Sibling awareness in therapy

This experiential online workshop will reflect on personal experiences of sibling relationships and the ‘reciprocal roles’ or patterns of relating that they have given us and might still be active today in our professional work and personal lives. The focus will move from self-exploration of sibling dynamics to supervision of such moments in the lives of clients/patients.  Numbers are limited to sixteen participants.

Introduction 9.30am

· After introductions, the two facilitators will use their own examples to demonstrate using writing and mapping to explore awareness of sibling relationships and then invite participants to work in pairs as follows:

Part one 10-11.00am

· Write a short spontaneous letter to a sibling moment in childhood and then read it out to your partner.

· Return to plenary for general discussion of the process and pooling of ideas

· Back in pairs in turn to make a map together of the sibling moment described in the letter

· Back to plenary to review the process and pooling of discoveries, challenges and lessons learnt.

Brief refreshment break 11.00-11.15am

Part two 11.15-1.00pm

· In pairs, take turns to discuss a client’s moments with a sibling and write out, or map the reciprocal role procedure or pattern

· Come back to plenary to discuss and compare themes

· In four groups of four, explore parallels or differences between own sibling reciprocal roles and those of client’s experience and common or idealised views of sibling relationships.

· Back to plenary for general discussion and closing comments and reflections from the facilitators on theory and practice arising from the workshop.

Participants need at least an introductory training in CAT and will take away ideas about the lifelong importance of these early relationships and should have refreshed their ideas about the use of writing and mapping.

About the facilitators: Marie-Anne Bernardy Arbuz is a clinical psychologist and psychotherapist working with children, young people and families (specialising in traumatic life events) at the Robert Debre Hospital in Paris.  Steve Potter is a CAT psychotherapist working independently and based in London.  As well as CAT, they both share a background in psychodynamic approaches, Marie-Anne is also a family therapist and Steve has a background in community work.