The Principal Promoter: Georgian Group Psychotherapy Association (GGPA).
ASSOCIATE PROMOTERS: The Global Initiative on Psychiatry-Tbilisi (GIP) and the Mental Health Resource Center at the Ilia State University; Georgian Society of Psychotrauma (GSP), International Association for Group Psychotherapy and Group Processing (IAGP); American Group Psychotherapy Association (AGPA).
Background of the Project
Number of natural and man-made disasters increase day by day worldwide. Affects of traumatic events are severe and might emerge also later on. Symptoms of Post-traumatic Stress Disorder may be revealed even in 6-12 months after the event. Current traumatic events may also activate past traumatic experience and cause more harm. Hence there is a need of not only immediate, but also long-term psychological intervention to help people in need.
During last 25 years several traumatic events took place in Georgia: civil war in 90’s, war in Abkhazia, internally displacement, conflict in Ossetia, war with Russia etc. As a result of the flooding in Tbilisi on June 13, 2015 19 persons died and in total 110 families lost their houses and belongings. After such crisis affected population needs qualified psychological support for reducing trauma. Implementing psychological intervention is acute not only in the aftermath of the event but also during its prevention.
Group psychotherapy has a privilege in comparison to individual psychotherapy – it is more practical, as there can be involved more people for psychological rehabilitation.
The Georgian Group Psychotherapy Training Project started in 2015 with the intention to train local mental health workers in group psychotherapeutic approaches. The aim of the project is to provide a specialist training in the theory and practice of group psychotherapy for psychologists, teachers in university departments, doctors and other mental healthcare workers, many of whom work with children who have been exposed to multiple traumas that have been part of Georgia’s recent history. It will work in close cooperation with the GGPA, founded in 2002, the AGPA and the IAGP. The project will provide books on related studies and further cultural exchange between East and West. Its long-term aim is to train Georgian mental health professionals to establish their own self-sustaining training and teaching institute in group psychotherapy.
Importance of the Project
This project has a great importance for Georgia for the following objective reasons:
I. Political – Georgia is on the way to creating democratic Western values and integrating with the European Union. Group therapy is a product of Western civilization and the development of it in Georgia is a small but significant lepton, with considerable power for the process of convergence with Western values.
II. Economical – Group therapy is a treatment method, which does not require such costs as surgical and medicament treatment. Group psychotherapy has the advantage in comparison to the individual and/or drug therapy as it encompasses a larger number of patients for a certain period of time. It will be a big help to the poor layers of the society in Georgia, which is still economically backward country in comparison with the Western countries.
III. Medical aspect – Includes following aspects:
1) Group psychotherapy is designed not only for treatment but also for prevention of mental problems and problems of day-to-day living;
2) Its focus is not only on the result of a problem and symptoms as it occurs in drug treatment but it is oriented to the cause, purpose and meaning of it.
IV. Cultural aspect – Group psychotherapy is aimed at growth of personality at its cultural and spiritual development. It also gives a good opportunity to study transcultural issues (cross-cultural study) in experiential groups, in the Post-Soviet area in particular.
OBJECTIVES of THE PROJECT:
The aim of the project is to establish Group Psychotherapy in Georgia according to the International Standards.
To reach this aim there are following objectives planned:
- Study of theoretical basics of Group Psychotherapy;
- 3-4 year institute with invited international group psychotherapists/faculties 3-4 times per year;
- Online and on spot group supervision sessions conducted by visiting supervisors from the IAGP and the AGPA;
- A program of Master degree in Group Psychotherapy:
- Select lecture candidates for the program;
- Create curriculum and modules of the subjects;
- Lobby creation of the Master degree within the Ministry of Education and Science and Ministry of Labor, Health and Social Affairs.
Colleagues from the AGPA and the IAGP have expressed their willingness to be involved in the project and help Georgian group of specialists in developing the Training Program/Master Program and Institute of Group Psychotherapy.
In the frames of an Institute of Group Psychotherapy in Georgia there will be a 3-4 year study in group psychotherapy offered, in order to prepare qualified group psychotherapists according to the international standards by invited faculties from abroad.
We propose a 3-year study, which includes a basic level and an advanced level. This includes 200 hours of group analysis and 75 hours of supervision. The total length of training is 3 years.
Current Activities
Throughout June 22-24, 2015 with the help of the IAGP there was a 3-day training conducted for psychologists and psychotherapists from Georgia. Fortunately Jeffrey Kleinberg visited Georgia for conducting the above-mentioned training. The members of the Georgian Association were mostly skilled in English and other European languages and communication was relatively easy.
The members of the GGPA meet on weekly basis for deepening and intensifying their knowledge and skills in the field of group psychotherapy.
It is worth to mention that theoretical course – Basics of Group Psychotherapy is taught at the Ilia State University. Several summer schools of group psychotherapy were implemented during recent years.
The training program should continue in order to prepare qualified Group Psychotherapists according to the international standards and establish an Institute of Group Psychotherapy in Georgia.
FINANCIAL ASPECTS OF THE PROJECT
The Principal Promoter and the Georgian Associate Promoters will provide free accommodation, will pick up and drop off visitors from the airport and will cover the cost of or provide food during the time in the workshops and seminars.
