Developing the group mind through functional subgrouping: linking systems-centered training (SCT) and interpersonal neurobiology

Int J Group Psychother. 2010 Oct;60(4):515-44. doi: 10.1521/ijgp.2010.60.4.515.

Abstract

This article introduces the systems-centered concept of the "group mind" by linking systems-centered thinking and interpersonal neurobiology, building on Siegel's definition of mind as the process of regulating the flow of energy and information. Functional subgrouping, the systems-centered group method for resolving conflicts, discriminates and integrates the flow of energy and information within and between group members, subgroups, and the group-as-a-whole, thus potentiating survival, development, and transformation. This article uses the interpersonal neurobiological framework to discuss functional subgrouping as a tool for developing the group mind: considering how functional subgrouping facilitates emotional regulation, creates a secure relational context, and potentiates neural integration.

Publication types

  • Review

MeSH terms

  • Communication*
  • Group Processes*
  • Humans
  • Interpersonal Relations*
  • Psychotherapy, Group* / methods
  • Thinking*