Seeing our closed survivor roles in the context of phases of system development is vital in working with survivor role outputs. By identifying and then weakening the phase-specific restraining force outputs that signal our survivor roles, we can impact our survivor role systems and free the energy for developing and transforming our survivor roles.
We will work in small groups with cross racial leadership teams to collect data on the phase-related restraining forces that signal closed survivor roles that maintain racism and work as a large group to integrate what we discover.
Category:
Leading Edges in SCT
Track:
General Interest; Clinical; Organizational
Level:
Open to All Levels
CE credits:
2.0
Format:
Experiential; Sharing of Experience; Didactic
Day(s):
Friday
Start: 2:00 End: 4:00
Learning Objectives
Based on attending this event, I know, or am able to:
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Recognize the phase-context of closed survivor roles and their outputs and describe how these roles help maintain the equilibrium of the phase and ensure survival of what is
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Describe how closed survivor role outputs induce reciprocal roles and how these role-locks maintain the context in survival at the expense of development
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Apply SCT’s person-as-a-system map in looking at all system levels to weaken the system outputs that maintain racism
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Discuss how exploring our closed survivor roles frees energy for weakening the reiteration of racism and frees energy for developing more functional systems
Presentation Content
Addressing how racism is relevant for psychotherapists, coaches and consultants is well illustrated in the American Psychoanalytic Association’s three-part special section of The American Psychoanalyst (TAP) entitled “Conversations on Psychoanalysis and Race” (Winter/Spring 2017 issue) with articles by Beverly J. Stoute on “Race and Racism in Psychoanalytic Thought: Are There Ghosts in Our Nursery?,” Anton Hart on “From Multicultural Competence to Radical Openness: A Psychoanalytic Engagement of Otherness,” and Dorothy Holmes on “The Fierce Urgency of Now: Will Institutional Psychoanalysis Answer the Call to Psychoanalytic Understanding and Treatment of Racial Disturbances among Us?”
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 evidenced 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. (Eds.) (2021). Systems-centered training: An illustrated guide for applying a theory of living human systems. London, UK: Routledge.
Coates, T. (2015). Between the world and me. New York, NY: Spiegel & Grau.
Gantt, S.P., Ashley, W., Adams, J., & Carter, F. (in press). Addressing power dynamics in systems-centered training groups: Undoing racialized enactments by developing a decolonizing group culture and weakening closed survivor-roles. In A.D. Abernathy, L. Greene, R. MacNair-Semands & C. Marmarosh (Eds.), Addressing diversity dynamics in group therapy: Clinical and training applications. London, UK: Taylor & Francis.
Hannah-Jones, N. (2021). The 1619 project: A new origin story. New York, NY: One World.
Menakem, R. (2017). My grandmother’s hands: Racialized trauma and the pathway to mending our hearts and bodies. Las Vegas, NV: Central Recovery Press.
Presenters
Susan Gantt, Ph.D., ABPP, CGP, AGPA-DF, FAPA. Susan P. Gantt, Ph.D., ABPP, CGP, AGPA-DF, FAPA, 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).
Joan Adams, MSW, LCSW-R. Joan Adams, MSW, LCSW-R, is a licensed clinical social worker who maintains a private practice of psychotherapy and clinical supervision in Harlem, New York City; and provides training and consulting on racial equity, anti-racism and anti-oppression, and cultural competency for individuals, groups and organizations. Ms. Adams is an independent consultant/trainer for several groups. Ms. Adams completed the Undoing Racism Workshop™ led by The People’s Institute for Survival and Beyond and participates in the work of the Anti-racist Alliance, which is the New York area organizing group of The People’s Institute. She has participated in the Workshop and served as a Resource Facilitator numerous times.
