Group-Analytic Contexts, Issue 80, June 2018
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Newsletter – Summer <strong>2018</strong> 27<br />
Report from the EGATIN Study Days, Vilnius<br />
April <strong>2018</strong><br />
By Angelika Golz<br />
I attended the EGATIN Study Days in Vilnius, and as always it was<br />
very interesting and enjoyable to meet so many colleagues from<br />
different countries. The title was: “Small <strong>Group</strong>-Endless Space”<br />
Personal therapy in <strong>Group</strong> <strong>Analytic</strong> Training<br />
Kristian Valbak gave a great talk on “The Making of a good<br />
enough <strong>Group</strong> Analyst”. Joanna Skowronska from Poland gave talk<br />
called, “Does it matter who is in the group?” Uri Levin from Israel<br />
talked about “Blurred boundaries and dual relationships on <strong>Group</strong><br />
<strong>Analytic</strong> Training”.<br />
As is the custom now, trainees offer presentations on the<br />
second day, and I always find them refreshing (except that it was after<br />
lunch, and we were tired). The trainees talked very personally about<br />
their background and experiences growing up and what group therapy<br />
had meant to them in that context. I did find it interesting how their<br />
openness was experienced as problematic for some, and there was a<br />
tendency to infantilise these young people, suggesting that they<br />
needed protection. Of course, this is how I experienced this!<br />
We had 2 small discussion groups, and 3 large groups and<br />
Tija Despotovic did a great job co-conducting the large groups<br />
together with a lady from Vilnius.<br />
Like I have experienced before, the large group seems to<br />
reflect, bring to light, or act out the issues, historical, political or<br />
institutional, of the place and country in which the conference is held.<br />
This I felt very strongly in this large group. The issue of a ‘stranger’<br />
causing a threat to the boundaries of the group; the fear of losing<br />
identity if rules are not followed and the division between us and them<br />
is no longer clear. To me, what I would call a rising paranoia related<br />
well to the historical context of this country, and Tija did very well in<br />
containing this.<br />
My suggestion for organizing committees is to try to think<br />
and reflect on potential institutional and political issues of the place<br />
and country where the conference is held. I think these preparations<br />
could help the dynamic of the large group.<br />
Our hosts were very hospitable. We had delicious snacks and<br />
a great Gala dinner with a real-life string quartet!<br />
The next EGATIN Study Day will be in Warsaw/Poland, 26-<br />
28 April 2019. It is always on the last weekend of April. The title is
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