Minnesota Group Therapy Conference (in-person and online) October 12-13, 2023
Dear fall 2023 MN group therapy registrants,
In the past few weeks, our conference committee has been meeting to discuss the upcoming conference, and we have had to make the unfortunate decision to cancel this fall’s conference (which was planned for October 12-13, 2023). Please know that if you paid for the conference, your registration fees will be fully refunded.
This decision to cancel the conference was difficult, and to say we feel conflicted about this decision would be an understatement. The four of us (Brian, Emily, Nate, and Jon) have worked hard over the last few years to cultivate a professional environment deeply invested in group therapy here in MN. While we have had great success doing this (as those of you who attended the spring conference hopefully felt and noticed), we have decided to shift towards a yearly conference model.
In doing so, we hope to draw larger crowds, experienced and diverse faculty to deliver plenaries and focused education sessions, above all, a connecting and warm professional environment where we can come together to learn and grow together. At this time, we are planning a fall 2024 conference, and sincerely hope you consider attending when the official announcement is made.
Below you can find TWO online therapist group training opportunities that may be of interest to you (a two-day intensive, or an ongoing option on Tuesday evenings).
If you have any questions or concerns, please let us know. We deeply appreciate the connections we have with you, and we hope to continue to work together in various ways moving forward.
(1) Emily Price and Nate Page are co-facilitating a two-day online group for therapists. We are calling this a "two-day group intensive". It will be a process group focused on our here-and-now relational dynamics. You will invest 12 hours in small group work. So far, we have three people that have signed up. We are looking at Thursday/Friday December 14-15, or Thursday/Friday January 11-12. The cost will be $585.
Please visit our two-day group intensive webpage to learn more and to complete a short application to be considered.
(2) Nate Page has a few openings in his Tuesday evening online group for therapists (meets from 7:30-9:00pm Central Time). This group meets twice a month, and has been meeting for a few years. The current group members are warm, welcoming, and excited for a few new members to join. The cost is $100/session, and reduced rates are available.
Please email me at nate@
Conference Theme: Activating the Here-and-now in Your Groups
12.0 CEUs.
Buckle up! You will invest 9+ hours engaging in EXPERIENTIAL small group work with a highly skilled group facilitator and 6-9 other group members!
This conference will be similar to attending a two-day institute for the American Group Psychotherapy Association. Conference participants have found this type of group training to be RICH, DEEP and REWARDING –both personally and professionally.
Your Video Invitation
BIPOC Scholarship Application - Click Here
LGBTQ+ Scholarship Application - Click Here
Please read the full conference details on this webpage, and reach out to the conference leadership committee with any questions you might have.
Our opening and closing meetings with be hybrid (in-person + virtual conference participants).
Most of the conference will be spent in your Small Group Experiential Training. You can choose one of two tracks:
IN-PERSON in St. Paul Minnesota
...or...
VIRTUAL for folx that want to join remotely from anywhere in the world.
Experiential Format: The experiential nature of this conference means you will learn about group dynamics and interventions by being a group member of a process group lead by a highly qualified group facilitator. You will experience and study actual group issues as they organically arise in your group work together. This 'real-time' group work creates a learning environment that is not possible in didactic, role-playing, or other forms of trainings. Most of the conference will be spent in your Small Group Experiential Training (SGET) comprised of 6-9 members and 1-2 highly skilled group leaders.
The evaluations from our previous conferences have been overwhelming positive, and included several helpful suggestions. Of the 80 people that have attended, 100% marked that they would recommend this event to any colleague that is wanting experiential training.
I would highly recommend this conference. It’s a good source of experiential learning and introduction or deepening of group therapy knowledge and experience.
This conference is a must! Great quality and in-depth learning and growth. Connecting with others practitioners from all walks of life and experiences, great networking!
Wonderful! Loved the modeling of holding space, engaging group members, and the emphasis on present moment feelings. It was truly experiential!
"Just sign up!"..." It's very worth it"... "but be prepared for what it is (experiential rather than just didactic)."
"Experiential aspect was much more powerful than the traditional “lecture” approach. I very much appreciate it."
The group psychotherapy skills you gain through your small group work are important for any therapist, regardless of group leader experience, theoretical orientation, or patient population.
At the conclusion of each to experiential training section, you will have the opportunity to ask your group leaders about choices they made, about the theoretical underpinnings of those choices, and anything else related to group theory and practice. Additional information will be presented in didactic forms, handouts, and oral presentations.
If you have attended a group therapy conference from the American Group Psychotherapy Association (or one of their affiliate societies) you should have a good understanding of the experiential nature of this conference. If not, then please visit our FAQ section (below) to better understand how this conference will work.
How exactly will the HYBRID nature of the conference work?
