PA129-4-SP-CO:
Therapeutic Work in Groups

The details
2024/25
Psychosocial and Psychoanalytic Studies
Colchester Campus
Spring
Undergraduate: Level 4
Current
Monday 13 January 2025
Friday 21 March 2025
15
12 June 2024

 

Requisites for this module
(none)
(none)
(none)
(none)

 

(none)

Key module for

BA C847CO Psychodynamic Practice,
BA C848CO Psychodynamic Practice (Including Foundation Year),
BA C849CO Psychodynamic Practice (Including Year Abroad),
BA C850CO Psychodynamic Practice (Including Placement Year)

Module description

This module is an introduction to group work and working with groups from a psychodynamic perspective and aims to provide students with the basic understanding, techniques and skills needed to engage professionally in therapeutic orientated groups in the workplace.


In the first seven seminars students will build upon their knowledge of groups, explore the historical background and development of group work and go on to consider specific issues such as dealing with troubling behaviour, gangs and groups, issues of interpretation, insight and corrective emotional experience, as well as considering staff support groups and the issues with engaging in these.


Students will also form a group led by the seminar tutor in order to gain first hand experience of group participation. They will form a group, agree upon its structure and boundaries, and form sub-groups with a set task to work upon independently. In the final three weeks students will gain further experience of group participation by engaging in and leading a series of workshops designed around group activities and exercises. Alongside their theoretical knowledge, they will learn experientially about the dilemmas of participation in groups while also developing a set of resources for the future.

Module aims

The aims of this module are:



  • To gain knowledge about the origins and development of group work

  • To gain knowledge about the aims and benefits of working in groups

  • To gain a basic theoretical understanding of psychodynamic processes in groups

  • To become aware of unconscious processes in groups

  • To gain further experience of participating in a group

  • To learn about specific activities and exercises and be equipped to support or support group work in the future

Module learning outcomes

By the end of this module students will be expected to have:



  1. Gained knowledge about the origins and development of group work

  2. Gained knowledge about the aims and benefits of working in groups

  3. Gained a basic theoretical understanding of psychodynamic processes in groups

  4. Become aware of unconscious processes in groups

  5. Gained further experience of participating in a group and

  6. Learned about specific activities and exercises and be equipped to support or support group work in the future


Module information

Key Skills



  • To recognise the therapeutic potential of groups

  • To understand how to plan, structure and carry out group work


Employability Skills



  • Capacity to engage in group work

  • Capacity to apply psychodynamic concepts to groups

  • To better understand their own behaviour in a group setting

Learning and teaching methods

Teaching is divided into three components – Theory, Participation in a Group and Leading a Group.

Seminar 1 - Theory

The first seven weeks are theoretical taught seminars. Students will build upon their knowledge of groups, explore the historical background and development of group work and go on to consider specific issues such as dealing with troubling behaviour, gangs and groups, issues of interpretation, insight and corrective emotional experience, as well as consider staff support groups.

Seminar 2 - Participation in a Group

This seminar is experiential. Student participation in a group led by the seminar tutor and will be given specific tasks to work on during groups. They will consider the importance of beginnings and endings in groups, the holding function of continuity and routine, a range of exercises with different functions and the balance needed between activity and reflection. Students can reflect and make links from their own experience of the group to the theory being studied.

Student Workshops - Leading a Group

In the final three weeks students will be participating in weekly activities and exercises. They will, in addition, each have the opportunity to lead a group activity or exercise, contending with issues raised by leadership, followership, participation and teamwork.

Bibliography

The above list is indicative of the essential reading for the course.
The library makes provision for all reading list items, with digital provision where possible, and these resources are shared between students.
Further reading can be obtained from this module's reading list.

Assessment items, weightings and deadlines

Coursework / exam Description Deadline Coursework weighting
Coursework   Reflective Essay on Groups Activity  25/04/2025  40% 
Coursework   Essay  19/05/2025  60% 

Exam format definitions

  • Remote, open book: Your exam will take place remotely via an online learning platform. You may refer to any physical or electronic materials during the exam.
  • In-person, open book: Your exam will take place on campus under invigilation. You may refer to any physical materials such as paper study notes or a textbook during the exam. Electronic devices may not be used in the exam.
  • In-person, open book (restricted): The exam will take place on campus under invigilation. You may refer only to specific physical materials such as a named textbook during the exam. Permitted materials will be specified by your department. Electronic devices may not be used in the exam.
  • In-person, closed book: The exam will take place on campus under invigilation. You may not refer to any physical materials or electronic devices during the exam. There may be times when a paper dictionary, for example, may be permitted in an otherwise closed book exam. Any exceptions will be specified by your department.

Your department will provide further guidance before your exams.

Overall assessment

Coursework Exam
100% 0%

Reassessment

Coursework Exam
100% 0%
Module supervisor and teaching staff
Dr Chris Nicholson, email: cnich@essex.ac.uk.
from Department of Psychosocial and Psychoanalytic Studies
ppsug@essex.ac.uk 01206 874969 Room 5A.202

 

Availability
Yes
Yes
Yes

External examiner

Dr Anthony John Faramelli
Goldsmiths
Lecturer in Visual Cultures
Resources
Available via Moodle
Of 20 hours, 20 (100%) hours available to students:
0 hours not recorded due to service coverage or fault;
0 hours not recorded due to opt-out by lecturer(s).

 

Further information

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