Project for a Group Analytic Dictionary

The aim of this paper is to invite members of GASi all over the world to contribute to the making of this dictionary.  We will present a short history of the project, the background and the spirit that led to its creation and some guidance about the different possibilities to make a contribution.

A short history       

S.H. Foulkes developed and implemented the idea of Group Analytic Groups, a therapeutic method to help people suffering from emotional disturbances. The work which he started during WWII, has continued developing its practice and its theory today it has a remarkable number of distinguished scholars and clinicians that continue to implement the basic idea that “the Group is the best tool to operate on man’s innermost structure” (Foulkes, 1948: 16).

It is also important to relate to the Zeitgeist; the world conditions to which Foulkes related have radically changed and it has required adaptation, something that in Foulkes’ view has in it a “creative element present”. (Foulkes, 1948: I). The Group Analytic Society that Foulkes founded has spread throughout the world and has developed into a huge mosaic of views, theories and practices that although are still Group Analytic, have their own nuances.

It is in the midst of this new situation that the need for a Group Analytic Dictionary (GAD) has become more apparent. Specifically for the purpose to better understand and differentiate between concepts.

It was while in a discussion with some of his colleagues that Soeren Aagard (2012: 46-47) realized there was no dictionary to consult!

He learned that there had been some initiatives to create a dictionary, but, for various reasons it didn’t succeed. Following in the footsteps of a Psycho-dynamic Dictionary that had been published in Denmark, and in which he had taken part, he designed an interactive way to write about group analytic concepts. Aagard stayed loyal to the spirit of Group Analysis by devising a way that would include the views of his colleagues. Later, when the list of written concepts was reviewed, it was done in the same way, with the participation of his colleagues.

Soeren Aagard’s initiative crystallized and the beginnings of a Foulksian Dictionary and a blog, for the exchange of ideas on group analytic terms, appeared in the Danish Group Analytic website.

A few years later, Soeren and his Danish colleagues decided to hand over the project to GASi and Svein Tjelta from Norway, became, in 2015, the principal editor of GAD, in collaboration with Carmen O’Leary from UK, and Marina Mojovic from Serbia, with full support from the GASi Management Committee.

The work on the project continued, with new definitions of terms being written, edited and added to the substantial number of entries that already existed in the Danish blog. A successful workshop took place at the Berlin symposium and several Group Analysts agreed to write definitions of GA terms. The plan was to publish a hard copy Group Analytic Dictionary in 3 volumes.

Eventually the idea of publishing a finished dictionary as a book was put aside and the work focused on continuing to add new definitions and opening the collection of written terms to all GASi members.

To this effect, in 2019, the editors, with the agreement of the Editor of “Contexts”, decided to publish one definition of a GA term in every edition of the GASi Newsletter “Contexts”. Since then, we have been publishing material four times a year.

For the last two and a half years Carmen O’Leary from England, Carla Penna from Brazil and Rachel Chejanovsky from Israel, have been the organisers and editors of the project, as Svein Tjelta resigned his post and stopped being actively involved.

Reflecting the international composition of GASi, the current aim is to involve not only GASi members but also other GA organisations. For the past few years we have been in contact with Edith Lecourt of the French Society of Group Psychoanalytic Psychotherapy (FSFPPG). Her Society is also engaged in writing a Dictionary of GA terms and we have exchanged entries to be published in their publication, the Group Psychoanalytic Psychotherapy Review (RPPG) and have already published two of their definitions in “Contexts” (Contexts – issues 91 and 94).

The Portuguese School of Group Analysis is also a new contributor and their contribution appeared in the last edition of Contexts (Contexts – issue 97). Establishing these contacts and making these exchanges of theoretical terms, is allowing the project to enlarge the GA theoretical field, open to readers of “Contexts”, by presenting ideas that may be different to Foulksian group analysis or are seen from another perspective.

The spirit of the project

The real “movement” in sciences takes place in the more or less radical and in themselves opaque examinations of their fundamental concepts. Heidegger

With this sentence S.  Aagard began his paper ‘Project for a Group Analytic Dictionary’ (Contexts, 2012). The examinations of the fundamental concepts demand some sharpness of perspective and, I would say humility and constancy to deal with them. To keep the ideas vital and fresh, we must keep thinking and reviewing them.

Another aspect that seems very relevant is In Foulkes’ (1974, pp.278) words: “Language is one of the main and most significant mental phenomena and can only be maintained and be meaningful as a group phenomenon”. Thus, our call to you to share your views and promote Group Analysis, by thinking of it and by trying to understand in new ways the concepts that are in use in our practice. To keep their sense, we need to work in a group, as a group.

The idea was and is to keep the different concepts open to scrutiny and to consider new views. Everybody can respond and add ideas using “Group Analytic Contexts” as a platform for exchange.

The definition of terms written by contemporary Group Analysts in the newsletter, does not intend to imply that we believe that there is only one strict meaning, instead it encourages open discussion on possible ways of understanding how these might be applied in different clinical situations and cultures.

We are now making this project known to all our colleagues because we believe that the collaboration and involvement of members from different countries will bring freshness, as theoretical terms are constantly being explored, expanded, and adapted to meet the demands of the various socio-cultural and political settings where GA is practiced. The remit of the Group Analytic Dictionary meets with the stated objectives of EGATIN; ‘By enabling the exchange of experiences and knowledge between the members, EGATIN tries to contribute to keeping the high standards in group analytic training programs among EGATIN members, in Europe and beyond’.

