Expression of Interest in Joining an Analytic Therapy Group
The Centre for Psychoanalytic Studies (CPS) accepts expressions of interest from individuals who may wish to join an analytic therapy group.
An analytic therapy group provides a stable, long-term therapeutic setting. For this reason, submitting an expression of interest does not constitute registration and does not automatically result in admission to a group. Each request is considered individually, taking into account the therapeutic needs of the person concerned and the possibility of joining an appropriate group.
Participation in an Analytic Therapy Group requires four preliminary individual assessment sessions with the Founder & Director of the Centre for Psychoanalytic Studies (CPS), Michalis Paterakis. These sessions are intended to explore and understand the therapeutic request, assess whether analytic group therapy constitutes an appropriate therapeutic setting for the individual, and prepare for possible admission to a suitable therapy group.
If participation in an analytic group is considered therapeutically appropriate, the possibility of joining one of the CPS analytic therapy groups is then explored, taking into account the composition, stage of development and therapeutic dynamics of each group, as well as the availability of a suitable place.
Expressions of interest may be submitted throughout the year. The possibility and timing of joining a group depend on the clinical assessment and the availability of a suitable place in a therapy group.
For individuals living in remote areas of Greece or abroad, the Centre for Psychoanalytic Studies (CPS) also offers the possibility of participating in an analytic therapy group conducted online. The online group operates within a stable therapeutic setting and is governed by the same fundamental therapeutic principles as the in-person groups.
To express your interest, please complete the Expression of Interest form.
A Few Words About the Analytic Therapy Group
An analytic therapy group is a form of psychotherapy in which a small group of people meets on a regular weekly basis with an analytic therapist. Within a stable and confidential therapeutic setting, the relationships that develop among the members are not simply the environment in which therapy takes place; they themselves constitute an important part of the therapeutic work.
A person does not merely talk about relationships outside the group. Gradually, the ways in which they approach or distance themselves from others, trust or distrust, assert themselves or give way, fear rejection, seek validation, compete, become angry, or struggle to find their place can emerge within the group itself. In this way, recurring patterns of relating that often operate without being fully recognised can be observed, explored and acquire deeper psychological meaning.
The aim of analytic therapy is not merely the relief of particular symptoms. The therapeutic work seeks a deeper understanding of the self, unconscious conflicts, and the recurring ways in which a person relates to others and organises their emotional life.
Through sustained therapeutic work, it may gradually become possible to recognise aspects of the self that had remained outside conscious awareness, to work through established patterns of relating, and to develop a greater capacity to understand one's feelings, needs and conflicts. Change is not pursued through advice about how one should live, but through understanding and working through the ways in which one experiences oneself and others.
Who May Benefit
An analytic therapy group may be relevant to people who experience recurring difficulties in their relationships, difficulties with intimacy or commitment, fear of abandonment or rejection, difficulty trusting others, a strong need for validation, difficulty expressing wishes and establishing boundaries, recurring conflicts, or feelings of loneliness even when other people are present in their lives.
It may also be relevant to people experiencing anxiety, depressive feelings, difficulties with self-esteem, shame, guilt, difficulties concerning identity, or a more general sense that particular problems and patterns of relating continue to recur in their lives without their being able to understand adequately why.
It is not necessary for someone to know in advance whether group therapy is the appropriate choice for them. This forms part of the initial exploration of the therapeutic request.
The therapy groups of the Centre for Psychoanalytic Studies (CPS) are formed taking into account the members' stage of life, their therapeutic requests, their ways of psychological and relational functioning, and the stage each person has reached in their individual therapeutic journey. Suitability, therefore, concerns not only whether a person can participate in group therapy, but also whether a particular group constitutes an appropriate therapeutic setting for that individual.
There are groups in which people beginning analytic therapy for the first time may participate, as well as groups in which, when considered appropriate, people with previous experience of individual or group analytic therapy may participate.
The analytic therapy groups of the Centre for Psychoanalytic Studies (CPS) are long-term, meet on a regular weekly basis, and are governed by the principles of confidentiality, stability of the therapeutic setting, and responsible participation by all members.
For more detailed information about how the Analytic Group works, the process of joining, suitability and the course of therapy, you can read the full presentation of the Analytic Group. Analytic Group – More Information
If you would like the possibility of your participation in an Analytic Therapy Group to be explored, you can complete the Expression of Interest form. Expression of Interest Form