200-01-C |
Functional Subgrouping (Mon)
Trainer(s): Brian Conley S.J. , MBA, MAPR, ACPE Certified Educator
; Jennifer Langdon , MS
This group introduces participants to the basic elements of SCT theory, skills and practice.
Functional subgrouping is the core method used in SCT to implement the theory statement that all living systems survive, develop and transform by discriminating differences in the apparently similar and similarities in the apparently different. This group will introduce and practice the behaviors that support functional subgrouping.
Category:
Drop-in Group
Track:
Theory and Basics
Level:
Open to All Levels |
CE credits:
1.5
Format:
Demonstration; Experiential
Day(s):
Monday
, 10:45 - 12:15
|
Learning Objectives
Based on attending this event, I know, or am able to:
-
Analyze the role of functional subgrouping in preventing systems from splitting off differences
-
Apply two behaviors that support functional subgrouping
-
Describe how functional subgrouping helps to activate one's observing system
Presentation Content
The systems-centered approach to group and organizational work has been in the field for over 30 years, presented in more than 45 articles in peer-reviewed professional journals. Functional subgrouping has been shown to increase group cohesion and decrease scapegoating. Developing a functional subgroup requires a set of verbal behaviors/skills which, once learned, facilitate exploration and conflict resolution in any context. Joining with similarities includes identifying authentic resonance within oneself, matching or slightly increasing the intensity of affect, adding new bits to build the subgroup without bringing in too big a difference.
Supporting References
Agazarian, Y.M. (2012). Systems-centered group psychotherapy: Putting theory into practice. International Journal of Group Psychotherapy, 62(2) 171-195. doi: 10.1521/ijgp.2012.62.2.171
Agazarian, Y.M., Gantt, S.P., & Carter, F.B. (2021). Systems-centered training: An illustrated guide for applying a theory of living human systems. New York: Routledge.
Gantt, S.P., & Agazarian, Y.M. (2010). Developing the group mind through functional subgrouping: Linking systems-centered training (SCT) and interpersonal neurobiology. International Journal of Group Psychotherapy, 60(4), 515-544. doi: 10.1521/ijgp.2010.60.4.515
Gantt, S.P., & Agazarian, Y.M. (2017). Systems-centered group therapy. International Journal of Group Psychotherapy, 67(sup1), S60-S70. doi: 10.1080/00207284.2016.1218768
Gantt, S.P., (2018). Developing groups that change our minds and transform our brains: Systems-centered’s functional subgrouping, its impact on our neurobiology, and its role in each phase of group development. Psychoanalytic Inquiry: Today’s Bridge Between Psychoanalysis and the Group World [Special Issue], 38(4), 270-284. doi: 10.1080/07351690.2018.1444851
Presenters
Brian Conley S.J., MBA, MAPR, ACPE Certified Educator. Brian Conley has over 20 years experience as a chaplain, chaplain educator, and Roman Catholic priest. He currently serves as the Superior of the Jesuits of Maine. He also serves as Chaplain to the Faculty and Staff and as a teacher at Cheverus High School in Portland, Maine where he works with faculty to develop and integrate Ignatian spirituality into their personal and professional lives. Finally, he serves as an ACPE Certified Educator at Maine Medical Center leading an extended unit Clinical Pastoral Education. He has been active in SCTRI since 2006 and recently completed the Authority Issue Group.
Jennifer Langdon , MS. Jennifer Langdon is a dynamic and innovative consultant with over 25 years of experience in corporations, associations and not-for-profit organizations. She specializes in building highly effective interdisciplinary teams through a combination of systems-centered methods including leader and team coaching, and organizational development consulting. As a trainer/facilitator, Jennifer has designed and delivered skill building workshops for front line managers, senior executives, and human resources (HR) colleagues seeking to build consultancy skills. She has an MS in Organization Development. She has been a SCTRI Board Member since 2024.
200-02-C |
Introduction to a Theory of Living Human Systems and Its Basis for Systems-Centered Practice (Mon)
Trainer(s): Claudia Byram , PhD, CGP
; Perri Lynn Franskviak, PhD
This session introduces participants to the basic elements of SCT theory, skills and practice.
We will connect SCT practice to the fundamentals of a Theory of Living Human Systems as well as to the neurobiological impacts of functional subgrouping.
Category:
Drop-in Group
Track:
Theory and Basics
Level:
Open to All Levels |
CE credits:
1.5
Format:
Experiential; Didactic
Day(s):
Monday
, 10:45 - 12:15
|
Learning Objectives
Based on attending this event, I know, or am able to:
-
Describe the fundamental elements of a Theory of Living Human Systems (TLHS)
-
Define how Functional Subgrouping relates to a Theory of Living Human Systems
-
Describe the impact of Functional Subgrouping on our neurobiology
Presentation Content
Agazarian’s (1997) theory of living human systems, with its systems-centered approach to group practice, represents a developed and comprehensive systems theory applied to groups, individuals and couples. A theory of living human systems has defined theoretical constructs and operational definitions that implement and test the theoretical hypotheses in its practice. This theory and its methods are accepted among group practitioners as evidence-based by SCTRI’s 2010 recognition for “Outstanding Contributions in Education and Training in the Field of Group Psychotherapy” awarded by the National Registry of Certified Group Psychotherapists. SCT methods are regularly cited or included in handbooks and reviews of group psychotherapy practice. There is also significant peer-reviewed published support for the theory and its practice, including articles in the International Journal of Group Psychotherapy, Group Dynamics, Small Group Research, Organizational Analysis, and Group Analysis.
