Module Directory

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.

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

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

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

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.