Exploring the value of person-centred encounter groups today - relevance, purpose and importance

ABSTRACT

In the first part of this personal reflective paper we describe setting up the ‘Central London PCA Encounter Group’ in the UK, which has been running monthly for the last two years. We explore the motivation for establishing the group, the ethos of facilitation, the challenges of the role of facilitators, conflict and the attitudinal qualities of the group, and the diversity and growth of the group. In the second part we introduce and look in detail at a short piece of qualitative research carried out with encounter group attendees, examining the five themes which emerged within the research: The Unknown, Connection, Belonging to a Group, Conflict, Self-Development and finally Conclusions.

Dans la première partie de cet article de réflexion personnelle, nous décrivons le dispositif du ‘Central London PCA encounter Group’ au Royaume-Uni qui s’est déroulé ces deux dernières années à un rythme mensuel. Nous explorons la motivation à mettre en place le groupe, l’ethos de la facilitation, les challenges du rôle des facilitateurs, le conflit et les qualités attitudinelles du groupe ainsi que la diversité et la croissance du groupe. Dans la seconde partie, nous introduisons et analysons en détail une petite recherche qualitative conduite avec les participants au groupe de rencontre, examinant cinq thèmes émergeant de la recherche: l’inconnu, la connexion, l’appartenance au groupe, le conflit, le développement personne. Pour terminer, nous présentons des conclusions.

Im ersten Teil dieser persönlichen Reflexion beschreiben wir, wie wir die ‘Central London PCA Encounter Group’ in Grossbritannien aufbauten, welche seit den letzten zwei Jahren monatlich stattfindet. Wir untersuchen die Motivation dafür, die Gruppe zu gründen, das Ethos des Unterstützens, die Herausforderungen durch die Rolle des/der Facilitator*in, Konflikte und die Verhaltensqualitäten der Gruppe sowie die Diversität und das Wachstum der Gruppe. Im zweiten Teil stellen wir ein kurzes Stück qualitativer Forschung vor, im Detail betrachtet, welches mit Teilnehmenden der Encounter-Gruppe durchgeführt wurde, und wir untersuchen dabei die fünf Themen, die sich innerhalb dieser Forschung herausstellten: das Unbekannte, Verbindung, Zugehörigkeit zu einer Gruppe, Konflikt, Selbst-Entwicklung und schliesslich Schlussfolgerungen.

En tla promera primera parte de esta reflexion personal, describimos estabecer el `grupo de encuentro centrado en la persona PCE Europa´ en UK, que ha estado fincionando mensualmente durante dos años . Expñoramos ña moyivacion para establecer el grupo, el carácter distintivo de de facilitar, los desafios del rol del facilitador, los conflicyos, cualidades actitudinales del grupo y la diversidad y crecimiento del fripo.

En la segunda parte introducimos y miramos en detalle, como una especie de investigacion cualiitativa llevada a cabo con participantes de encuentros de grupo, examinanando cinco temas que surgen de la investigacion: lo desconocido, la coneccion, peretenecer a un grupo, conflicto, autodesarrollo y conclusiones finales.

Na primeira parte deste artigo de reflexão pessoal descrevemos a preparação do ‘Grupo de Encontro da Abordagem Centrada na Pessoa em Londres’, que decorre todos os meses desde há dois anos. Exploramos as motivações para o estabelecimento do grupo, o etos da facilitação, os desafios do papel de facilitadores, conflitos e qualidades de atitude do grupo e a diversidade e crescimento do grupo. Na segunda parte introduzimos e analisamos com pormenor uma pequena amostra de pesquisa qualitativa levada a cabo junto de participantes em grupos de encontro, analisando os cinco temas que surgiram no âmbito da pesquisa: O Desconhecido, Ligação, Pertença a um Grupo, Conflito, Desenvolvimento Pessoal e, por fim, Conclusões.

KEYWORDS:

• Encounter
• relevance
• purpose
• connection
• belonging

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Jules Haley

Jules Haley is an experienced counselor within the Gender Sexuality and Relationship Diversity community and works with alcohol and substance use issues in private practice. She co-runs the Central London PCA Encounter Group and ‘Dining Room Dialogues’ a monthly themed discussion group for therapists and trainees. She has a deep respect and love for the power within groups and has an interest in trauma informed approaches and likes cakes.

Rachel Yates

Rachel Yates is a Person-Centered counselor and mental health trainer with over twenty years of experience of working with homelessness, mental health crisis and distress, in psychologically-informed and trauma-responsive residential environments and in private practice in East London. She has facilitated Unusual Beliefs groups for ten years and co-organized the Central London PCA Encounter Group since March 2017. Outside of that she is a local food-blogger.