Dr. Susan Gantt's 2018 publication develops the links between the increasing body of research integrating neurobiology and human development to the theory and practice of SCT. This program has the goal of linking the practice of SCT methods to both a theory of living human systems and the outcomes that psychologist and others who work to reduce restraining forces to development are working toward.
Supporting References
Agazarian, Y.M., Gantt, S.P., & Carter, F.B. (Eds.) (2021). Systems-centered training: An illustrated guide for applying a theory of living human systems. New York, NY: Routledge.
Gantt, S.P. (2015). Systems-centered group therapy. In E.S. Neukrug (Ed.), Encyclopedia of theory in counseling and psychotherapy (pp. 991-996). Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage.
Gantt, S.P. (2018). Developing groups that change our minds and transform our brains: Systems-centered’s functional subgrouping, its impact on our neurobiology, and its role in each phase of group development. Psychoanalytic Inquiry: Today’s Bridge Between Psychoanalysis and the Group World [Special Issue], 38(4), 270-284. doi: 10.1080/07351690.2018.1444851
Gantt, S.P. (2019). Implications of neuroscience for group psychotherapy. In F.J. Kaklauskas & L.R. Greene (Eds.), Core principles of group psychotherapy: An integrated theory, research, and practice training manual (pp. 156-170). New York, NY: Routledge.
Gantt, S.P., & Agazarian, Y.M. (2017). Systems-centered group therapy. International Journal of Group Psychotherapy, 67(sup1), S60-S70. doi: 10.1080/00207284.2016.1218768
Presenters
Claudia Byram, PhD, CGP. Claudia Byram has worked since 1980 as a clinician and trainer, developing with the emergence of systems-centered theory and practice in Philadelphia. Currently she is a Licensed Systems-Centered Practitioner with a clinical practice in Philadelphia. She leads Systems-Centered training events, both in Philadelphia and as a lead trainer in the annual SCT Conferences. She is editor of the SCTRI Newsletter and on the Board of Directors of SCTRI. She, along with Frances Carter, leads trainings in the SAVI (System for Analyzing Verbal Interaction) model of verbal communication. SAVI is one of the tools that helps systems-centered practitioners monitor both their own system inputs and the state of the working system.
Perri Lynn Franskviak, PhD. Perri Franskoviak maintains a private practice in which she integrates systems-centered therapy, sensorimotor psychotherapy, and harm reduction principles, working primarily with couples and individuals with trauma and alcohol and other drug misuse. She is currently the clinical director for the Harm Reduction Therapy Center in San Francisco, and is the organizational clinical consultant and trainer with Alchemy Community Therapy Center in Oakland that offers a two-year associate training program for therapists and psychologists that includes training in ketamine-assisted therapy. Along with Jane Steinberg, MFT, she runs an Introduction to SCT Training group that meets on-line approximately every month.
200-03-C |
Explain/Explore: The Fork-in-the-Road (Tue)
Trainer(s): Jeff Eiberson , PhD
; Floor Daver, MSc
This group introduces participants to the basic elements of SCT theory, skills and practice.
Explaining is necessary for survival; it operates within a narrow, survival-enhancing range. It constructs the world for us; our survival roles and biases determines the kind of world we see. Explaining stabilizes us by using what we already know. Exploring moves us into the unknown where something new can emerge. Using SCT technique of the fork-in-the-road we will explore experience at the edge of the unknown and see what difference it makes and what we discover.
Category:
Drop-in Group
Track:
Theory and Basics
Level:
Open to All Levels |
CE credits:
1.5
Format:
Didactic; Experiential; Sharing of Experience
Day(s):
Tuesday
, 10:45 - 12:15
|
Learning Objectives
Based on attending this event, I know, or am able to:
-
Describe the fork-in-the-road as a method to vector energy
-
Apply exploring versus explaining as a fork-in-the-road
-
Describe how the fork-in-the-road technique supports functional subgrouping, the major method in SCT
Presentation Content
Through didactic and experiential learning, this workshop will provide initial training to participants in understanding and using the systems-centered method of vectoring (specifically the fork-in-the-road intervention). The systems-centered approach has been in the field of group psychotherapy for over 30 years. More than 45 articles featuring SCT have been published in peer-reviewed journals and multiple books in the fields of psychotherapy and organizational development. The systems-centered approach has been studied and linked to successful strategies for increasing the effectiveness of leadership interventions in individual and group psychotherapy and in organizational contexts.
