THE VALUE OF RELATIONSHIPS AND CONNECTION

Uncertainty and the fourth basic assumption:

We were all deeply saddened to learn of the recent death of British analyst Dr. Earl Hopper. In the words of Dr. Roberta Mineo, the current president of the International Association of Group Psychotherapy and Group Processes , “Dr. Hopper was an extraordinarily productive and innovative thinker, writer, and scholar, and a true mentor to many. He was a sociologist, psychoanalyst, group analyst, organizational consultant, and a political scientist and he brought a rare breadth of vision and ethical depth to all he did. Earl’s work has profoundly shaped our understanding of groups, social processes, and the human condition.”

Earl Hopper’s work has offered us a valuable lens with which we can view the impact of uncertainty on our current cultural context. Throughout his career Dr. Hopper helped group therapists and leaders understand how trauma, large-group dynamics, and unconscious processes shape social systems and therapeutic groups.

His influential works on group dynamics, trauma, and the ‘social unconscious’, including his theory of Incohesion/Aggregation–Massification, build on Bion’s work with a ‘fourth basic assumption’ for groups under trauma or systemic stress. This important advancement in theory helps us understand the polarization and intense disorganization we are all currently witnessing.

Dr. Hopper maintained that uncertainty is an unavoidable condition of human groups and that groups, like individuals, develop ways to deny, manage or transform it. He suggested that groups become incohesive not because they lack skill, but because they’re simply unable to metabolize the intense uncertainty generated by trauma, oppression, deprivation, or existential threat. He maintained that cohesion only grows when groups can contain and tolerate uncertainty and this requires that the group develop the capacity to think, create containment structures, build trust and safe-enough boundaries, acknowledge and explore difference (rather than massify or fragment) and tolerate ambivalence, complexity, and ambiguity.

Hopper maintained that it is the group leader’s role to help the group face uncertainty instead of defending against it, and that uncertainty tolerance is the hallmark of a working group. He suggested that uncertainty moves from being a threat to being a source of learning when the group values curiosity instead of certainty, reality-testing instead of wishful thinking, dialogue instead of polarization and symbolizing instead of dissociating.

Earl Hopper visited Canada as the keynote speaker at a Canadian Group Psychotherapy Conference in the late 1990’s and left a lasting impression on all of us as a warm, generous person and a wise and skillful group leader. His contributions to group theory and practice leave a meaningful legacy.

Hopper, E. (2003). Incohesion: Aggregation/massification: The fourth basic assumption in the unconscious life of groups and group-like social systems. In R. M. Lipgar & M. Pines (Eds.), Building on Bion: Roots: Origins and context of Bion's contributions to theory and practice (pp. 198–225). Jessica Kingsley Publishers.

Uncertainty as a Resource:

In a recent podcast, Sounds True founder Tami Simon had an interesting and inspiring conversation about uncertainty with Maggie Jackson, journalist and author of The Wisdom and Wonder of Being Unsure. In their conversation titled, ‘Being Uncertain as a Form of Wakefulness’, Jackson posits that uncertainty is a resource, not just a problem to be solved. Rather than something to eliminate, uncertainty can be seen a source of creativity, adaptability, learning, and psychological flexibility.

Jackson suggests that our cultural and psychological fear of the unknown leads us to avoid ambiguity, cling to rigid beliefs or routines, and close the door to possibilities. From Jackson’s perspective, uncertainty can also trigger ‘wakefulness’ — a state in which the brain becomes more alert, sensitive to new data, more open to revision, and better positioned for insight. In those moments, if we do not reflexively close our boundaries, our minds may be more creative, flexible, and receptive to novel ideas. You can listen to the full podcast here: (https://www.soundstrue.com/a/resources/podcast/maggie-jackson-being-uncertain-as-a-form-of-wakefulness/)

The popular Disney film, Inside Out 2 explores the challenge of learning to live with emotional uncertainty and navigate complexity during the turbulent phase of adolescence. As the story unfolds, we are introduced to the quirky character of Anxiety and the important role she plays in helping Riley, our adolescent protagonist, learn to accept complexity and emotional uncertainty as a natural part of growing up, rather than fighting or fearing it. The core message of the film is that uncertainty is part of life. Anxiety helps us notice it but learning to lean in and live with uncertainty, rather than trying to eliminate it, is what builds emotional resilience.

Author Jonathan Fields also tackles the topic of uncertainty in his 2011 book Uncertainty -Turning Fear and Doubt into Fuel for Brilliance. (London: Penguin Books, 2011) Fields posits that facing uncertainty helps builds resilience but he goes beyond that to suggest that actually embracing uncertainty - rather than fearing or resisting it can lead to creativity, growth, and meaningful change. Fields maintains that uncertainty is an unavoidable part of life and that learning to engage with it allows us to make braver choices, adapt more easily, and live more purposefully. In his book Fields suggests the following practical strategies for dealing with uncertainty:

1. Shifting from a focus on control to curiosity Replace the urge to control outcomes with curiosity about what might emerge. Asking “What can I learn from this?” reduces fear and opens possibility.

2. Focus on the controllable present Fields emphasizes narrowing attention to small, meaningful actions you can take now, rather than obsessing over unpredictable futures.

3. Redefine fear as information Fear is treated as a signal, not a stop sign. He suggests listening to what fear is revealing about values, risks, and desires.

4. Build tolerance through exposure Gradually placing yourself in uncertain situations helps expand your comfort zone and resilience over time.

