Where Intersubjectivity and Group Analysis Meet

Intersubjectivity can be defined as the union or contact of the subjectivities (Gordon, 1991). In therapy, it refers to the interaction between therapist and patient, and the processes that affect and are affected by that interaction. The essence of these interactions in the setting of group therapy, the obstacles that may arise because of them, and ways in which the therapist may identify and facilitate intersubjectivity in order to promote discourse that will enrich the sessions are discussed. I briefly touch upon earlier theories of psychoanalysis, demonstrating how changes in approaches influenced perceptions of what occurs in therapy. The unique place of intersubjectivity within the group analytic setting is emphasized using several vignettes from sessions I have led as a group analyst candidate to better illustrate how intersubjectivity can be observed in vivo.