Culture, Conflict and Creativity
Abstract panel London with 3 papers

The Group Analytic Practice Bellevue in central Zurich:Meeting point of intercultural issues.

Transcultural viewpoints of Group Analytic Therapy, Theory and Training.

Titel of paper by Rudolf Olivieri:
Establishing a Group Analytic Practice and working with group members from different cultures.

In 2009, a number of Group Analysts opened a Group Analytic practice in central Zurich. In the first part of this talk, the process of establishing and growth of the practice is described. In the second part, transcultural aspects of everyday Group work are illuminated.

Titel of paper by Mary Spreng:
The concept of "Transcultural space" in Group Analysis

Therapies with migrant children brought me to the idea of extending Winnicott's concept of "transitional space" to include the dimension of culture. I named this new concept "transcultural space". With the use of this concept a therapeutic space is created between the therapist and the child, which allows for the enactment and containment of their cultural differences. This concept also works well in group analysis. In my paper I shall illustrate this with examples from group analytic case-work.

Titel of paper by Christoph Mueller:
POSTGRADUATE TRAINING OF IRAQEAN TRAINEES IN PSYCHOTHERAPY WITH CHILDREN BY A GERMAN/ARABIC GROUP OF TRAINERS

German doctors and therapists, some of Iraqi origins, founded a society called Children of Baghdad. The idea was to pass on experience of psychotherapy with children to Iraqi doctors and therapists working with traumatised patients. The training took place in groups. My paper will analyze these experiences in particular the challenges that arise due to the encounter of different cultures and the kind of processes trainers and trainees are involved.

http://www.confer.uk.com/gas-symposium2