67th Annual Conference

Friday, February 26

Afternoon Workshops

2:30 - 5:00 P.M.

Workshop 61

How Old Is Your Therapist?

Chairs:

Beatrice Liebenberg, M.S.W., CGP, DFAGPA, Faculty, Washington School of Psychiatry, Washington, DC

Kathryn Liebenberg, Psy.D., Positive Directions, Westport, Connecticut

The group leader/therapist's age is an important variable in group therapy as well as in process groups. Language, clinical experience, outside interests, and personal life experience of the therapist can have an impact on the group. Transference and countertransference are very much alive and with both younger and older therapists. Workshop participants will discover and explore ways the leader/therapist can creatively work with the dynamics that arise related to therapist’s age.

experiential, sharing of work experiences, demonstration, didactic

Learning Objectives:

The attendee will be able to:

1. To understand the impact of age in the therapeutic relationship.
2. To examine the age at which the therapist feels (or felt) most competent and productive. 
3. To explore whether patient disclosure is influenced by the age of the therapist.

Course References:

Parker, E. (1960). The Seven Ages of Woman. The Johns Hopkins Press, Baltimore & London.

Erikson, E. (1969). Gandhi's Truth, Part 2:  Childhood and Youth and From Vow to Vocation, WW. Norton & Co., 1969 , New York.

Atkin, S. and Atkin A.  (1992). On Being Old, in Pollock, George H. , Editor, How Psychiatrists Look at Aging, International Universities Press, Inc. Madison, Ct. pp.1--25.