Supporting References
Agazarian, Y.M. (2012). Systems-centered group psychotherapy: A theory of living human systems and its systems-centered practice. GROUP: The Journal of the Eastern Group Psychotherapy Society, 36(1), 19-36.
Agazarian, Y.M., Gantt, S.P., & Carter, F.B. (2021). Systems-centered training: An illustrated guide for applying a theory of living human systems. New York, NY: Routledge.
Gantt, S.P. (2015). Systems-centered group therapy. In E.S. Neukrug (Ed.), Encyclopedia of theory in counseling and psychotherapy (pp. 991-996). Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage.
Gantt, S.P. (2018). Developing groups that change our minds and transform our brains: Systems-centered's functional subgrouping, its impact on our neurobiology, and its role in each phase of group development. Psychoanalytic Inquiry: Today's Bridge Between Psychoanalysis and the Group World [Special Issue], 38(4), 270-284. doi: 10.1080/07351690.2018.1444851
Gantt, S.P., & Agazarian, Y.M. (2017). Systems-centered group therapy. International Journal of Group Psychotherapy, 67(sup1), S60-S70. doi: 10.1080/00207284.2016.1218768
Presenters
Jeff Eiberson, PhD. Jeff Eiberson is a licensed psycholgist and Licensed Systems-Centered Practitioner. He has worked in several roles within SCT since 1994 and is in private practice in Philadelphia.
Floor Daver, MSc. Floor Daver is an Organizational Psychologist, working with leaders and teams in Organizational Development (OD) Contexts for 20 years. She is a member of SCT Licensing Group VII and a member of the SCT community since 2012,
200-04-C |
Seeing Systems (Tue)
Trainer(s): Neal Spivack , PhD, CGP, AGPA-F
; Perri Franskoviak, PhD
This group introduces participants to the basic elements of SCT theory, skills and practice.
Learning to see systems and not just people is the heart of applying systems thinking. Participants will explore how to apply the constructs of a theory of living human systems in looking at human systems from as small as a person to a couple, group, organization and larger - a community or even as big as the world.
Category:
Drop-in Group
Track:
Theory and Basics
Level:
Open to All Levels |
CE credits:
1.5
Format:
Didactic; Sharing of Experience
Day(s):
Tuesday
, 10:45 - 12:15
|
Learning Objectives
Based on attending this event, I know, or am able to:
-
Identify an example of seeing systems and not just people
-
Describe two variables identified in a Theory of Living Human Systems
-
Explain two ways in which an understanding of a Theory of Living Human Systems builds the capacity for seeing systems
Presentation Content
This workshop will use Agazarian’s (1997) theory of living human systems (TLHS), with its systems-centered approach to group practice, to identify key elements of systems, such a boundaries, energy, and hierarchy, and interventions that can useful in helpful in supporting system development, e.g., functional subgrouping. By developing familiarity with system characteristics and interventions, workshop attendees will be able to see how a systems lens can facilitate evaluation and intervention with individuals, couples, groups, and institutions. A TLHS is a developed and comprehensive systems theory applied to groups, individuals and couples, that has defined theoretical constructs and operational definitions that function as hypotheses to test both the validity of the theory and the reliability of its practice. This theory and its methods are accepted among group practitioners as evidence-based by SCTRI’s 2010 recognition for “Outstanding Contributions in Education and Training in the Field of Group Psychotherapy” awarded by the National Registry of Certified Group Psychotherapists. SCT methods are regularly cited or included in handbooks and reviews of group psychotherapy practice. There is also significant peer-reviewed published support for the theory and its practice, including articles in the International Journal of Group Psychotherapy, Group Dynamics, Small Group Research, Organizational Analysis, and Group Analysis.
Supporting References
Agazarian, Y.M., Gantt, S.P., & Carter, F.B. (2021). Systems-centered training: An illustrated guide for applying a theory of living human systems. New York, NY: Routledge.
Gantt, S.P., & Agazarian, Y.M. (2017). Systems-centered group therapy. International Journal of Group Psychotherapy, 67(sup1), S60-S70. doi: 10.1080/00207284.2016.1218768
Gantt, S.P., & Badenoch, B. (2020). Systems-centered group psychotherapy: Developing a group mind that supports right brain function and right-left-right hemispheric integration. In R. Tweedy (Ed.) The divided therapist: Hemispheric difference and contemporary psychotherapy (pp. 149-180). London, UK: Routledge.
