Information about a Person-centred Encounter Group
The person-centred encounter group provides opportunity to meet one another in a deeper, more personal way. “In such a group the individual comes to know himself and each of the others more completely than is possible in the usual social or working relationships.” (Rogers, C. 1969, Encounter Groups, p16).
How can I get more in touch with who I really am, and relate to others more confidently?
Person-centred encounter groups provide an environment where you are supported and encouraged to examine your feelings and actions in relation to yourself and others.
This is a unique way to meet others. There is no agenda, and nobody is in charge. Each unstructured meeting takes its own course, with all participants treated as equals. Each individual brings the attitudes of caring, acceptance and trust.
The focus is the experiences and responses of those present. It is about sharing the subjectivity of our experience in the here-and-now. How open can you be among others? How receptive can you be the openness of others?
These are Person-centred encounter groups. While participants do not need formal training in the Person-Centred Approach, understanding the approach would be helpful, and everyone is expected to follow person-centred principles.
This means that participants should:
Treat each other thoughtfully and with respect.
Listen with empathic understanding, rather than immediately formulating a response.
Hold one another in a positive light and to try to see things from the other person’s perspective.
Be considerate, careful, and honest in what they say about each other, both when we’re together and when we’re not.
Note that our groups are self-facilitated. All participants share equal responsibility for facilitating the group. No one is required to speak, and everyone chooses for themselves how much they want to share.
Encounter groups are not therapy groups.
Person-centred encounter groups aim to offer a safe place to explore greater openness in communication. A space where individuals can express themselves personally, expecting to be heard respectfully and empathically, without fear of interpretation, labelling, or judgment.
We expect participants to be guided by person-centred principles. Participants should endeavour to treat each other with respect and consideration. Empathic listening and authentic, open responses should be the norm, holding one another with positive regard. Thus, we expect participants to be considerate, careful, and honest in what they say to or about one another, both in and out of the group.
Complete confidentiality is impossible within encounter groups. As a result, each member must consider how much they want to share. Sometimes, an individual might ask a group to treat a matter as confidential. If all those present agree, each group member must honour that confidentiality.
Any meaningful encounter often involves individuals openly and honestly sharing sensitive information about themselves. We expect participants to be mindful of one another and respect that confidence. So, participants should avoid discussing what or how anything was shared to pass the time, gossip, or create an impression.
It is often tempting to return to something discussed in an earlier group (even earlier the same day). However, the group constellation might have changed, and the new group could include people outside the original. When this happens, it is easy to break confidentiality accidentally by referring to something said in the former group. Such accidental disclosures can cause a lot of hurt and should be avoided or approached with the utmost care.
We are all responsible for confidentiality and for the safety of each group. When we don’t gossip or share another person’s personal story, we work together to make each encounter group a safe space.
While confidentiality is desirable, it cannot be guaranteed. This is particularly true in open groups where anyone can join. As a result, each person must decide for themselves how much they feel safe to share.
We wanted to take a minimal hands-off approach in the groups we organise, with every participant having an equal role and responsibility in the group. We, therefore, believe that in making the group participant-facilitated, we can achieve a greater sense of equality. We want the groups to be as accessible as possible, and cost is a significant barrier for many people. Having no paid facilitator helps keep costs down.
We consider every member of the group an equal co-facilitator. Like Carl Rogers, we have “no specific goal for a particular group and [we] sincerely want it to develop its own directions”. Each group will be what it will be.
S2BC provides facilities. The participants do the rest. This lack of pre-defined structure makes every encounter group unique: a wonderful blank-canvas experience.
Useful websites and resources:
Person-Centred Encounter Groups - Encounter Events
Carl Rogers Conducts an Encounter Groups (1970) Parts 1 & 2 (youtube.com)
Space to Breathe Collective Safer Spaces statement