5. Anchor to values, not outcomes Instead of chasing guaranteed results, act in alignment with personal values. This provides stability when outcomes are unknown.

6. Create “certainty anchors” Establish routines, practices, or beliefs (like mindfulness, journaling, or physical movement) that provide grounding when life feels unstable.

I Worried
Mary Oliver

I worried a lot. Will the garden grow, will the rivers
flow in the right direction, will the earth turn
as it was taught, and if not how shall
I correct it?
Was I right, was I wrong, will I be forgiven,
can I do better?
Will I ever be able to sing, even the sparrows
can do it and I am, well,
hopeless.
Is my eyesight fading or am I just imagining it,
am I going to get rheumatism,
lockjaw, dementia?
Finally, I saw that worrying had come to nothing.
And gave it up. And took my old body
and went out into the morning,
and sang.

Two of our favourite authors and speakers, Esther Perel and Priya Parker offer an interview on Substack Live: A conversation with a therapist about the relationship between the self and the group. (November 2025) It’s a terrific conversation to lead us into the holiday season:

WATCH: Rethinking our relationships, rebuilding our village: A Substack Live with Esther Perel and Priya Parker

Managing our own nervous systems:

And speaking about the holidays, polyvagal theory offers so many teachings that can help us, and our group members, manage our own nervous systems during a time that can be challenging for many. In particular, we have found Deb Dana’s writing extremely helpful as she offers a clearly articulated understanding of both the principles of polyvagal theory, as well as pathways to help regulate our nervous systems.

Dana, D. (2018) The Polyvagal Theory in Therapy. New York: Norton and Company Ltd. Dana, D. (2020) Polyvagal Exercises for Safety and Connection – 50 Client- Centered Practices. New York: Norton and Company Ltd.

We are so encouraged when our psychological and group theories are reflected in the wider population. As such, we were excited to read a thoughtful piece by Fleur Chambers, an Australian meditation author and teacher, and creator of The Happy Habit.
In her mailing on November 8, 2025, she suggested that “your nervous system doesn’t stop at your skin. It reaches out into the room with you.
It speaks without words.
It affects everyone around you.
Maybe you’ve felt it too? You walk into a room and immediately feel off, even before a single sentence is spoken. You pass someone in the supermarket and your whole body gets a chill. You sit down to a family dinner in a good mood, and within minutes, you’re tense, because someone else’s tension has leaked out into the space.
This isn’t imaginary. It’s biology.
Your nervous system is always scanning, always picking up cues.
And one of the most powerful things we can do, for ourselves and the people around us, is learn how to stay regulated even when others aren’t.
Not through bypassing or fake calm.

But through practice. Micro-practices… (and she offers many in her practices)
I remind myself:
I can stay steady in myself, even when others are not.
In these moments, doing this is a gift to both of us.
Sometimes that’s all it takes to not react.

To not match someone else’s dysregulation.

To not absorb what’s never been yours to carry.
This is what real self-leadership looks like.

Not something loud or flashy or perfectly Zen.

But a quiet, embodied decision to keep returning to yourself.” (Fleur Chambers)

Another practice that supports ‘self-leadership’ and managing our own nervous systems is the development of rituals.

On Rituals: Dr. Andrew Weil’s daily tip, December 2, 2025:
“Rituals – activities that invite us to step out of ordinary time – play a strong and important role in emotional health. They deepen relationships, allow the expression of important values, and offer a sense of security and continuity. Daily rituals can provide a sense of calm and can be anything from an evening walk to view neighborhood lights, a morning walk with the dog to writing in your journal before bedtime.”

OUR COMMUNITY
In our own TIGS group, Maureen Mahan reflects on her role as a Co-Director in her note to our community below:
After much reflection, I’ve decided to step down from my role as Co-Director of the Toronto Institute of Group Studies. It has been a true privilege to serve in this role and to work alongside such dedicated and inspiring colleagues, as well as remarkably generous partners. I’ve deeply valued the opportunity to help grow our education platforms, workshops, and speaker series - and to witness the continued evolution of this incredible community. 
I’m very grateful for all the collaboration, learning, and shared successes we’ve experienced together. The relationships and experiences I’ve gained through TIGS have meant so much to me, both personally and professionally. 
While this marks the end of my time as Co-Director, I’m excited to stay connected and to continue supporting the Institute’s mission. As I transition from this role, I look forward to continuing to champion the vital work of fostering group leadership and learning. With that in mind, I’m deeply honoured to have joined the Board of the Canadian Group Psychotherapy Foundation. 
With gratitude, Maureen. 
As Maureen noted, we will continue to work with her both on the CGPF Board, as well as a valued invited faculty in our TIGS community. We are so grateful to Maureen for her significant contributions to our Co-Director team! 
We could not end this newsletter without mentioning our beloved Toronto Blue Jays baseball team! During the run-up to the final World Series, the whole world witnessed an example of the best of group/team behaviour. Team members came from all over the world and played together representing Canada’s only Major League Baseball team. The whole country was behind them! And with each additional series, we witnessed so many individual and group qualities and elements we can all aspire to. Even though they did not win game 7 and the Championship title, they won all our hearts, and we feel so very proud of them!

With beautiful wishes to you all for a peaceful holiday season and new year ahead! Respectfully submitted,

Aida Cabecinha, Susan Farrow, Debbie Nacson, Allan Sheps and Terry Simonik, December 2025.