O’Neill, R.M., Byram, C.A., Mogle, J., & MacKenzie, M.J. (2024). Are system-centered boards more collaborative, productive, and creative? A partial replication, and a pilot exploration of how. GROUP: The Journal of the Eastern Group Psychotherapy Society, 48(4), 11-29. doi:10.1353/grp.2024.a962317
Presenters
Neal Spivack, PhD, CGP, AGPA-F. Neal Spivack is a clinical psychologist in private practice. He has worked over thirty years in hospital systems, including the Veterans Administration (VA) at the Manhattan Campus of the New York Harbor Healthcare System and the New York City Health and Hospitals Corporation. He has completed the SCT Authority Issue Group and is a Certified Group Psychotherapist (CGP) and a Fellow of the American Group Psychotherapy Association (AGPA-F). He has served as the President of Eastern Group Psychotherapy Society (EGPS) and Program Co-chair of the EGPS Annual Conference.
Perri Franskoviak, PhD. Perri Franskoviak maintains a private practice in which she integrates Systems-Centered Therapy, sensorimotor psychotherapy, and harm reduction principles, working primarily with couples and individuals with trauma and alcohol and other drug misuse. She is currently the clinical director for the Harm Reduction Therapy Center in San Francisco and is the organizational clinical consultant and trainer with Alchemy Community Therapy Center in Oakland that offers a two-year associate training program for therapists and psychologists that includes training in ketamine-assisted therapy. Along with Jane Steinberg, MFT, she runs an Introduction to SCT Training group that meets on-line approximately every month.
200-05-C |
Undoing Anxiety (Wed)
Trainer(s): Jennifer Langdon , MS
; Mike Maher, MA, PGCE
This group introduces participants to the basic elements of SCT theory, skills and practice.
SCT identifies three sources of anxiety. These will be introduced and normalized at the same time as recognizing that anxiety is often a barrier between the individual and authentic experience. The group will enable people to consider the discrimination between anxiety and sitting at the edge of the unknown.
Category:
Drop-in Group
Track:
Theory and Basics
Level:
Open to All Levels |
CE credits:
1.5
Format:
Didactic; Experiential
Day(s):
Wednesday
, 10:45 - 12:15
|
Learning Objectives
Based on attending this event, I know, or am able to:
-
List the three sources of anxiety identified in SCT
-
Describe the discrimination between mindreads and negative predictions
-
Describe the discrimination between anxiety that defends against experience and anxiety at the edge of the unknown
Presentation Content
Agazarian’s (1997) theory of living human systems, with its systems-centered approach to group practice, represents a developed and comprehensive systems theory applied to groups, individuals and couples. A theory of living human systems has defined theoretical constructs and operational definitions that implement and test the theoretical hypotheses in its practice. This theory and its methods are accepted among group practitioners as evidence-based by SCTRI’s 2010 recognition for “Outstanding Contributions in Education and Training in the Field of Group Psychotherapy” awarded by the National Registry of Certified Group Psychotherapists. SCT methods are regularly cited or included in handbooks and reviews of group psychotherapy practice. There is also significant peer-reviewed published support for the theory and its practice, including articles in the International Journal of Group Psychotherapy, Group Dynamics, Small Group Research, Organizational Analysis, and Group Analysis.
The systems-centered approach to group and organizational work has been in the field for over 30 years, presented in more than 45 articles in peer-reviewed professional journals. Its methods incorporate techniques linked to successful strategies for improvement in group and individual psychotherapy, for example, modifying cognitive distortions, increasing group cohesion, lowering scapegoating, and reducing somatic defenses.
Supporting References
Agazarian, Y.M., Gantt, S.P., & Carter, F.B. (Eds.) (2021). Systems-centered training: An illustrated guide for applying a theory of living human systems. New York, NY: Routledge.
Gantt, S.P. (2013). Applying systems-centered theory (SCT) and methods in organizational contexts: Putting SCT to work. International Journal of Group Psychotherapy, 63(2), 234-258. doi: 10.1521/ijgp.2013.63.2.234
Gantt, S.P. (2015). Systems-centered group therapy. In E.S. Neukrug (Ed.), Encyclopedia of theory in counseling and psychotherapy (pp. 991-996). Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage.
Gantt, S.P. (2019). Implications of neuroscience for group psychotherapy. In F.J. Kaklauskas & L.R. Greene (Eds.), Core principles of group psychotherapy: An integrated theory, research, and practice training manual (pp. 156-170). New York, NY: Routledge.
Gantt, S.P., & Agazarian, Y.M. (2017). Systems-centered group therapy. International Journal of Group Psychotherapy, 67(sup1), S60-S70. doi: 10.1080/00207284.2016.1218768
Wheelan, S.A. (2016). Creating effective teams: A guide for members and leaders. Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage..
Presenters
Jennifer Langdon, MS. Jennifer Langdon is a dynamic and innovative consultant with over 25 years of experience in corporations, associations and not-for-profit organizations. She specializes in building highly effective interdisciplinary teams through a combination of systems-centered methods including leader and team coaching, and organizational development consulting. As a trainer/facilitator, Jennifer has designed and delivered skill building workshops for front line managers, senior executives, and human resources (HR) colleagues seeking to build consultancy skills. She has an MS in Organization Development. She has been a SCTRI Board Member since 2024.
