Human connection: is it possible in the era of virtual groups and social distancing? One group worker’s journey through the COVID-19 pandemic

ABSTRACT

The COVID-19 pandemic has forced many professionals to move their work into the virtual space. In March 2020, the pandemic reached Israel and shortly after, social gatherings were mostly prohibited. As a social work educator and as a group facilitator, my work became virtual, for the first time in my life. This narrative manuscript describes four chapters which represent my experiences as a group facilitator, who is transitioning into the virtual space, and contemplating whether human connection can still be made in an age of social distancing and virtual encounters.

KEYWORDS:

• Virtual facilitation
• COVID-19 pandemic
• facilitator’s self-disclosure
• group work
• group facilitation

Acknowledgments

The author would like to thank Prof. Miriam Golan for her ongoing support, mentoring, inspiration and teaching of group work. Thanks to my colleagues at Ruppin Academic Center for their ongoing support and partnership. Lastly, thanks to Dr. Tamar Ickeson and Dr. Yael Ben David, our joint collaboration in the study of virtual group work has inspired this paper.

Correction Statement

This article has been republished with minor changes. These changes do not impact the academic content of the article.