Actually, quite simply. Only opening and closing meetings will be truly hybrid where we mix in-person and virtual participants. Most of the conference will be spent in your Small Group Experiential Training which will be either be in-person or online (not hybrid).
Below you will find the schedule with full details.
WHEN
October 12-13, 2023 (Thursday/Friday)
8:00am-5:00pm CENTRAL TIME ZONE
We will practice taking many self-care breaks throughout the conference
Where (NEW VENUE)
Wellstone Center in St. Paul, Minnesota (in-person track) & Online through Zoom (virtual track)
Wellstone Center
1404 Gortner Ave, St Paul, MN 55108179 Robie St E, St Paul, MN 55107
Cost
Purchase your tickets HERE!
$295 Professional Rate (early bird rate $215 until September 12)
$90 Student Rate (early bird rate $35 until September 12)
$15 for Continuing Education Certificate (Optional)
Who
This conference is for any mental health clinican (professional or student) that is wanting to improve their group processing and group therapy skills.
Keynote Presentation/Demonstration
Activating the Here-and-now in Your Groups
Description
We polled our previous conference attendees for the topic that they would like to address the most, and "a focus on the here-and-now" was the highest rated option from the poll.
Irvin Yalom has continually asserted that the "core of group therapy is working in the here-and-now". We will kick off our group conference with a special keynote presentation/demonstration with Nate, Emily, Brian and Jon (the conference committee). This experiential keynote (along with your experiential small group work) will help you practice both ACTIVATING and ILLUMINATING the here-and-now in group settings.
A group leader's ability to activating the here-and-now is helpful for all kinds of groups (therapy, support, process, psycho-educational, etc.). This skill will also help with other professional and personal endeavors such as individual therapy, teaching, dinner conversation, parenting, or meditation.
Learning objectives
-Explain the components of therapeutic here-and-now activation and illumination
-Select group leader interventions to both activate and illuminate the here-and-now
-Identify your own subjective experiences, and explore those of other participants and the group-as-a-whole experiences.
*You will receive an electronic handout with several examples of group leader interventions to activate and illuminate the here-and-now.
How will this keynote take into consideration viewpoints from diverse populations and cultural locations?
A significant piece of our here-and-now experiencing is becoming aware of the dynamics created by the conglomeration of our identities, cultural upbringings, and current social norms/expectations. We will call attention to recapitulations of power, privilege, and oppression as they arise in the group. The presenters will be intentional with acknowledging their positionalities ( identities, biases blind spots, etc.) to model vulnerability and help create a climate of willingness to address difficult topics. During the keynote we will work to become aware of any microaggressions, unconscious biases, and implicit reactions that could cause harm while also working towards reparative experiences.
This conference has the potential to be a predominantly white, cis-gendered, and heterosexual space, and we intend to name and explore the realities that arise with the identities and backgrounds of the folx that attend this conference keynote.
We will also acknowledge the accessibility differences between online and in-person participants, while working to make the experience as best as possible for everyone.
Schedule (subject to small changes)
Thursday (Central Time Zone)
8:00am - Welcome, Introduction to Conference Structure (Hybrid)
8:15-9:15am - Keynote (Hybrid)
9:30-11:00am - Live Demo (Hybrid)
11:10-11:45am - Debrief (Hybrid)
11:45am-1:15pm - Lunch (on your own)
1:15-2:45pm - Small Group Training Experiential #1
3:00-4:30pm - Small Group Training Experiential #2
Friday (Central Time Zone)
8:30-10:00am - Small Group Experiential #3
-break-
10:15am-11:45am - Small Group Experiential #4
11:45am-1:15pm - Lunch (on your own)
1:15-2:45pm Small Group Experiential #5
3:00-4:00pm Large Group Debrief + Evaluations and Fun (Raffle, networking, exploring future conferences or other MN-based incentives, etc.) (Hybrid)
Your Small Group Leaders
We have some fantastic small group facilitators for our conference this year! These are the individuals that will serve as facilitators for your Small Group Experiential Training. They are highly skilled group therapists and they have each received extensive training in leading trainings groups for therapists.
Brian Post PhD, LP, CGP (he/him)
(TBD: In-Person or Online Track)
Brian is a licensed psychologist in Minnesota, Certified Group Psychotherapist, and a member of PSYPACT. During his doctoral studies he received specialized training in group therapy with an emphasis on psychodynamic interpersonal process groups. After graduate school he trained at the Minnesota Institute for Contemporary Psychoanalysis and Psychotherapy, and he is currently a student at the Center for Group Studies in Manhattan. Since 2009 he has led over 60 groups. One of the highlights of his week is attending a group as a member.
Brian is now in full-time private practice at Brian Post Counseling, LLC. He offers individual and group psychodynamic psychotherapy to adults in Minnesota and virtually throughout 36 states in the US.
As part of this conference Brian will facilitate one of the Small Group Experiential Trainings comprised of 6-9 group members.
