To establish a shared understanding in the group about the nature and purpose of the seminar series

To begin the process of building links in the group and containment for the group

To provide an outline of experiential learning and the range of different ways of conceptualising small groups and small group process

To start the process of the group learning from its own process.

To introduce the ‘Wombat incident’ as a basis for further discussion throughout the seminar series.

To provide a conceptual overview of thinking from a social constructivist point of view and to relate that viewpoint to group functioning.

To explore amongst group members the range of ways in which they construct meaning from events in the group itself.

To continue with the process of the group learning from its own experience.

To outline the concept of ‘internal working models’ and to relate the concept to the ‘construction of reality’ from the previous week.

To introduce basic attachment theory and relate it to the concept of internal working models.

To explore with the group ways of working with the internal working models of participants in groups.

To link human change and learning in groups to the idea of internal working models.

To repate the leaders’ internal working models to the forthcoming idea of counter-transference.

To continue with the process of the group learning from its own experience.

To outline the ideas of unconscious, preconscious and conscious

To identify and discuss the main characteristics of unconscious, preconscious and conscious processes.

To explore aspects of unconscious and preconscious functioning that relate to groups.

To continue with the process of the group learning from its own experience.

To outline the five types of memory systems and their relationship to consciousness and awareness

To extend the exploration from the previous week of the functioning of the unconscious

To extend from the previous week the exploration of unconscious, conscious and preconscious functioning in groups.

To identify aspects of group life that intensify the importance of unconscious processes.

To continue with the process of the group learning from its own experience.

To explore the role of language and symbolism in human communication and hence in groups

To make connections between group process, trance and dream

To experience associative processes as they occur in groups

To continue with the process of the group learning from its own experience.

To describe the projective processes that occur in groups, including projection, identification, transference, counter transference and projective identification.

To explore the existence of these processes in the seminar group itself

To identify implications for leaders of the existence of these processes.

To continue with the process of the group learning from its own experience.

To outline the principles of linking, containment and affiliative attachment in groups

To identify and describe the processes that occur in groups that both support and undermine linking, containment and affiliative attachment.

To examine the history of the seminar group itself to identify and discuss key moments in the building of linking, containment and affiliative attachment.

To continue with the process of the group learning from its own experience.

To identify and discuss the key elements in building and maintaining a reflective space in groups

To identify and describe the processes that both support and undermine the existence of a high quality reflective space in groups

To examine the history of the seminar group itself to identify and discuss key moments in the building of the reflective space in our group.

To continue with the process of the group learning from its own experience.

To name and describe six ‘windows’ on group functioning

To apply these windows or perspectives to the seminar group itself so as to build a lived understanding of them.

To relate these six perspectives to the material covered during the previous seminars.

To identify the usefulness of these six perspectives for seminar participants in their own work.

To continue with the process of the group learning from its own experience.

To use the comparison between group and art, and group leaders as artists to integrate understandings about small group functioning.

To explore the connections between seminar participants understanding of small group process and their everyday work.

To continue with the process of the group learning from its own experience.

To cover one or more topics that have not been adequately covered in previous seminars in the series.

To continue with the integration of participants’ understanding of small group dynamics and their own work.

To discuss opportunities for further learning.

To close the group effectively.