacity to work with groups and has cemented into my psyche an
unshakable faith that groups can be generative and positive places to be. It is
morethantwelveyearssinceBobRingerdiedbutitismypleasuretoacknowl-
edgethatIambuildingonwhathestarted.ThenfromtheageoffifteenIstarteda
long association with adventure activities and experienced the building of
personal confidence and further positive group experiences during more than
twenty years of adventure recreation in New Zealand. Hence, there are many
leadersofadventuregroupstowhomIowemythanks.
Then, in 1990, I left New Zealand as an emotional refugee – trying to
escapefromthepainoftheimpendinglossofmyprimaryrelationshipandthe
lossofmyprofessionalroleasDirectorofNorthlandWildernessExperience,an
adventure therapy programme. The staff at Northland Wilderness Experience
collectively created an outstanding environment for learning and growth. In
particular, without the quiet confidence of Tahu Robertson I would not have
sustainedthedemandsofthatroleforaslongasIdid.LesGray,RosieGuildand
Dr Margaret O’Brien combined warmth, understanding and professional
direction for me during those challenging years. At this time too, Maraea
(Pompy) Tipene and many Maori people from around Tai Tokerau showed
remarkable patience with me in their coaching of me in tikanga Maori. Gary
Poole’scourageandtrustinmewasanotheressentialpartinthedevelopmentof
myunderstandingofgroups,organizationsandhumanchangeprocesses.Diana
Rands,LizzieBakerandHowardRetialsomadesignificantcontributionstothe
emotional container that nurtured our work together. In retrospect I now
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