Mike Maher, MA, PGCE. Mike Maher is an experienced psychotherapist, trainer and organizational consultant. He was formerly Deputy Director at Peper Harow Therapeutic Community and worked in and with childcare and treatment for over 30 years. He is Director of the Systems-Centered Training and Research Institute and is a Licensed SCT Practitioner. Mike runs SCT training groups in the Netherlands and Denmark and works in private practice in the UK and online across the world. He has presented at many international conferences and his work has been regularly published.
200-06-C |
SCT Consultation (Wed)
Trainer(s): Peter T. Dunlap , PhD
; Floor Daver, MSc
This group introduces participants to the basic elements of SCT theory, skills and practice.
This drop-In offers the opportunity to learn more about the SCT method for consultation called "My problem is I..." and its theoretical underpinnings. Participants will have the opportunity to practice this model and explore their experiences.
Category:
Drop-in Group
Track:
Theory and Basics
Level:
Open to All Levels |
CE credits:
1.5
Format:
Didactic; Experiential; Demonstration
Day(s):
Wednesday
, 10:45 - 12:15
|
Learning Objectives
Based on attending this event, I know, or am able to:
-
Describe the steps of the consultation method "My problem is I..."
-
Demonstrate the consultation method "My problem is I..."
-
Describe the theoretical underpinnings of this consultation method
Presentation Content
Agazarian’s (1997) Theory of Living Human Systems, with its Systems-Centered approach, represents a comprehensive systems theory that can be applied to groups, individuals and couples. The theory has defined theoretical constructs and operational definitions that implement and test the theoretical hypotheses in its practice. In this group we will be experimenting with an SCT consultation method used in working with individuals.
Supporting References
Agazarian, Y.M., Gantt, S.P., & Carter, F.B. (Eds.) (2021). Systems-centered training: An illustrated guide for applying a theory of living human systems. New York, NY: Routledge.
Gantt, S.P., & Agazarian, Y.M. (2017). Systems-centered group therapy. International Journal of Group Psychotherapy, 67(sup1), S60-S70. doi: 10.1080/00207284.2016.1218768
Gantt, S.P. (2021). Systems-centered theory (SCT) into group therapy: Beyond surviving ruptures to repairing and thriving. International Journal of Group Psychotherapy, 71(2), 224-252. doi: 10.1080/00207284.2020.1772073
Gantt, S.P. (2025). A commentary on “Contemporary theories of group psychotherapy: A systems approach to the group-as-a-whole.” International Journal of Group Psychotherapy, 75(1), 137–146. doi: 10.1080/00207284.2024.2429386
Presenters
Peter T. Dunlap, PhD. Peter T. Dunlap is a psychologist working in private and political practice. He is engaged in research at the interface between SCT group theory, Jungian psychocultural thought, and emotion-centered psychotherapy. He leads several groups using functional subgrouping focused on psychotherapy and community leadership. He has published his research in a book entitled "Awakening Our Faith in the Future.” He teaches group theory and practice and other classes to graduate students at Pacifica Graduate Institute. He is an SCT Licensed Practitioner.
Floor Daver, MSc. Floor Daver is an Organizational Psychologist, working with leaders and teams in Organizational Development (OD) Contexts for 20 years. She is a member of SCT Licensing Group VII and a member of the SCT community since 2012,
200-07-C |
Distraction Exercise (Thu)
Trainer(s): Kati Taunt , MA, PGDip
; Jim Peightel, MD
This group introduces participants to the basic elements of SCT theory, skills and practice.
When our energy is stuck in the past, the future or taken up by outside concerns, it’s not available for ourselves or for the group. Undoing distractions brings our energy into the present for ourselves and the system-as-a-whole. This group will cover the theory behind the SCT distraction exercise and practice undoing distractions to experience the impact on ourselves and the group.
Category:
Drop-in Group
Track:
Theory and Basics
Level:
Open to All Levels |
CE credits:
1.5
Format:
Experiential; Didactic; Sharing of Experience
Day(s):
Thursday
, 10:45 - 12:15
|
Learning Objectives
Based on attending this event, I know, or am able to:
-
Describe the impact of distraction on a system
-
Describe the "undoing distractions" protocol
-
Describe how undoing distractions contributes to system development
Presentation Content
Agazarian’s (1997) theory of living human systems, with its systems-centered approach to group practice, represents a developed and comprehensive systems theory applied to groups, individuals and couples. A theory of living human systems has defined theoretical constructs and operational definitions that implement and test the theoretical hypotheses in its practice. There is also significant peer-reviewed published support for the theory and its practice (which includes the protocol for undoing distractions), as published in the International Journal of Group Psychotherapy, Group Dynamics, Small Group Research, Organizational Analysis, and Group Analysis.
The protocol for undoing distractions is used most frequently at the beginning of a clinical session, as well as any point where distractions arise, to ensure that the client’s energy and focus is directed as far as possible towards the goal of the session. It is also useful in work groups for focusing the energy of the individual members on the task in hand.
