PSCSW is pleased to announce a new opportunity for professional development: a bi-weekly consultation group led by Brian Ashin, LCSW, CGP. Starting on February 5, 2025, this group is designed for recently licensed therapists who are eager to deepen their understanding of the therapeutic relationship and the unconscious processes that develop during the course of treatment.

This group is being supported under the Development of New Professionals Committee as a joint collaboration.

Group Focus

The group will focus on the development of the therapist’s professional ego. This is the capacity for the therapist to tolerate anxiety, shame, or guilt in the face of difficult thoughts and feelings without losing emotional contact with the client.   Members will have the opportunity to explore the complexities of transference and countertransference and to use their own emotional responses to further the goals of treatment.

While therapists of any theoretical orientation are welcome, please note that the group will operate from a relational perspective. This can benefit non psycho-dynamic therapists as well by enhancing their understanding of the therapeutic relationship, particularly when the therapy seems stalled.

Group Structure

    • Start Date: February 5, 2025
    • Frequency: Bi-weekly, Wednesdays from 4:00 pm to 5:15 pm
    • Platform: Virtual meetings
    • Group Size: Minimum 4 members, maximum 10 members
    • Fee: $40
    • Format: Group supervision. In addition to some exploration of theory regarding personality development and clinical approaches, the group will also have an experiential component to it.
    • Attendees are encouraged to bring case studies to explore within the group, as well as questions, concerns and ideas about their work with clients.
  • Hours will not count as supervision that goes toward their licensing hours, this is strictly a consultation group

About Brian Ashin

Brian Ashin, LCSW, CGP has been in private practice since 1990. He works with adults in group and individual psychotherapy as well as provides consultation from a relational/object relations perspective. In addition to receiving his Masters degree in 1979 from Wayne State University in Detroit, Michigan, he has trained at the Family Institute of Philadelphia and The Center for Group Studies in New York City.

Having presented on a myriad of topics throughout his career, his focus has been on the therapist’s understanding and use of the inevitable transference and countertransference within the therapeutic relationship.
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Brian has returned to Philadelphia three years ago from Ann Arbor, Michigan. Having been in the field for over forty years, he has an interest in the professional development of the next generation of group and individual psychotherapists.
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As a Board member of Philadelphia Area Group Psychotherapy Society, he has been co-teaching the Principles of Group Therapy course and is excited to be leading this new consultation group for recently licensed social workers within the PSCSW family.

How to Apply

Interested participants can reach out to Brian directly at brian@brianashin.com or (734) 678-3281 for more information about the consultation group.

Contact PSCSW to register at: REGISTER

For more details on Brian’s background, visit his profiles on PsychologyToday and GoodTherapy.org.