Adjourning

Thinking back on the groups that I have led, either long running support groups or one time only groups such as a psycho-education group or a memorial service, the closing phase has always been one of my favorites. It is a time of reflection, of honoring the work done together, and building a bridge to the world outside of the group.

For some groups, this is a hard time, filled with mixed feelings of loss and relief: the 'hard' work is done, the vulnerability of the group is over, but the relationships built within the group are often over too. For other groups, perhaps those that met with less frequency or less intensity or those that were less cohesive, the closing phase is less intense and may be more celebratory in feel.

In either case the use of ritual has always been a part of my group closings. The ritual could be something as simple as a a poem, or encouraging members to share parting words of gratitude to one another. Or the ritual could be more elaborate such as sharing a meal, a balloon or butterfly release, or the group creation of a takeaway item.

Traditionally at the end of a school program, a graduation ceremony is the final part of the adjourning phase. However, in the virtual classroom, this is not always part of the graduation experience. My last Master's program ended rather unceremoniously, and I imagine that this one will too, particularly as the class is about to split into specializations and those whom I have made relationships with during this phase of my study may not be with me in the end. However, I have found that in some cases, the adjourning can be "completed" independently through individual rituals. It may be a thank you sent to those peers who have impacted me the most, or raising a glass to them at the end of the program. I'm not yet sure of how this program will close out, and at this point, I don't imagine myself taking on the role of facilitating a group closing ritual, however I'm interested in hearing what others might be thinking on the topic!