Supporting References
Agazarian, Y.M., Gantt, S.P., & Carter, F. (Eds.) (2021). Systems-centered training: An illustrated guide for applying a theory of living human systems. New York: Routledge.
Gantt, S.P. (2021). Systems-centered theory (SCT) into group therapy: Beyond surviving ruptures to repairing and thriving. International Journal of Group Psychotherapy, 71(2), 224-252. doi: 10.1080/00207284.2020.1772073
Gantt, S.P. (2025). A commentary on “Contemporary theories of group psychotherapy: A systems approach to the group-as-a-whole.” International Journal of Group Psychotherapy, 75(1), 137–146. doi: 10.1080/00207284.2024.2429386
Kamozawa, A., Oshima, S., & Mizukawa, Y. (2021). Narrative of “here-and-now”: Cancer survivors in a group psychotherapy using SCT® (systems-centered therapy). Japanese Psychological Research, 63(4), 449-465. doi: 10.1111/jpr.12343
Sundlin, A.-L., Söderhjelm, T.M., & Sandahl, C. (2022). Making rapid shifts in work roles – an essential teamwork skill. An exploratory study of facilitating and inhibiting factors. Team Performance Management, 28(7/8), 461-475. doi: 10.1108/TPM-01-2022-0003
Presenters
Kati Taunt, MA, PGDip. Kati Taunt is a trauma therapist, managing a psychological trauma and bereavement service for children in Bedfordshire, UK. She has worked for the National Health Service for 18 years specializing in attachment, early trauma and PTSD with children and adolescents. Kati is the only European-based ARC (Attachment, Regulation and Competency) licensed trainer and works as a trainer and consultant to a number of foster care services, residential care provisions and is currently working with two local education authorities on projects to establish trauma informed practice within schools and exclusion projects. MA Social Work, PGDip Systemic Therapy, PGDip Cognitive Behavioral Therapy.
Jim Peightel, MD. Jim Peightel is a general and addiction psychiatrist with over 25 years experience serving Philadelphia in a wide range of treatment settings. He has a BA in Physics, and completed his medical training at Temple University and remains on the teaching faculty there. His work has focused on team-based treatment approaches, novel program development, and systems-oriented integration of services for the chronic mentally ill, homeless, and disenfranchised. He is a member of the Pennsylvania Psychiatric Leadership Council, a fellow in the APA, and a recipient of Philadelphia Psychiatric Society’s Robert Jones award honoring a psychiatrist for lifelong commitment and service to the chronically mentally ill. He has participated in health system cultural exchange contingents in various locales including Hungary, Cuba, China, Russia, South Africa, and Myanmar. He began training with Yvonne Agazarian during residency in 1989, became a member of SCTRI in 1996, and is a current member of the SCTRI Board.
200-08-C |
Phases of System Development (Thu)
Trainer(s): Susan P. Gantt , PhD, CGP, ABPP, AGPA-DF, FAPA
This group introduces participants to the basic elements of SCT theory, skills and practice.
SCT work is always in the context of the phases of system development. Each phase of development is operationally defined as a force field of driving and restraining forces. This enables identifying phase-specific interventions that weaken the restraining forces relevant to the phase. Aligning change strategies that link to the phase of development enables releasing the driving forces of the phase.
Category:
Drop-in Group
Track:
Theory and Basics
Level:
Open to All Levels |
CE credits:
1.5
Format:
Didactic; Experiential
Day(s):
Thursday
, 10:45 - 12:15
|
Learning Objectives
Based on attending this event, I know, or am able to:
-
Explain the phases of system development defined by SCT
-
Describe at least one developmental challenge inherent in each phase of a group's development
-
Describe and apply the hierarchy of defense modification for weakening restraining forces relevant to the phases of system development
Presentation Content
Agazarian’s (1997) theory of living human systems, with its systems-centered approach to group practice, represents a developed and comprehensive systems theory applied to groups, individuals and couples. A theory of living human systems has defined theoretical constructs and operational definitions that function as hypotheses to test both the validity of the theory and the reliability of its practice. SCT methods are regularly cited or included in handbooks and reviews of group psychotherapy practice. There is also significant peer-reviewed published support for the theory and its practice, including over 45 articles in the International Journal of Group Psychotherapy, Group Dynamics, Small Group Research, Organizational Analysis,Group Analysis, GROUP, and other scientific journals as well as numerous books.
The systems-centered approach to group and organizational work has been in the field for over 30 years. Its methods incorporate techniques linked to successful strategies for improvement in group and individual psychotherapy, for example, modifying cognitive distortions, increasing group cohesion, lowering scapegoating, and reducing somatic defenses.
Understanding a group's phase of development lays the groundwork for being able to explore issues related to diversities and past adaptive survivor roles related to power differences and privilege as they emerge in the here-and-now of the group experience. Exploring experiences of differences increases the group’s capacity for discriminating and integrating differences as resources for the group’s development so that differences and the responses to differences can be explored instead of enacted.
