Consultation Groups - Elize Morkel

The narrative therapy consultation groups have been meeting with me since 1998. Colleagues enroll for a year’s supervision and consultation at the beginning of each year. We meet in groups of maximum 9 people for two hours nine times per year (excluding school holidays). We focus on literature that informs our narrative practice and also make space for the discussion of clinical work. We also practice skills and witness therapeutic interviews. The groups aim to create a supportive environment where colleagues can network and share their work and life experiences as it relates to their work.

Who can participate?

The narrative therapy consultation groups aim to give professionals in the fields of psychology, counselling, social work and pastoral care the opportunity for continued learning and skills development. A basic understanding of narrative practices is assumed. The one week intensive workshop offered once a year serves as an excellent background to the consultation group discussions and learning.

Meeting time of the groups:

Please note that participants are placed in two groups according to their preference and the composition of the groups. Both groups meet in person at Erinvale Estate, Somerset West.

Group A meets Wednesday morning between 09h00 and 11h00.

Group B meets Thursday mornings between 09h00 and 11h00.

Reading for 2022:

This year the reading and teaching focus on four themes:

Queer theory and narrative therapy
Therapeutic documents
Bereavement and grief
Community and trauma work

This activity has been approved with 18 CEU’s by the HPCSA

Participants have commented as follows:

Lynn Dunstan, psychologist

I found the supervision groups were excellent for keeping me “on track” in my work. I would always come away feeling a greater sense of direction and with renewed vigor for meeting the challenges that faced me in private practice. In particular, I noticed that in every meeting I unearthed one or two sparkling gems – sometimes a new way to word a question and at other times, a new way to think about a client’s concerns. This proved invaluable to me.

Cari Corbett Owen, psychologist

Dear Elize over the years, I have found your study groups to be essential training for me as a narrative therapist. In particular I found the many exercises we participated in to be of great value and used them extensively in my work. I have also found many of the metaphors you have used during your study groups to be really helpful ones.

Thérèse Hulme, pastoral therapist

Elize brings her ability to integrate theory with her wealth of experience, in a great spectrum of narrative therapeutic contexts, to the study group. These contexts include her extensive experience of workshops with leading international Narrative therapists as well as her experience as a therapist in individual, family and couple therapy and her dedication to community work. Elize’s passion for the work and for the ethics that sustains it, makes the study group a necessity for me not only for gaining insight, but also for the reflection it provides on the therapeutic process itself. 5 star rating!