Gary Smith

Group Work & Organisational Training

I am an experienced group facilitator, having worked with a range of client groups over the past 25 years, in my role as community artist, in various therapeutic settings. In recent years I have been developing skills as a personal development workshop leader and trainer, incorporating creative approaches to group process work. I am currently studying for a 4-year diploma in psychodrama, expanding my skills to include action drama methods.

Psychodrama Therapy Group
I am running a weekly psychodrama therapy group on a Tuesday evening 6 - 8 at The Gillis Centre, 100 Strathearn Road, Edinburgh, EH9 1BB.
The group is ongoing with the option for new members to join at any time.
The cost is on a sliding scale depending on your income of £10 - £35 per session.
Contact me if you are interested to find out more.

Psychodrama & Action Drama Methods
Psychodrama is a creative action group therapy that can help individuals and groups explore the complexity of thoughts and emotions present within any life situation. Central to the approach is creativity and spontaneity of action, which can reveal aspects of ourselves we have been unaware of and can help us to express ourselves more clearly and re-assess the focus and direction of our life. The symbolic language of dreams or a significant story can also be rich material to explore through these methods, as are small scale objects or images. The role of the group, and its facilitator, is to create a safe environment in which feelings can be acknowledged, expressed and contained. The work is done at whatever level of self-disclosure or depth each individual is comfortable with. An important aspect of the culture of the group is freedom of choice and the support to say no or stop at any time.
Individuals may choose to work with a personal issue that is current or a situation that lingers as unfinished business. The group offers a unique opportunity to explore the dynamics and interconnectivity between group members.

Organisational Training
I am available to work with organisations on team building, employee support and creative away days. This could be a one-off workshop or a series of workshops over a period of time.
For those of us who's profession involves working directly with individuals and as part of a team, we are the most powerful tool that we have to work with. Any insight into our own motivations, prejudices and how we are prone to respond to those around us is bound to be useful. For that reason, I feel very strongly that personal development and a striving to understand ourselves is an important part of our professional development.

I am available to work with staff teams and offer tailor made sessions to suit particular groups.
The following are comments by participants from a recent staff development day I ran for a Child and Family Centre:
'Staff felt the majority of your session was appropriate to our unique situation, encouraging a bit of fun along with a 'one-team' feeling'
'The postcard task gave us an opportunity to express openly our personal feelings'


Experiential Workshops
In collaboration with an Art Therapist I have been delivering a series of Creative Therapy taster workshops. These are aimed at counsellors, support workers, teachers and anyone interested in their own personal development.
We use Art Therapy and Action Drama to facilitate self-awareness and personal enquiry.
We encourage personal responsibility and a commitment to team work. There are many valuable skills individual's can learn through engaging in the group process, such as listening, taking risks, offering feedback to other group members and negotiating ones own needs.

The focus and intensity of the group process can create a situation where group members feel safe enough to co-create an 'experiment' with the leaders and other group members. This may be exploring a current personal situation or an unresolved issue from the past, enabling the full range of feelings to be experienced in the present. This is challenging work done in a spirit of love and support, and can lead to unexpected feelings and insights, gaining awareness of blocks or habitual patterns of behaviour and a chance to experiment with ways of doing things differently.
Group members report feeling an increased self-confidence and greater ability to cope with difficult issues in their life.
We offer a certificate of attendance hours to count towards Continuing Professional Development (CPD). Our personal styles are complimentary and we have received very positive feedback from participants.
All of the creative arts can find their place within this model of working and through experimentation, enable individual’s to find their preferred mode of expression.

"I found the experience helpful and liberating, allowing me to access emotion which had been previously hidden or inaccessable".
"I didn't have much expectation, but I felt surprised by what a positive experience it had been".
"I learned to listen to my inner voice".
"The group leaders encouraged self facilitation and independance in a group whilst being involved and sharing of self".

The Use of Art and Image Making in Therapy
Using art materials for self-expression and reflection and can offer a means of accessing thoughts and feelings that might not be initially apparent. An image can cut through the barrier of rationality and give direct access to unconscious feelings.
“The making of a painting, a dance, or a poem is a microcosm of the larger movements of creative energy in nature that we bring to bear on the totality of our experience in the world” (Shaun McNiff - Art Heals)

Mensgroups
I have been involved in co-leading mens groups in Edinburgh over the last few years. These groups run depending on funding and offer support and personal development in a safe space, for men to share their issues and concerns with other men. There is no group running at present.