Engaging with the Median Group

Abstract

This article describes how an understanding of the dynamic processes activated in a median sized group can inform good clinical practice and influence the actions and attitudes of the group convenor and the participants. A median group can be used to encourage dialogue and understanding or to experience and engage with primitive unconscious processes. It sits at the interface of the public and the private sphere and provides a unique space to learn the skill of thinking and feeling in the presence of others. The article indicates what the experience might be, why this particular size of group is employed, how resistances can be addressed, how to maximize creativity and what participants can expect to get from participation in median groups in different settings. Participants feel deskilled whilst learning how to engage. The reward is a window into a new level of awareness and relationships.