Process Skills: Negotiating the Stages of Group Development

Joanie Connors, Ph.D.

Over 50 years of research has shown the many ways communities change over time in two distinct ways. Groups have “life cycle” stages as they move from infancy into childhood, adolescence, maturity, aging and death. Groups also react to short-term stress and difficulty in “change cycle” stages. This session will teach strategies to negotiate the vulnerabilities of each stage in order to cope with difficulties more effectively and sometimes prevent them. This workshop will present a variety of strategies to help your group negotiate the vulnerabilities of each stage and develop greater strengths for coping with the complex work of community.

Joanie Connors, Ph.D. is a licensed therapist and psychology teacher who specializes in group and relationship dynamics. She has over 30 years experience doing psychotherapy, teaching and consulting and has been an activist in peace and human rights causes since 1969. Joanie is currently involved in her 2nd forming cohousing group in Silver City, New Mexico. She is an adjunct faculty at Western New Mexico University and is working on several writing projects.

Presentation: Group Stages