[The Mechanism of Free-Floating Discussion in a Psychiatric/Mental Health Nursing Supervisory Group].

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Abstract

Although the free-floating discussion format is widely used in group therapy, the application of this format in the context of supervisory groups has yet to be clarified.
The purpose of this study was to explore the mechanisms involved in facilitating and learning the free-floating discussion format in a supervisory group.
A phenomenological approach was used to investigate the group content and personal feedback of a psychiatric-nurse supervisory group. The group held on 12 sessions. Each session was conducted once weekly and lasting 150 minutes.
The findings identified the functions of free-floating discussions in the context of supervisory groups as: embodied interaction and initiation by handling. Embodied interaction included: reflection on the experience of the other, sense of body, and present action. Initiation by handling included: facilitating the self-narrative, following the lead of the group, and reflecting in accordance with the group.
The role of the facilitator is to parallel process rather than to lead in order to produce practical wisdom. Free-floating discussion and self-evidence from initiation by handling has the potential to promote spontaneity, creativity, and self-confidence in clinical practice and to promote deep learning.