Jon Lewis PhD, LP, CGP (he/him)
(TBD: In-Person or Online Track)
Jon Lewis is a clinical psychologist and Certified Group Psychotherapist who currently facilitates groups in adult partial hospitalization program at a local hospital. His group experience spans outpatient, intensive outpatient, and inpatient treatment settings. He is an active member of the American Group Psychotherapy Association (AGPA), and has also completed AGPA's Certified Group Psychotherapists (CGP) training program. Jon has a strong interest in training group therapists and building a community passionate about group therapy. His clinical interests include attachments concerns, personality pathology, and psychodynamic psychotherapy. For more information about Jon please visit: www.mplstherapy.org
Jon is the keynote speaker for this conference, and will run a live demonstration of Focused Brief Experiential Training during the initial meeting for all conference participants. Jon is also planning to serve as a facilitator for one of the Small Group Experiential Trainings comprised of 6-9 group members.
Nate Page, LP, CGP (he/him)
(TBD: In-Person or Online Track)
Nate Page is a licensed psychologist and Certified Group Psychotherapist, and the founder of Group Therapy Central. Nate leads online process-oriented training groups for therapists, and has been a faculty member at the American Group Psychotherapy Association annual event many years running. He was the group coordinator at Carleton College before transitioning into private practice with his spouse in Northfield, MN.
Emily Price PhD, LP (she/her)
(TBD: In-Person or Online Track)
Note - Emily's schedule has shifted and she will no longer be able to serve as a Small Group Experiential Leader. She hopes to still be able to attend the conference on Thursday April 27 for the keynote address to meet everyone that attends.
Emily Price, PsyD, LP is a licensed psychologist in the state of Minnesota and a member of PSYPACT. She has honed her speciality in group therapy over 7 years of experience leading a variety of groups including process-oriented, skills-based, and support groups in university settings. Emily is a member of the American Group Psychotherapy Association and regularly attends their annual national conference. She was the group therapy coordinator at Boynton Health at the University of Minnesota and now runs groups for therapists in her private practice, Emerging Counseling. To learn more about Emily Price, visit https://www.
Katie Steele (she/her)
(Waiting confirmation)
Katie Steele is a licensed psychologist, Certified Group Psychotherapist (CGP), and Fellow of
the American Group Psychotherapy Association (FAGPA). She recently completed a 5-year term
as Co-Chair of the annual national AGPA Connect conference.
We are excited, and grateful, that Dr. Steele has agreed to run our online small group experiential training. For over 30 years, Katie has specialized in Group Psychotherapy as an ideal therapeutic setting for healing from the dysfunctional coping strategies learned in early life. She has provided mentoring and training in group therapy for therapists for more than 20 years. In
addition to Group Therapy, Dr. Steele is Certified and an Approved Consultant in EMDR (Eye
Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing).
Katie runs in-person and virtual interpersonal process therapy groups through Wellness
Associates, her practice in South Bend, Indiana. Her groups focus on the process of being in
relationship, including speaking up for oneself in graceful ways and learning to tolerate the
discomfort of negotiating resolution to conflict. For more information, see
www.WellnessAssociates.org.
Where is the Wellstone Center?
The Wellstone Center is located in west St. Paul at 179 Robie St E, St Paul, MN 55107.
There is free covered parking at the building.
Where can I park?
The Wellstone Center has 164 free parking spots in a ramp that is connected to the Wellstone Center.
FAQs
Answers to some frequently asked questions.
How many continuing education credits will I receive?
12.0 CE credits. This conference is available to mental health clinicians of a wide variety of disciplines and licenses (including, but not limited to, psychologists, LMFT, LCSW, LADC, LPCC, APRNs, and physicians). We receive pre-approval from the Minnesota Board of Psychology. We do not seek pre-approval from other boards (due to time and money constraints) but this activity does meet all the listed CE requirements for the following boards:
MN Board of Behavioral Health and Therapy (LPC and LADC)
MN board of Marriage and Family Therapy
Minnesota Board of Nursing (RN, LPN)
American Academy of Nurse Practicioners (APRN)
We charge a $15 fee for you to receive a signed CE certificate that includes the learning outcomes, presenter qualifications, dates, times, Minnesota Boardof Psychology log number, and all other information needed for your licensing board.
In order to receive your CE certificate you will need to attend the full conference and make sure you sign in and out each day. Certificates will not be awarded to attendees that miss a portion of the conference.
Note - your board does not require that you have a CE certificate as long as you keep track of all relevant information (title of sessions, dates attended, learning outcomes, registration payment stub etc.). This information would be needed in the event that you are randomly selected for a continuing education audit.
Will there be more conferences like this in the future?