Fran Carter, MSS, LSW. Frances Carter, MSS, LSW, is a Licensed Social Worker, living and working in the Philadelphia area. She maintains a clinical and consulting practice working with individuals, couples, groups and organizations. Fran is a founding member of the Systems-Centered Training and Research Institute, and a Board Member and System Mentor. She continues to be interested in the development of training, curriculum and research and has contributed her time to these work groups within SCTRI. She is a Licensed Systems-Centered Practitioner and a senior trainer, leading workshops, ongoing training and consultation groups and intensive training blocks throughout the US and Europe. She is also a principle in SAVI Communications and the SAVI Network where she works with others to develop training in the SAVI approach to communication. She brings to all her work the energy and creativity of her early background as an artist.
isra’ abd el fattah, MA. isra' is a queer Egyptian immigrant who has made the commitment to dismantle systems of oppression and exploitation through the process of decolonization and the building of dual power. They come from a diverse work background, including EMS, mental health, customer service, teaching, as well as building teams and launching products in Silicon Valley. Their varied lived experience paved the path that led to the decision to fully commit their time, energy, and resources to manifest their dream of being free in a liberated world. isra’ uses psychology, group dynamics, and anthropology to explore the ways in which systems of domination and oppression shape and condition our soma. They use their knowledge and experience to educate and support others in de-conditioning and reshaping their somas to align with the goals and values of liberation.
Claudia Byram, Ph.D., CGP. Claudia Byram, Ph.D., CGP, is a Licensed Systems-Centered Practitioner with a clinical practice in Philadelphia. She leads Systems-Centered training events, as well as communications training and consultation in the SAVI (System for Analyzing Verbal Interaction) model. She has worked since 1980 as a clinician and trainer, with a doctorate in developmental and clinical psychology from Bryn Mawr College. She began work with Yvonne Agazarian in the early 80s, shifting from psychoanalytic practice toward systems as systems-centered therapy developed.
Dorothy Gibbons, MSS, LCSW. Dorothy Gibbons, MSS, LCSW, is a Licensed Systems-Centered Practitioner. She is in private practice in Philadelphia, PA. She works with individuals, groups, and couples. She also works as an organizational consultant to a social service agency in Philadelphia. Ms. Gibbons is the former Director of the Adolescent Sex Offender Unit at the Joseph J. Peters Institute in Philadelphia and has extensive experience working with both victims and offenders of sexual abuse. She is on the Board of Directors of the Systems-Centered Training and Research Institute. She is also a graduate of the Gestalt Therapy Training.
Stuart Stevenson, PFHEA. Dr. Stuart Stevenson, PFHEA, is a group analyst and psychoanalytic psychotherapist and an organizational consultant in private practice. He consults on strategic and service development, conflict resolution, team processes and the impact of trauma and risk on team dynamics. He has researched, published and built theory regarding organizational dynamics. He consults to the courts and local authorities on complex child protection matters. He was formally MA Programme Lead and Senior lecturer in Social Work at the University of East London.
Eriko Kopp-Makinose, HPP, SEP, MHT. Eriko Kopp-Makinose, HPP, SEP, MHT works in Heidelberg, Germany and leads groups in personal development entitled: “The Sage Experience” and “Warrior with Heart.” She has been a coach and consultant in Organizational Development since 1996. Since 2015 she has had a Private Practice specialized in Trauma Healing. She founded and led a Montessori Primary and Secondary School as managing director for 12 years. In 1998 she was trained by Jane Elliot facilitating the “Blue Eye/Brown Eye” workshop. She got in touch with the work of Yvonne Agazarian in 2015 and has been a member of SCTRI since 2020. She is in SCT on an intermediate level, now member of the AIG IX.
Jon MCormick, Ph.D., CGP. Jon McCormick, Ph.D., CGP, is a clinical psychologist, psychoanalyst and certified group psychotherapist, in private practice in New York City where he has a faculty appointment at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai and voluntary staff appointment at Beth Israel Medical Center. He earned the certificate in psychoanalysis at New York University Postdoctoral Program in Psychoanalysis and Psychotherapy, began working with Yvonne Agazarian in 1985 and has led workshops and training groups with senior practitioners in SCT for over twenty years.