American Group Psychotherapy Association

Last weekend, during their November meeting, the AGPA Board of Directors approved a new Fellow of the Association Congratulations M. Sophia Aguirre, PhD, CGP, FAGPA #FacesofAGPA Dr. Sophia Aguirre, PhD, CGP, FAGPA

APA Division 49 - Society of Group Psychology and Group Psychotherapy has developed a three-part series on creating and leading support groups; it is featured on their resource page which also has training opportunities, links to professional associations, journals, books, and more! #Group https://www.apadivisions.org/division/about/resources/index

Halloween has passed but you still may be wondering why do people feel fear and attraction to horror movies, haunted houses, creepiness and clowns? Listen to Community Outreach Co-Chair Dr. Suzanne Phillips’ podcast where she interviews Dr. Frank McAndrew, social psychologist and the Cornelia H. Dudley Professor of Psychology at Knox College. Dr. McAndrew offers a perspective you are not likely to find anywhere else. You will learn about the psychological mechanisms behind creeped out the agent detection mechanism tripped by haunted houses, the factors that might account for the sensed presence of another and other paranormal experiences. https://www.voiceamerica.com//encore-why-do-people-feel-fe

Did you know the Institute selection for #AGPAConnect2021 is open?! The Two-Day Institute will be held Saturday-Sunday, February 13-14. - Process Group Experience Sections: https://www.agpa.org//2021-process-group-experience-sectio - Specific Interest Sections: https://www.agpa.org//2021/2021-specific-interest-sections... Special Institute Presentations will be held Friday, February 19. - Special Institutes: https://www.agpa.org//agpa-connect-2021/2021-special-insti Click here https://na.eventscloud.com/ereg/index.php?eventid=532274 to register/modify your registration. Conference Programming will be available soon!

Check out APA Division 49’s Support Group Series on creating and leading support groups, with interviews conducted in the fall of 2020. The three-part series features AGPA members Molyn Leszcz, MD, FRCPC, CGP, DFAGPA, Christine Schmidt, LCSW,CGP, Ann Steiner, PhD, MFT, CGP, FAGPA, and Robert Klein, PhD, ABPP, CGP, DLFAGPA. https://www.apadivisions.org/division/about/resources/index

Social isolation and loneliness were prevalent issues long before Covid-19, with long established physical and mental health repercussionsWorking from home, remote schooling, and social distancing requirements have only magnified these feelings. Read the Forbes article Has Covid-19 Made You Feel Lonely? Try Group Therapy to learn how group therapy can help decrease loneliness during the pandemic. The article also features AGPA member and International Journal of Group Psychotherapy Editor Dr. Jill Paquin. https://www.forbes.com//has-covid-19-made-you-feel-lonel/

"Navigating Troubled Waters: Fostering Post Election Dialogue for Understanding, Connection, and Hope" with Sara Emerson, LICSW, MSW, CGP, FAGPA meets for three Sunday sessions starting November 8. Register today: https://member.agpa.org/itemdetail?iproductcode=AU20201108

Are you an experienced mental health professional leading groups? Do you want formal recognition? Apply for the Certified Group Psychotherapy (CGP) credential today! Get all the details here: https://www.agpa.org/cgp-certification/.

Are you a group therapist who has transitioned some or all of your group work to online group therapy? You’re invited to participate in an anonymous online survey about your experiences with group therapy during the pandemic. The survey will take approximately 20 minutes. We hope to receive your response by November 1, 2020. Survey data will be used to develop further training and supports for online group work, and to support advocacy for continued funding for online care. Complete the survey here: https://utk.co1.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_5veHMvYMF3h8nZj

#MemberNews Nick A. Kanas, MD, FAGPA, CGP-R, has published a new book, Integrative Group Therapy for Psychosis: An Evidence-Based Approach. Stemming from a series of outcome and process studies, this book presents an evidence-based, integrative group therapy treatment model that includes elements from psychodynamic, interpersonal, psychoeducational, and cognitive-behavioral approaches to address the needs of people suffering from psychosis. The concluding chapter, which summarizes the highlights of the book, is available for free here: https://www.routledge.com//free-chapter-integrative-group-.

#MemberNews Giorgio A. Tasca, PhD, Editor of APA's journal Group Dynamics: Theory, Research, and Practice, has released a special issue titled "Groups in a Dangerous Time: Virtual Work and Therapy in the COVID-19 Era." This issue includes articles by AGPA members: Cheri L. Marmarosh, PhD, FAGPA, Gary M. Burlingame, PhD, CGP, DFAGPA, and Bernhard Strauss, PhD. All articles are open access (free) at: https://psycnet.apa.org/PsycARTICLES/journal/gdn/24/3

Listen to Community Outreach Co-Chair Dr. Suzanne Phillips’ podcast episode, An Insider Look at the Message of BARS by Pravin Wilkins at Four Walls Theater. Dr. Phillips interviews Elana Gartner, the Founder and Producer and Gina Marie Dropp, the Artistic Director of Four Walls, and they discuss the relevance and mission of this virtual theater during COVID and the reason for the choice of Bars. Playwright Pravin Wilkens joins Dr. Phillips to discuss his award-winni...ng play in the light of oppressive social issues like the power of prosecutors to shape how laws are applied, to whom, and to what ends. Director Heather Harvey considers this play with respect to civic engagement at this time, and antiracism in our political engagement. Actress Janan Ashton considers her role as a female activist in personal and broader terms. https://www.voiceamerica.com//an-insider-look-at-the-messa See more

#ThrowbackThursday Don’t miss out on your October news and updates from AGPA! This Group Connections issue includes an AGPA Connect 2021 announcement, scholarship information, IJGP October issue, member news, a list of new CGPs, and more! https://conta.cc/3llNw3Q

Craig Haen, PhD, RDT, CGP, LCAT, FAGPA and Phillip Horner, MSW, LCSW, CGP, on behalf of the Diversity Equity and Inclusion Task Force, have written the article, To Our White Colleagues: Reckoning with Being the Problem, examining how whiteness impacts interactions, and how even the smallest comments or empathic misses can greatly harm colleagues who identify as Black, Ingenious, and People of Color (BIPOC). This article provides humble steps as a beginning to understanding the depth of racism and an invitation for further reflection and growth. Read it here: https://files.constantcontact.com//71d1c32e-3f0b-4124-841d