Working within the traditions of Bion, Turquet, Foulkes and Pines, and drawing on concepts and data from psychoanalysis, group analysis and sociology, this volume develops Earl Hopper's theory of the fourth basic assumption in the unconscious life of groups and group-like social systems within a social, cultural and political context.

Life in Groups: How We Think, Feel, and Act Together develops and applies the author's perspective on topics she relates to joint commitment. This kind of commitment unifies those who participate in it, guides their actions going forward, and determines their relations to one another in important ways. In particular, it grounds in each of the parties a set of rights and obligations of a central kind. This volume contains thirteen essays, together with a substantial introduction, which serves both to explain joint commitment for those unfamiliar with it and to advance discussion in light of some questions it has prompted, and a reflective conclusion. The essays range over collective beliefs and intentions; rational choice and collective preference; group lies and corporate misbehavior; remorse and other emotions in a group context; rights, obligations, and freedom.

Social epistemology has been flourishing in recent years, expanding and making connections with political philosophy, virtue epistemology, philosophy of science, and feminist philosophy. The philosophy of the social world too is flourishing, with burgeoning work in the metaphysics of the social world, collective responsibility, group action, and group belief. The new philosophical vista now more clearly presenting itself is collective epistemology--the epistemology of groups and institutions. Groups engage in epistemic activity all the time--whether it be the active collective inquiry of scientific research groups or crime detection units, or the evidential deliberations of tribunals and juries, or the informational efforts of the voting population in general--and yet in philosophy there is still relatively little epistemology of groups to help explore these epistemic practices and their various dimensions of social and philosophical significance. The aim of this book is to address this lack, by presenting original essays in the field of collective epistemology, exploring these regions of epistemic practice and their significance for Epistemology, Political Philosophy, Ethics, and the Philosophy of Science.

My desire and passion has been to bring fame to the name of Jesus Christ. My heart has been to get people connected, by diving for the depths of Christ and His word. Connecting someone is not enough. Connecting and challenging has been my goal for the last five years. God has been faithful to the vision He put inside my heart for life groups, and it has been my affection to see it come to pass. I pray that this manual will help you see what the purpose of life groups is all about. It is not laughing or fulfilling a feeling to belong. It is not just getting involved with someone with similar interests. It is not so that they can find some kind of identity. It is all about discipleship. Stay with this vision.

Provide Help and Create Hope For the past 12 years I have been working with the nursing homes in USA in the capacity of a priest and a social worker. I am providing care in 24 nursing homes, assisted living facilities and hospices in 4 districts (counties) in the State of Texas as well as visiting hospitals and area prisons. I consider it more than a job but rather a life-giving commitment for life enrichment and to make the people happier with a professional and spiritual outlook. It is a holistic approach for the well-being of every resident to improve the quality of life. We cannot divide body and soul and treat separately. Physical, psychological, social and spiritual wellbeing are intimately connected, go hand in hand and support each other for self fulfilment and self-realization. In these nursing homes I meet people from all over the world. For example, the majority are from USA, then from Mexico, Cuba, Honduras, Germany, England, Japan, Bangladesh, China, India, Nigeria, Pakistan, Philippines, Italy and Vietnam. People from these countries practice different religions. They are from different colour, ethnicity and race. I hear the residents speaking in different languages although they do not fully understand, yet are able to communicate their immediate needs. They live under one roof as members of the same family and eat the same food in the same dining room cooked by the same staff in the same kitchen. When I conduct prayer services or gatherings, those who are interested will come no matter which faith or religion they follow. As someone said to me “although I belong to a different religion I would love to come and join here for prayer.” I have never felt any discrimination based on religion, language, nationality or racism in these facilities. In these nursing homes there is no division or hate based on religion, colour or race but only bridges which promote solidarity, love, harmony and universal brotherhood. If these people can live under one roof, eat the same food and pray together then what excuses do we have? No religion teaches division, hate or retaliation but promotes only Love and compassion. My wish is to see the promotion of religion of Humanity by everyone and the practice of God’s Love everywhere.

