Mid-Atlantic Group Psychotherapy Society
2021 Fall Conference

Creating Connection through Empathy:
 Working with the Intersection of Identities in the Group Process.

Guest Presenters: 
Kathleen Isaac, PhD 

11 Hours CEU

Thank you for your interest in Creating Connection Through Empathy: Working with the Intersection of Identities in the Group Process. 

In a time of overwhelming uncertainty, socio-political crisis, and isolation, people are craving connection. Group provides an opportunity to share experiences, connect and feel seen, validated, and accepted by others. However, many individuals have struggled to access these positive benefits of the group, particularly those with marginalized identities. How do we create a group environment that invites the entirety of one’s experience including the parts of themselves that are othered and discriminated against? How do we shift from creating connection through harmful conflict to a healthy exploration of differences?

Dr. Kathleen Isaac will share how to use empathy and principles of liberation psychology to work with trauma and integrate the intersections of race, sexual orientation, and gender identity into the group process.

Learning Objectives:

• Identify three ways white supremacy has impacted cross-racial dialogue in groups.
• Illustrate how culture and power dynamics shape the experience of group members.
• Explain the impact of microaggressions and othering in the group setting. Distinguish between varying levels of trauma and how they manifest in the group.
• Develop skills in integrating sensitivity to race, gender, and sexual orientation in the clinical encounter.
• Define intersectionality and understand the impact of racism, homophobia, and patriarchy on individuals and groups.
• Identify three strategies for creating an inclusive, culturally sensitive group space using empathy
• Integrate principles of liberation psychology into clinical practice
• Establish practice guidelines on how therapists and group facilitators can address intersectionality dynamics in groups.