Publishing A Case Study

Have you ever thought about writing a case study? Even if you haven’t, think about it. Those of you, who read my column, know that I write about research. This time, I have a different focus. I would like to draw your attention to the newly created Journal ‘Case Studies in Therapeutic Groupwork’. Some of us, who are interested in research, thought that there was a lack of case studies. So, we thought it would be a good idea to launch a journal in an attempt to change this.

We would like to encourage group analysts, students, service users, and others to write a case study. And, of course, submit one. You would probably want to know more about this journal. So, I will first tell you a bit about its aims. The journal aims to be a forum for people. While some may carry out research, others may participate in groups, or conduct them. Often, people contribute to groups in different ways. We would like to hear how you, or interested others, do this. Writing an article for this journal would offer you the opportunity to share ‘good practice in groupwork’.  At the same time, it could become a space, where you can share diverse experiences of working with groups. Don’t worry, if you have never written a case study before. Or think that your writing isn’t good enough. Submit an article nevertheless. Articles will be reviewed, and reviewers often make very valuable suggestions. So, you might even learn how to improve your writing. I’m emphasizing this, because we would like to encourage especially those, who would not usually seek publication in an academic journal, write a piece. We value the multiplicity of voices and perspectives. Therefore, it’s not just about analytic groups that you could write about. Articles about groups based on different theoretical orientations are equally welcome. It would be great, if we could foster a learning community in groupwork. Of course, like other journals, we are hoping to publish a wide range of case studies, which are of high quality. That’s what peer review is for. Furthermore, you would probably agree that groups often improve people’s lives. If your group has made a difference, let others know. The best way to do so is by describing what the group did to achieve this.

There are many settings in which groups are conducted. It would be very useful to hear about people’s experiences. This could deepen everybody’s knowledge of what happens in groups. Unfortunately, we don’t often talk about things that do not go well. However, it is invaluable to understand why. So, writing about a group, in which something didn’t go well, could increase your insight into what went wrong. And others could learn from it as well.

The journal will be launched in June 2025. David Woodger will be guest editor for the first edition, which will be published in October 2025. Hopefully, you’ve become curious and would like to find out more. Have a look at the website, there is all the information you need:

https://sites.gold.ac.uk/case-studies-in-groupwork/

email: s.vosmer@gmail.com