Peer Support Groups
Thursday, August 7, 2025
1:30pm-3:00pm
Thursday, August 21, 2025
1:30pm-3:00pm
Thursday, September 4, 2025
1:30pm-3:00pm
Thursday, September 18, 2025
1:30pm-3:00pm
The Art vs. Science of Therapy – How Do We Balance Evidence-Based Practice with Intuition and Relational Knowing?
As therapists, we are often caught between the rigor of evidence-based practice and the nuanced, relational aspects of therapy that can’t always be measured or defined. In this session, we will explore the intersection of the “art” and “science” of therapy, considering how to integrate empirical research with the intuitive, relational knowing that guides so much of our clinical work. We’ll reflect on how to balance these two approaches, recognizing the strengths and limitations of both, while learning how to trust our clinical instincts without abandoning the structure of evidence-based practices. This session encourages clinicians to reflect on the holistic, flexible approaches to therapy that honor both research and intuition.
Key Takeaways:
A nuanced understanding of how to integrate evidence-based practices with the intuitive and relational aspects of therapy.
Tools for navigating the balance between structured, research-driven interventions and flexible, client-centered approaches.
Cultivating trust in both the scientific and artistic components of your therapeutic work.
Transference, Countertransference, and the Therapist’s Blind Spots – What Do Our Strongest Reactions to Clients Reveal?
Transference and countertransference are often viewed as clinical phenomena to be managed, but they also offer profound insight into both the client and the therapist. In this session, we’ll engage in deep reflection on how our strongest reactions to clients—both positive and negative—can reveal hidden blind spots, unresolved issues, or unconscious biases within ourselves. By bringing awareness to these dynamics, we can use them as powerful tools for growth, both personally and professionally. This session will encourage you to embrace countertransference as a source of insight rather than a hindrance, helping you to become more attuned to your own blind spots and the deeper dynamics at play in the therapeutic relationship.
Key Takeaways:
Developing an awareness of transference and countertransference in clinical practice.
Understanding the value of therapist reactions as a mirror for personal and professional growth.
Practical tools for managing your
The Role of Grief in Clinical Work – How Do We Hold Space for Collective and Personal Grief in the Therapy Room?
Grief is not only a personal experience—it’s collective, cultural, and systemic. In this session, we’ll explore the role of grief in therapy, both the grief that clients bring and the grief that we, as therapists, carry. How do we hold space for grief in all its forms, while ensuring we don’t become overwhelmed by it? We’ll discuss how grief manifests in the therapeutic relationship, how it can be a powerful catalyst for healing, and how we can navigate the grief that comes from working in a world full of suffering. By engaging with both our clients’ grief and our own, we will explore how to foster healing while maintaining our emotional health.
Key Takeaways:
Reflecting on how grief shows up in the therapy room—both personal and collective.
Tools for holding space for grief while avoiding emotional burnout.
Developing resilience when working with grief, both in clients and within ourselves.
Working at the Edge of Our Competence – When Do We Push Through Discomfort, and When Do We Refer Out?
As therapists, we often encounter moments of discomfort where we feel out of our depth—whether it’s a challenging client dynamic, a complex case, or a personal emotional response. In this session will explore how you and your peers navigate moments of discomfort, asking the crucial question: when should you push through and lean into the challenge, and when is it more ethical and effective to refer out? We’ll explore how to discern when we are working at the edge of our competence, how to maintain ethical practice, and how to ensure that both you and your clients are supported in the best possible way. This session will provide a framework for knowing when to stretch your skills and when to acknowledge limits for the sake of professional integrity and client care.
Key Takeaways:
Tools for recognizing when you’re working at the edge of your competence.
Guidelines for when it’s ethical and beneficial to refer clients to other professionals.
Strategies for maintaining professional growth while ensuring ethical responsibility.