The Art of Groups

About The Art of Groups

The web is a timeless symbol of interconnectedness and coherence. Unique to its creative weaver, each strand and spiral builds upon the last to strengthen the whole, expand it's reach, and widen it's range for opportunity. On The Web podcast, we weave a network of planetary healers by bringing together some of the most inspiring minds dedicated to the collective healing journey. In each episode, we explore different aspects of the art of group and Circle facilitation, share stories, and offer guidance on spinning a web of connection within your groups.

Publisher

Carrie Haynes

Category

business · education

Language

en

Explicit

No

First episode

8 Dec 2020

Latest episode

2 Oct 2026

Latest episodes

1 of 84 episodes have a transcript.

1. 

   2 Oct 2026TRANSCRIPT

   Staying with the Process: Difference, Rupture, and Relationship in Groups

   Host Carrie Haynes interviews Andrew L. Brimhall, PhD, about navigating difference, rupture, and relational dynamics within group therapy to foster deeper understanding and connection.

2. 

   5 Mar 2026

   Bringing the Body into Group: Somatic Work with Dr. Carlos Canales

   In this episode of The Web: Weaving Psychology and Soul in Circle, Carrie sits down with Carlos Canales, group therapist and educator, for a grounded conversation about bringing somatic awareness into group work. Carlos shares how his early life in Peru and immigration to the United States shaped his understanding of belonging, community, and agency. Together, they explore why group can feel more "real" than individual therapy, how the body carries our histories and defenses, and what becomes possible when facilitators invite clients to slow down and listen to their embodied experience, both in in-person and virtual groups. This episode offers a thoughtful and accessible look at how somatic work can deepen connection, vitality, and coherence in groups. You'll hear: How Carlos' early life and immigration story shaped his understanding of belonging and group life Why group therapy can feel more complex—and more alive—than individual work What it means to bring somatic awareness into process-oriented groups How the body signals safety, openness, defense, and connection in real time A simple, powerful example of how slowing down changes what we can receive and integrate The challenges and possibilities of doing somatic work in virtual groups How attention to the body supports agency, coherence, and deeper relational presence Why vitality, rest, and integration matter for therapists and group leaders For therapists, group facilitators, and anyone curious about the meeting place of body, relationship, and healing, this episode offers a thoughtful and accessible exploration of how somatic work can transform the life of a group. Direction: Carrie Haynes Production: Hayley Lewis Music: Song: Embrace Composer: Sappheiros Website: https://open.spotify.com/artist/5ZVHXQZAIn9WJXvy6qn9K0 License: Creative Commons (BY 3.0) https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/ Music powered by BreakingCopyright: https://breakingcopyright.com Additional music from Alsever Lake, Artax, LNDÕ, and Moments: https://app.soundstripe.com/private_playlists/music/556586

3. 

   11 Dec 2025

   Contact Function: How We Reach and Retreat in Groups with Ryan Spencer

   In this episode of The Web: Weaving Psychology and Soul in Circle, Carrie sits down with Ryan Spencer, LMFT, a Certified Group Psychotherapist whose work bridges modern analytic theory and process-oriented group practice. Together, they explore the subtle relational movements that shape every group: the ways we reach toward connection, pull back for protection, and return when the moment feels right. Through Ryan's clarity and depth, contact function becomes a lens for understanding not only how groups grow, but how people navigate closeness, vulnerability, and repair. You'll hear: What contact function means in the context of modern analytic and process groups How reaching, withdrawing, and returning create the rhythm of group experience Why paying attention to these micro-movements deepens safety, insight, and cohesion Ways facilitators can track relational cues in real time How these patterns reveal the emotional life of the group Practical examples of contact function unfolding in live group process For therapists, circle leaders, and anyone captivated by the alchemy of human connection, this conversation offers a rich and grounded understanding of what makes groups transformational. Direction: Carrie Haynes Production: Hayley Lewis Music: Song: Embrace Composer: Sappheiros Website: https://open.spotify.com/artist/5ZVHXQZAIn9WJXvy6qn9K0 License: Creative Commons (BY 3.0) https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/ Music powered by BreakingCopyright: https://breakingcopyright.com Additional Music from: Reveille - Keep On Keepin' On Emorie - Wild (Stripped) Falls - At Long Last Heartland Nights - Midnight Square Dance

Inside a recent episode

Staying with the Process: Difference, Rupture, and Relationship in Groups

Published 2 Oct 2026 · Transcript excerpt

[…] And I think for our listeners, it might be helpful to hear how you think about that distinction between diversity work and social justice. I think there are different schools of thought in the way this is trained. And I certainly have what I think are more helpful and maybe less helpful or even harmful ways that this is approached. But I think a lot of folks will approach diversity work as you want to understand your client in their context. And so if a person comes in with a visible identity, maybe a racial or ethnic identity or cultural background, we might be told as a therapist to know a lot about that, understand that the client is the expert of their experience and that we need to be really open. […]

Reach and audience

Public platform figures. Ratings count people who left a rating, not total listeners.

Apple Podcasts (US)

4.9 / 5

22 ratings

Spotify

4.7 / 5

3 ratings

Contact The Art of Groups

Guest appearances

Books guests

Based on episode analysis; this does not confirm that the show is currently accepting guests.

Shows with a similar audience

• 

  Back from the Abyss: Psychiatry in Stories

• 

  Her Self: IFS & Spiritual Entrepreneurship

• 

  Pulling The Thread with Elise Loehnen

• 

  Being Well with Forrest Hanson and Dr. Rick Hanson

• 

  Hidden Brain

• 

  The Daily

Questions about The Art of Groups