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Sebastian Kraemer will explore the Tavistock Clinic thread through the half century after WWII. Social psychologists and psychoanalysts discovered how groups could create something different from the sum of the members’ contributions. While social meetings privilege agreement, working together means looking out for, and acknowledging, a variety of apparently incompatible perspectives.

A group member’s task is to speak honestly from their own experience. A facilitator’s task is not to lead like a teacher, but to ensure that “that the attention of everyone present is led from time to time to what is happening at the moment in the group” (Rickman 1945). It is often the odd one out that provides the missing piece. These concepts apply in any meeting: multidisciplinary team, work discussion, or group relations.

In the second half of the talk, Lopa Winters will share narrative experiences of facilitating work discussion groups within the NHS and not-for profit sectors in an attempt to bring the theory to life; speaking to her experiences as a facilitator in both settings.

She will explore the commonalities of ‘the third position’ and its use in working with healthcare workers in a Paediatric setting; as well as the ‘person, role, organisation’ approach taken from The Tavistock Consulting Executive Coaching Programme and used in her consulting work.

This talk will appeal to coaches, facilitators, organisational consultants and professionals, as well as students and practitioners interested in group dynamics. All welcome. This event will be chaired by Sarah Wynick.

Biographies

Sebastian Kraemer’s postgraduate medical training began in paediatrics in 1970, and ended in family systems therapy, psychoanalytical child and adult therapy, and in group relations at the Tavistock Clinic. From 1980 he was a consultant trainer of child and adolescent psychiatrists in the Tavistock & Portman NHS Trust, and emergency and liaison psychiatrist in the paediatric department at the nearby Whittington Hospital. He finally retired from the front line in 2015, and now works with NHS staff as a facilitator of peer supervision and discussion groups. Find out more on his website.

Dr Lopa Winters is a Consultant Child and Adolescent Psychiatrist specialising in Paediatric Liaison. She works also as an Executive Coach/Consultant and as Group Relations Conference staff. She has trained and worked using systemic-psychodynamic approaches both at the Tavistock Clinic and Tavistock Consulting.

For 100 years, the Tavistock and Portman has proudly been at the forefront of exploring mental health and wellbeing. From attachment theory and infant observation, to applying psychoanalytic and systemic approaches in varied settings, our ideas have led to changes in care, education, how organisations work and beyond.

Our Centenary Festival is celebrating our history and exploring contemporary issues in relation to identity, relationships and society. It is considering how we continue to draw on our heritage to provide valuable responses to contemporary and future problems from the perspective of equality and inclusion.