Yes! We had very successful Fall 2019, Spring 2020, Fall 2020, Spring 2021, Spring 2022 and Spring 2023 conferences. We intend to ask conference participants about their desires for future conferences, and we anticipate that there will be high interest based on our experience doing group therapy trainings thus far. Right now we have lots of interest in our October 2023 conference, and there will likely be additional training groups and future conferences that come out of this event.
What is the Small Group Experiential Training?
We believe that developing competency as a group leader is done best in experiential group formats. If you have been to a group therapy conference before you probably understand what these experiential groups are like. If not, hopefully the following paragraphs will give you some understanding.
You will be placed into a small group (6-10 members with 1-2 group leader(s) and will be asked to engage in group processing activities under the direction of the group leader(s). This is NOT a therapy group, but members will engage in group work that approximates what could occur in a treatment group in a way that fosters learning and helps develop your skills as a group interventionist.
Your level of engagement is up to you. You will be encouraged to behave authentically and spontaneously, and to continually reflect on your experience. For example, if you are in a small group experiential with a theme focused on Attachment Theory, group members would likely be encouraged to explore their own attachment styles, how these styles are surfacing among relationships with other group members and the group leader(s), and how to help members move toward secure attachment.
We usually do not engage in role playing activities, but instead bring our authentic selves into the group and focus on the actual group dynamics that arrise. This 'real-time' group work creates a learning environment that is not possible in didactic, role-playing, or other forms of trainings.
Please reach out to us with any questions you have about the conference. It can be confusing to picture experiential group training if you have never done it before.
In addition to the Small Group Experiential training, what else do we do at this conference?
We will gather twice as a whole conference for conference-wide educational activities (welcome and introductions, keynote address and live demonstratoin group with Jon Lewis, large group debriefs, etc.). We also hope there will be time and space for networking, socializing, and developing a community of group therapy enthusiasts.
We also are providing plenty of breaks, including long lunch breaks for relaxation, networking, exercising, or anything else you'd like to do.
During some our large group meetings there will be time for announcements about group openings and other group therapy-related trainings and opportunities for clients and clinicians. Please bring any promotional materials that you would want to display (sharing your screen on Zoom).
If you would like to more formally advertise a practice, clinic, event or other opportunity please reach out to us about sponsorship opportunities.
Where can I eat lunch?
For those of you attending in-person, there are plenty of delicious restaurants within a short walk from the Wellstone Center, and several that are a short drive. Feel free to search google to find a place that sounds good to you. I found some absolutely delicious Quesabirrias at El Burrito Mercado right across the street from the Wellstone Center.
Will there be volunteer and scholarship opportunities for attendees?
Yes, we would love to have you as a volunteer. I you are hoping to volunteer at this conference and receive a reduced rate please reach out to Nate nate@grouptherapycentral.com.
We want this conference to be financially accessible for anyone that wants to learn more about group therapy. The rate for students is quite low, but we can make additional scholarship opportunities for students that need help attending.
Right now we have a small amount of scholarship funds for BIPOC, LGBTQIA+ and student registrants.
We would also gladly accept donation, which will go toward the scholarship funds so that we can increase our generosity.
What did participants say about our last Group Therapy Conferences?
"The Experiential content was fantastic; Honestly the best training I’ve been to in a long while."
"I thought this conference was excellent. It was my first conference of this type so I didn't have any past experience that formed any expectations, and I gained so much value in learning more about myself and others as well."
"What a rich and useful two days of group therapy experience, training and networking!"
"I felt like it was an overall enriching experience. I appreciate how the organizers created a space for non-white voice to be at the center of the conversations!"
"This was fantastic. The experientials were so meaningful, and the presentations were very timely and so needed."
"I enjoyed the conference overall. I love the experiential pieces and I appreciated the focus on racism in the more didactic sections."
"The small process groups were amazing."
You should be prepared for the participation demands of this conference as it is an active (rather than passive) experience."
"Just sign up!"..." It's very worth it"... "but be prepared for what it is (experiential rather than just didactic)."
Thank you to all who organized this, LOVED it! 🙂
More time would be wonderful! Even multiple breakouts through a day.
I am truly looking forward to a 2-day conference.
[My experiential group leader] modeled how group work is done and also used facilitator questions that will be useful in my practice. Very nicely done!
Very good conference!
I was in [group leader's name] group and [their] attunement was wonderful and [their] reflective comments led the group to a deeper level.
Wonderful experience!
"The experiential small groups were amazing; I learned so much more than in a presentation. I liked how we experienced two different [leadership] styles."
"This is my first experiential training, and I found it to be just what I would have hoped to be. You did an excellent job with the content of the training, modeling the facilitator role, and creating safety during the day to allow myself to open up."
"The experiential really was effective–it helped us go deeper and have something to process within a few minutes of starting then continued throughout."
"Experiential aspect was much more powerful than the traditional “lecture” approach. I very much appreciate it."