Multiple self awareness group: Format and application to a personal growth experience

Abstract

The “self” has long been studied and accommodated in personality theories and in philosophies and Eastern religions. Constructivists have acknowledged the importance of an individual's construction of the self, both in the realm of clinical research and in psychotherapy. Recent conceptions of self include a nonpathological multiplicity metaphor; in other words, healthy persons can be seen as possessing multiple selves. Originally designed for individual therapy, a set of exercises oriented toward elaboration of multiple self personae (called multiple self awareness; MSA) was adapted and applied to a personal growth therapy group. This article describes the constructivist rationale for the exercises and format, then details its application in the group setting. Specific examples are provided to illustrate the processes evoked by MSA. Inferences are offered regarding the nature of the processes underlying the use of this therapeutic format.