Supporting References
Agazarian, Y.M. (1999). Phases of development in the systems-centered group. Small Group Research, 30(1), 82-107. doi: 10.1177/104649649903000105
Agazarian, Y.M., Gantt, S.P., & Carter, F.B. (Eds.) (2021). Systems-centered training: An illustrated guide for applying a theory of living human systems. New York, NY: Routledge.
Gantt, S.P. (2018). Developing groups that change our minds and transform our brains: Systems-centered’s functional subgrouping, its impact on our neurobiology and its role in each phase of group development. Psychoanalytic Inquiry: Today’s Bridge Between Psychoanalysis and the Group World [Special Issue]. 38(4), 270-284. doi: 10.1080/07351690.2018.1444851
Kane, Y.I., Masselink, S.M., & Weiss, A.C. (Eds.). (2021). Women, intersectionality and power in group psychotherapy leadership. New York, NY: Routledge.
Maher, M. (2018). From group analytic to systems-centered consulting: A comparison of experience. Journal of Social Work Practice, 32(4), 423-432. doi: 10.1080/02650533.2018.1503163
O’Neill, R.M., Byram, C.A., Mogle, J., & MacKenzie, M.J. (2024). Are system-centered boards more collaborative, productive, and creative? A partial replication, and a pilot exploration of how. GROUP: The Journal of the Eastern Group Psychotherapy Society, 48(4), 11-29. doi:10.1353/grp.2024.a96231
Presenters
Susan P. Gantt, PhD, CGP, ABPP, AGPA-DF, FAPA. Susan P. Gantt is a psychologist in private practice and coordinated group psychotherapy training in psychiatry at Emory University for 29 years. She chairs the Systems-Centered Training (SCT) and Research Institute; teaches SCT in the USA, Europe and China; and leads training groups in Atlanta, San Francisco, and The Netherlands. She has co-authored four books with Yvonne Agazarian, co-edited The Interpersonal Neurobiology of Group Psychotherapy and Group Process with Bonnie Badenoch, and received the 2011 Alonso Award for Excellence in Psychodynamic Group Psychotherapy. Her latest book is Systems-Centered Training: An Illustrated Guide for Applying a Theory of Living Human Systems (Agazarian, Gantt & Carter, 2021).
200-09-C |
Force Field Development and Application - Using Force Fields in Work and Play (Fri)
Trainer(s): Floor Daver , MSc
; Mindy Lemoine, MS
This group introduces participants to the basic elements of SCT theory, skills and practice.
Force Field Analysis, developed by Kurt Lewin, collects information about behaviors which drive systems toward their goals (driving forces) and behaviors that hinder progress (restraining forces). By focusing on reducing restraining forces, driving forces are more accessible, making goals easier to reach. In this workshop group members will create their own force fields, relating to learnings from the conference, to inform life and work goals. Participants will then identify the easiest restraining force to undo and identify a next step towards achieving their goal.
Category:
Drop-in Group
Track:
Theory and Basics
Level:
Open to All Levels |
CE credits:
1.5
Format:
Didactic; Demonstration; Sharing of Experience
Day(s):
Friday
, 10:45 - 12:15
|
Learning Objectives
Based on attending this event, I know, or am able to:
-
Demonstrate a basic theoretical understanding of force fields through group discussion
-
Construct a force field by identifying a goal, and the driving and restraining forces to that goal
-
Use the force field data to identify the easiest restraining force to weaken and make a plan
Presentation Content
Force fields were developed by Kurt Lewin in 1947, and have been used in many social applications since then. They are an important tool used in SCT to aid in collecting data about the driving and restraining forces in human systems. Force fields have found applications in many other fields where they are used in a similar way. Several articles listed below describe and demonstrate the value and application of force fields to SCT and other fields.
Supporting References
Agazarian, Y.M., Gantt, S.P., Carter, F.B. (2021). Energy, information and communication. In Y.M. Agazarian, S.P. Gantt & F.B. Carter (Eds.), Systems-centered training: An illustrated guide for applying a theory of living human systems. (pp. 44-72). Routledge: New York.
Gantt, S.P. (2025). A commentary on “Contemporary theories of group psychotherapy: A systems approach to the group-as-a-whole.” International Journal of Group Psychotherapy, 75(1), 137–146. doi: 10.1080/00207284.2024.2429386
Gantt, S.P., & Agazarian, Y.M. (2017). Systems-centered group therapy. International Journal of Group Psychotherapy, 67(sup1), S60-S70. doi: 10.1080/00207284.2016.1218768
Lewin, K. (1951). Field theory in social science. New York, NY: Harper & Row.
Siegel, D.J. (2023). IntraConnected + mwe (me + we) as the integration of self, identity, and belonging. New York, NY: Norton.
Presenters
Floor Daver, MSc. Floor Daver is an Organizational Psychologist, working with leaders and teams in Organizational Development (OD) Contexts for 20 years. She is a member of SCT Licensing group VIII and member of the SCT community since 2012.
