Encounter Groups.

Encounter Groups

The encounter groups will be virtual groups of up to 10-15 people. The way in which the encounter groups work is that there will be a facilitator who will introduce themselves and the session. The facilitator will be a therapist but will not necessarily provide therapy for each participant. A common theme in encounter groups is for other participants to respond to each other and offer support, ask questions or respectfully challenge.

The facilitator will ensure that respect is maintained and will offer insights where they see fit. The sessions will have no set agenda or plan and they are for people to freely share their experiences, however there is no pressure to speak until you feel comfortable enough to do so. Sometimes listening to others can spark individual emotions that can be shared or internally stored. The hope is that the individuals can gain some perspective and engage in the joint experience.

Encounter groups also offer the opportunity to practice being in silence. The facilitator will not necessarily fill the silence, which gives the participants opportunity to process. Encounter groups are also a good way to get into therapy. If the idea of one to one therapy is daunting, then this group setting could be a nice ice breaker.