"IMPLICIT BIAS: THE IMPACT ON GROUP THERAPY”

This conference will attempt to address Implicit Bias and its impact, intrusion and importance in group psychotherapy. In honoring its existence, its awareness potentially deepens the group therapy experience (i.e., enhancing intimacy) and therefore group developmental growth.

Theories, such as Psychodynamic and Relational Theories, as well as techniques, such as Mindfulness, will be addressed so that conference attendees will better know their own Implicit Biases. We will incorporate the impact of Implicit Biases on both large and small group entities.

Through both lecturing and processing we will address the following areas (but not limited to) of Implicit Biases: Gender, Race, Sexual Orientation and Age. In addition, we will look at the link between Projective Identification (as well as Transference and Countertransference) and Implicit Biases and its effect on the group therapy experience.

Learning Objectives

Participants will be better able to:

• know their own Implicit Biases
• recognize Implicit Biases in their groups,
• gain capacity analyzing barriers to group developmental growth
• use the knowledge gained to enhance both their ability to facilitate group psychotherapy and the group therapy journey.

Presented By Bradley Lake, LICSW, LCSW-C

Bradley Lake has been in private practice for 27 years. He values working with a diverse population – offering individual, couples and group psychotherapy. Bradley provides supervision to clinicians as well as using a group model in working with organizations and companies. Mr. Lake lives on the Eastern Shore of MD with his husband, their two kids and three dogs. He hopes to finish his book by summer 2019: “Seen and Heard: A Journey to Growth”

Process Groups BOTH days:

Learning is often best accomplished by doing, and our emotional growth matters at least as much as our intellectual growth. In that spirit, this year will include an integration between the main presentation and smaller groups (led by carefully selected group therapist colleagues), where you’ll have an opportunity to process your experience of the presentation. This pairing over both days was successful last year, and will provide many opportunities to grow both professionally and personally.

Registration is for BOTH Friday and Saturday only due to the need for continuity in the Process Groups. Saturday only registration is NOT available for this event. REGISTRATION IS REQUIRED BEFORE MAY 11th so that persons can be placed in process groups ahead of the event.