Since 2015, the Albanian Center for Psychological and Psychotherapeutic Services in collaboration with Robert Harris, Institute of Group Analysis in UK, have organized various activities with the aim of introducing group analysis in Albania as a new treatment modality on mental health issues in groups.
Community experiential groups
Group analytical experiences are monthly group meetings which take place once a month at Ten Center. During the post-earthquake period, these groups moved at Tulla Center, while during the covid-19 pandemic period, our groups were provided through zoom platform. Experiential groups are open groups, where the participants can reserve their seat at least one day before the meeting. The aim of these groups is to create a new space of thinking and reflection about themselves while being part of a group. Initially, the idea about these community groups was originated by a talk organized on the World Mental Health Day on substance abuse, by the Association for Group Analysis in Albania, the Albanian Center for Psychological and Psychotherapeutic Services and from the Albanian Institute of Public Health.
To register contact us on info@groupanalysisalbania.org.
Shadow Group Experience
The Shadow group experience, an international groupanalytic event was organized for the first time in Tirana on September 20-22nd, 2019. 38 international group analysts came in Albania and sat together with 19 local trainees in groups analysis to explore the benefits of a recent group analytic experience like shadow, where there is no leader. The lack of the leader brings participants closer to the challenge of understanding the group space and gradually, stepping out of the own shadow which limits the human potential.
“Group Analysis in Albania” (GAA) hosted this event coordinated by Mike Tait and Teresa Von Sommaruga Howard.
Psychology major students of the University of New York in Tirana and Rosella Traversa meet with Robert Harris to talk about group analytic psychotherapy. 4th February, 2019
5th GASi Summer School: Rijeka, Croatia,“Tolerance: Harbouring Diversities”,24th-28th July 2019
4th Group Analytic Society International Summer School in Group Analysis, Ljubljana, “Between Generations” 18th – 22nd July 2081
Shadow Group Experience, 26-28 October 2018 Munich, Germany
“The Challenge of Social Traumata – Inner Worlds of Outer Realities” – EFPP Conference, 10 – 13th May, 2018. Belgrade, Serbia
GAA and Earl Hopper
Group Analysis 1 General Assembly 25 April 2018
A seminar on group analysis introducing the group psychotherapy modality in Albania with the participation of psychology students, at the University of New York, Tirana on 17 January 2018.
Presented by Olta Tuholi and Arilda Dushaj
Our reading groups
“Vision-Super-Vision in Group Analytic Training” – EGATIN Study Days, April 21-23, 2017, University Psychiatric Hospital Vrapče, Zagreb, Croatia, www.egatin.net
“Between Mission and Profession – Do we know what values we convey in group analytic trainings?” – EGATIN Study Days in Warsaw, April 26 -28th, 2017, Warsaw University Library, Poland, www.egatin.net
October 10th 2017 – “Let’s talk in group about mental health issues and substance abuse”, organized at the Youth Center in Tirana.
Mental health, suicide, problems related with drug abuse and addiction are known as the main contributing factors of disability among Albanian population (PHI, 2017)
With the occasion of the World Mental Health Day, on October 10th, 2017, the Albanian Center for Psychological and Psyctherapeutic Services (ACPPS), the Association of Group Analysis in Albania (GAA) in collaboration with the Public Health Institute (PHI) organized a mental health awareness event focused on the drug abuse. The event was conceptualized as a talk among professionals, students, parents and teachers.
Around 70 participants came together and spoke out about drug abuse and the mental health suffering associated to that. According to paricipants, it was a sensitive discussion, yet very useful.
May 2017 – Open lecture “Psychotherapy and the prevention of mental health problems”, organized on the occassion of the mental health month in collaboration with the Social Work and Social Policy Department, University of Tirana.
January 2016 – Seminar on “Social Trauma” from Robert Harris, group analyst, IGA, UK, in Tulla Social Centre.
April 2016 – Interview with Erald Bekteshi, psychiatrist, psychotherapist UKCP about group psychotherapy.
November 2016 – Launching the Qualification Program in Group Analysis in Albania.
April 2015 – The introduction weekend in group analysis.
November 2015 – Talk on ‘Social Unconscious and the Traumatized Society”