Responsibility in relational work

Liminal spaces are great, but not if the power you wield when deconstructing another’s reality hasn’t been considered thoughtfully. Therapy, training, coaching… providers straddle what’s just right in terms of presence, contributions, and influence within a reflective space.

The psychodynamic tradition conceptualises countertransference as a phenomenon to be attended to here. In a similar ethical vein, systemic thinkers consider self-reflexivity. Neither safeguard against blind spots – there is necessarily a risk. So what ensures a good enough offer?

Various methods, supervision included, help. But I’ve found few experiences as powerful as dialogue, within an egalitarian group, oriented towards reflection and learning. I’m reminded of Carl Rogers’ writing on education in Becoming a Person and Paulo Freire’s Pedagogy of the Oppressed.

The common denominators are:
skillfully flattening the power differential,
empathy; curiosity; mentalisation…
and attending to difference.

Who gets to define these terms could, without the appropriate solicitation of the group, undermine the process. Have you ever been through a process within a group that’s changed your view on learning?