How to implement the project

The first step to interest you, and to give you some idea of what has been done, is to refer you to the material that has already been published in Contexts. Since the summer issue in 2019 there has been a paper published in every newsletter.

To enter the web site, click on: https://Group Analytic Society international, then sroll down to Group-Analytic Concepts, you can then open it and will have access to all the publications. If you are not a member of the GASi society, the most recent Newsletter published will not be available to you for 3 months, after that time it will be.

There are a number of ways in which you can get involved:

• It is possible to respond to what has been published directly to the newsletter. This can contribute to make “Contexts” a place for discussion. This was done in the past in the Danish blog.
• You can write yourself a definition of a GA concept, and send it for editing to Carmen, Carla or Rachel. If you have any questions, you can write to us directly.
• You can, as was done in Denmark and Israel, invite members in your Institute to form a group that meets and reads on some concept, and a member takes the responsibility to write an article with a definition of a term to be published. This is a very enriching way of thinking and rejuvenating views: in a group analytic format.

This is our experience.  May be there are other ways to contribute to the project?     If you have any ideas, you are invited to share them with us.

At the end of this paper, you will find a list of concepts that need a definition to be written. There are also, some guidelines to provide help when writing. Additionally email addresses that will be useful for you.

References

Aagard S. 2012. Project for a Group Analytic Dictionary. Group Analytic Contexts (58) pp. 46-55.

Foulkes S.H. 1948. Introduction to Group Analytic Psychotherapy. Heinemann Medical Books Ltd. London.

Foulkes S. H. 1990. My philosophy in psychotherapy (1974). S. H. Foulkes Selected Papers. Karnac Books. London

Contexts Editor:

Viv Harte: vivharte@btinternet.com

Dictionary Team:

Carla Penna: drcarlapenna@gmail.com

Carmen O’Leary: carmenoleary@icloud.com

Rachel A. Chejanovsky: raquel.chej@gmail.com

Guidelines for writing in the Group Analytic Dictionary (GAD)

The format for writing is the same as it is used in the journal Group Analysis published by Sage. Term: Use the term you work on as the heading for your entry.

Definition of term: Give a short general descriptive definition of the term first.
Etymological roots, and derivatives if illuminating/meaningful: From what did the term derive, Latin/Greek? What does it mean?
Development of the concept and different equivalent or similar terms used by different authors: Who was the first to use the term and how has it been used by others later. Put in references following the norm in the journal Group Analysis.
Descriptive use and clinical example if possible, by the specific author(s): illustrate with a clinical vignette from the one who coined the term or your own experience/practice.
Different usages: Is the same phenomena conceptualized by other terms?
Mandatory provision of references using the format from the journal Group Analysis: Reference year. If quotations from texts, page numbers, and reference list in the end of article. Lastly 3 – 5 search words.
Maximum and minimum use of words should not as a rule exceed more than 2000 or less than 100.
English to be the only language used for final publication of the GAD.
Perspective should be group-analytic.

List of Major Concepts in Group Analysis – Theory and Technique

1) Acting in/Acting out
Authority
Bi-focal Orientation

2) Basic Assumptions

3) Communication in groups/four group levels of communication

4) Conductor
Conducting (the way authority is managed by the group)
Co-Conductor
Convenor
Chain Phenomena
Chaos
Combined Conjoint Therapy
Commonality – Being part of a whole

5) Communicational network
Conflict
Countertransference in Groups
Context

6) Dialogue
Dramatization
Drop Out
Dynamic Administration
Dynamic Unconscious

7) Ego Training in action

8) Free-floating Discussion

9) Group Analytic Group:
group as mother
process
setting
frame
slow open/fast open group
stages in the group
voice

10) Group Analysis

11) Group Analytic principles
Group Analytic psychotherapy

12) Group Analytic Situation:
group association
group boundaries
group coherence
group cohesion
group discussion
group dreams
group intervention
group interpretation
group led activity
group member
group mind/psyche
group self

13) Group Specific Factors:
Condensation/condenser
Difference
Mirroring:
hall of mirrors
malignant mirroring
mirror response
Resonance
Here and Now & There and Then
Homogeneity/Heterogeneity
Intra-psychic
Interpersonal

14) Koinonia
Localization
Location

15) Large group

16) Foundation matrix
Dynamic matrix
Personal matrix
Relational internal matrix
Nodal Points

17) Object relations in groups
Occupation
Personification
Play in groups

18) Polarization
Power

19) Projective identification
Projective/Introjective Processes
Regression
Resistance

20) Roles in Groups:
Deviant
Emotional
Monopoliser
Co-leader
Scapegoat

21) Small Group

22) Selection and Composition of group members
Self-Help Groups
Self-Object:
Failure
Transference
Self-Object Function:
idealization
Mirroring
Twinship
Society
Specialist Groups
Sub-group
Supervision of the Group Work
Sexuality in the Group
Termination in Groups

23) Therapy Of/In/By the Group
Total Situation
Transitional object
Transitional Space
Transpersonal Processes
Transpersonal network
Transposition

24) Work Group