Mindy Lemoine, MS . Mindy Lemoine retired from the US Environmental Protection Agency in 2021 after a long career in watershed planning and hazardous waste management. She now leads tree-planting initiatives in her community. She has been involved in SCTRI since 2002 and has completed the AIG. Mindy holds an MS in Geography from Louisiana State University.
200-10-C |
Basics of SAVI - What It Is and What It Can Do (Fri)
Trainer(s): Verena Murphy , PhD, LCSW-C
This group introduces participants to the basic elements of SCT theory, skills and practice.
Created by Yvonne Agazarian and Anita Simon, SAVI (System for Analyzing Verbal Interactions) maps communication behaviors. You will be introduced to the SAVI GRID, which captures verbal behaviors that can lead to satisfactory vs. unsatisfactory communication patterns in everyday life, in organizations, work groups, families, and with clients.
Category:
Drop-in Group
Track:
SAVI; Theory and Basics
Level:
Open to All Levels |
CE credits:
1.5
Format:
Didactic; Sharing of Experience
Day(s):
Friday
, 10:45 - 12:15
|
Learning Objectives
Based on attending this event, I know, or am able to:
-
Identify 3 examples of Avoidant verbal behaviors based on the SAVI Grid
-
Identify 3 examples of Approach verbal behaviors based on the SAVI Grid
-
List one example each of “redundancy,” “ambiguity” and “contradiction”
Presentation Content
Behavioral observation systems are well-established in the research and clinical fields. This particular model, System for Analyzing Verbal Interaction (SAVI), has been used for research in 4 dissertations, reported as a group process tool in 4 peer-reviewed publications, and is currently used for data collection in 3 as yet unpublished ongoing studies. It has a sound theoretical base in both field theory (Lewin, 1951) and information theory (Shannon, 1964) and builds on the work of Bales (1950) and others who developed observation systems to study classroom interactions.
SAVI is a precursor to SCT and a Theory of Living Human Systems (TLHS). SAVI operationalizes the construct of “noise” (ambiguity, redundancy and contradictions) in a TLHS (Agazarian et al., 2021).
SAVI is a non-judgmental observation tool that can be used to map any human system’s communication behaviors in organizations, work groups, families, and clients, by collecting data from which we can infer the developmental phase of a system, and to what degree it is open or closed to information.
Participants will be introduced to a brief overview of the historical theoretical roots of SAVI (including Benjamin et al., 2012; Howard & Scott, 1965; Lewin et al., 1939; Shannon & Weaver, 1964; Simon & Agazarian, 1967).
The SAVI GRID will be used as a tool to explore verbal behaviors that promote or inhibit clear information transfer in everyday life, dependent on the context and the goal of the context, thus discriminating which behaviors approach or avoid problem-solving in communication.
Supporting References
Agazarian, Y.M., Gantt, S.P., & Carter, F.B. (Eds.) (2021). Systems-centered training: An illustrated guide for applying a theory of living human systems. New York: Routledge.
Benjamin, B., Yeager, A., & Simon, A. (2012). Conversation transformation: Recognize and overcome the 6 most destructive communication patterns. New York, NY: McGraw-Hill.
Gantt, S.P. (2018). Developing groups that change our minds and transform our brains: Systems-centered’s functional subgrouping, its impact on our neurobiology, and its role in each phase of group development. Psychoanalytic Inquiry: Today’s Bridge Between Psychoanalysis and the Group World [Special Issue], 38(4), 270-284. doi: 10.1080/07351690.2018.1444851
Gantt, S.P. (2025). A commentary on “Contemporary theories of group psychotherapy: A systems approach to the group-as-a-whole.” International Journal of Group Psychotherapy, 75(1), 137–146. doi: 10.1080/00207284.2024.2429386
O’Neill, R.M., Byram, C.A., Mogle, J., & MacKenzie, M.J. (2024). Are system-centered boards more collaborative, productive, and creative? A partial replication, and a pilot exploration of how. GROUP: The Journal of the Eastern Group Psychotherapy Society, 48(4), 11-29. doi:10.1353/grp.2024.a962317
Simon A., & Agazarian, Y.M. (2000). SAVI - The system for analyzing verbal interaction. In A.P. Beck & C.M. Lewis (Eds.), The process of group psychotherapy: Systems for analyzing change (pp. 357-380). Washington, D.C.: American Psychological Association.
Presenters
Verena Murphy, PhD, LCSW-C. Verena Murphy began training with Yvonne Agazarian in 1993, and the co-originator of SAVI, Anita Simon, in 1997. She has used SCT theory and practice, as well as SAVI, in her personal development, as a partner, mother and grandmother, as a clinical Social Worker in inpatient and outpatient settings, as former assistant professor in Management and Information Systems, and as organizational consultant and trainer in Europe. She is a re-certified SAVI Trainer, and resides in Oregon, where she is in private practice online.