Telling the Stories of Life through Guided Autobiography Groups, based on James Birren's 25 years of conducting autobiography groups, discusses all the topics an organizer faces while developing a program for adults who want to recall and write down their life histories. This book is ideal for adult education programs, church groups, social workers, psychologists, gerontologists, and others who work with adults who might be interested in exploring, recording, or sharing their personal histories. It helps professionals and trained workshop leaders at community centers, senior centers, schools and other settings guide group participants in exploring major themes of their lives so that they can organize and write their stories and share them in a group with others on the same journey. This exercise is rewarding for adults of any age in a period of transition or with interest in gaining insight from their own stories. Personal development and a feeling of connection to other participants and their stories is a natural outcome of this process. This book provides background material and detailed lesson plans for those who wish to develop and lead an autobiography group. The authors explain the concept of guided autobiography, discuss the benefits to the group participants, and provide logistical information on how to plan, organize, and set up a group. An appendix provides exercises, handouts, and suggested adaptations for specific groups. The book also explains a systematic method of priming memories, including the history of family and of one's life work, the role of money, health and the body, and ideas about death. At a time when rapid change has created a widespread yearning to write down and exchange personal accounts, sharing life stories can reveal a great deal about how we have come to be the persons we are. Telling the Stories of Life through Guided Autobiography Groups shows how to organize, record, and share life experiences through a proven and effective technique.

The authors reveal the ways in which mutual aid processes help individuals overcome social and emotional trauma in contemporary society by reducing isolation, universalizing individual problems, and mitigating stigma. New chapters in this completely revised and updated third edition illustrate the power of mutual aid processes in dealing with children traumatized by the events of September 11, adult survivors of sexual abuse, parents with developmentally challenged children, people with AIDS in substance recovery, and mentally ill older adults.

Sociological analysis is replete with debates about “micro” and “macro,” individual and society, but all too often these miss the point: interacting groups are the hinge that connects the two. To understand how structures matter and how individuals navigate them, we must take groups and people in local communities seriously. Gary Alan Fine and Tim Hallett skillfully argue that sociologists have the obligation to examine the role of small communities in the creation of both the interaction order and structural realities. With novel concepts and rich ethnographic examples, this book describes how group commitments shape selves and society, emphasizing the importance of a meso-level approach to social organization. Fine and Hallett provide new models of identity, culture, conflict, and control, and consider how a network of groups can provide insight into extended communication channels and social media lattices. Ultimately, they show that, despite the importance of institutions and individuals, group life is the fundamental building block of community. This timely book makes the case for a local sociology that includes sociality. It will be a welcome resource for students and sociologists, and a necessary call to action for the discipline as a whole.

"The field has been waiting for a masterpiece like Racial and Cultural Dynamics in Group and Organizational Life for a long time. It provides a thoughtful account of the subtle, barely visible, and sometimes unspeakable influences of racial and cultural dynamics that occur in groups." —Leo Wilton, Binghamton University, State University of New York "I believe that by focusing on group diversity, this book aligns with a major trend that has not received enough attention." — Christopher J. McCarthy, University of Texas at Austin This book presents a theoretical framework for understanding leadership and authority in group and organizational life. Using relational psychoanalytic and systems theory, the authors examine conscious and unconscious processes as they relate to racial and cultural issues in the formation and maintenance of groups. Unique among group dynamics texts, the book explores aspects of racial and cultural influences in every chapter. Readers will enhance their analytic and practice skills in addressing factors that impact diverse groups and organizations, including ethical considerations, social roles, strategies for leadership, dynamics of entering and joining, and termination. Key Features Case examples help readers integrate theory and practice, as illustrated in transcripts of interactions from group sessions. A group work competencies list ensures that readers master concepts as they progress through the book. An assessment form allows the student or practitioner to evaluate concrete dynamics of groups, such as size, and gendered and racial composition. This text is appropriate for graduate-level courses incorporating group dynamics and multicultural topics in departments of psychology, education, counseling, and social work. It is also a valuable resource for counselors, psychologists, and other mental health professionals in preparation for group work.

This unique resource provides strengths-based, group counseling strategies designed to meet the needs of LGBTQI clients in a variety of settings. Drs. Goodrich and Luke capture the developmental concerns of LGBTQI individuals throughout the life cycle as they establish and maintain intimate relationships, create families, encounter career concerns, and navigate other milestones and transitions. Illustrative case examples and interventions throughout the text, as well as warnings and recommendations, make this an ideal resource for practice and group work courses. After a discussion of the history of group work with the LGBTQI community, the planning and process issues that group leaders should consider in their work, and relevant ethical and legal concerns, the authors explore a range of group types and pertinent issues. Individual chapters focus on the following types of counseling: child and adolescent; same-gender adult; intersex and transgender; coming out/disclosure; school, community outpatient, and residential; couples and family; substance abuse; grief and loss; and advocacy. Chapters on group work supervision and the importance of allies round out the book. *Requests for digital versions from ACA can be found on www.wiley.com. *To purchase print copies, please visit the ACA website. *Reproduction requests for material from books published by ACA should be directed to publications@counseling.org