Institute: The Psychology of the Skin: Dermis as Signal and Container in Group Therapy

AGPS Institute

 The Psychology of the Skin: Dermis as Signal and Container in Group Therapy

Facilitated by: 

Stacy Nakell, LCSW, CGP, AGPA-F

The field of group therapy is reorienting around the connection between the mind and body, correcting for an imbalance in the emphasis on the mind and the unconscious as the primary target of treatment. 

Awareness of the bodies in the group room has allowed group leaders to pay attention to non-verbal signals, such as sighing and fidgeting. A centering of the psychology of the skin, in which we seek to understand the connection between skin and psyche along with mind and body, can provide an integrative framework for our group work.

In this institute, you will get a taste of this integrative framework. We will begin with an exploration of the 2 sides of the “skin envelope”--a concept developed by Didier Anzieu that views the skin as a psychic container that faces both outward and inward. While the outward determines what we give and receive from the environment, the inward determines how well we metabolize our experiences into a sense of self-cohesion. This will include a short meditation on the senses.

Throughout the institute, short didactic elements will be balanced with 75-minute process group experiences. These learning portions will cover the basics of the concept of the psychology of skin, the application of these ideas to case conceptualization and treatment, and the specifics of application of these concepts in groups. A case example will be included.

About the Presenter:

Stacy K. Nakell is a licensed clinical social worker, certified group psychotherapist, certified clinical trauma practitioner, and author. She has spent the past twenty years in private practice in Austin, TX providing individual and group psychotherapy to clients struggling with body-focused repetitive behaviors (BFRBs). She works from an integrative psychodynamic approach, runs three weekly process groups and offers training and consultation for mental health professionals. She is the author of three peer-reviewed articles about her approach, and her book, Treatment for Body-Focused Repetitive Behaviors: An Integrative Psychodynamic Approach, was published by Routledge in 2023. She is a former amateur boxer and coach.

What Are Group Institutes?

Institutes are a highly experiential form of small group teaching led by experienced instructors. They are intended to develop therapy skills relevant to leading groups. They often offer a chance to explore a particular theme in greater depth or to experience a different theoretical approach. Institutes are primarily designed for mental health professionals who have clinical psychotherapy experience. While institutes are not therapy, they are process-oriented and it is expected that they may stir feelings spanning the whole range of human experience. Members agree to attend the entire group, to participate actively, and to respect the confidentiality of the other members. The secure environment of these small groups allows for rich cognitive and deep emotional learning about group process and oneself, not to mention a chance for personal and professional renewal.

Objectives:

 Attendees will be able to:

1:  Name at least 3 layers of connection between the skin and the psyche.

2: Utilize information about skin conditions and engagement with the skin or hair to inform case conceptualization and treatment. 

3: Describe two possible interventions to address a member’s engagement in skin-focused behaviors (e.g cuticle picking, playing with hair) during a group therapy session. 

Event Schedule 

Friday 

3-3:30 Introductions, experiential activity

3:30-4:45 Process group

4:45-5 Break

5-5:15 Didactic

5:15-6:30 Process group

Saturday

9-9:30 Experiential activity + didactic

9:30-10:45 Process group

10:45-11 Break

11-11:15 Didactic

11:15-12:30 Process group

12:30-2 Lunch break

2-2:15 Case example

2:15-3:30 Process group

3:30-4 Discussion and evaluation

Location given at registration. The location is wheelchair accessible.

8.5 CEUs available for social workers, LPCs, LMFTs, and psychologists.