Building a Community of Growth: Reflections on Our Peer Consultation Group Journey

In the fall of 2024, a small group of clinicians came together around a simple but powerful idea: to deepen our therapeutic skills through authentic feedback, recorded session review, and shared vulnerability. Over the past several months, this peer consultation group has evolved into a true community — one grounded in trust, professional growth, and a commitment to excellence in clinical work.

Launching the Group

Our first meetings focused on setting the foundation. We reviewed research that supports the power of video consultation groups, discussed confidentiality protocols, and established group norms: requesting clear feedback, offering mindful responses, sharing both successes and challenges, and modeling healthy self-reflection.

We also introduced a secure technology setup — using encrypted devices, lavalier microphones, and even mirror-based recording techniques — to maintain privacy while enabling detailed session review. From the start, our goal was to create a space where therapists could show real, sometimes messy clinical work, and receive nuanced feedback in return.

Growing Through Shared Sessions

As the weeks progressed, members began bringing recorded clips for review. These sessions showcased a wide range of clinical topics: working with emotional resistance, somatic processing, addressing people-pleasing patterns, and navigating the nuances of parts work and Internal Family Systems (IFS) therapy.

Group discussions often explored not just interventions, but how our internal states as therapists impact the room. We asked ourselves hard questions: How do we recognize when we’re pushing for client insights? How can we stay curious about a client’s metaphor without unintentionally steering it? What does it mean to trust the process, even when it unfolds slowly?

Research, CE Credits, and Professional Development

An exciting development was the group’s collaboration with a local university research team, aiming to study the effects of video consultation groups on clinical skills development. In November 2024, we began offering continuing education (CE) credits for participation, adding another layer of professional benefit to our time together.

Throughout the process, qualitative interviews captured participants’ experiences, helping to shape a growing body of knowledge about what makes therapist communities truly effective.

Themes That Emerged

Across our sessions, several major themes consistently surfaced:

• The power of vulnerability: Members who shared difficult sessions — not just “highlight reels” — often found the richest learning opportunities.
• The therapist’s emotional landscape: How we manage our own parts and countertransference became a frequent focus.
• Balancing structure and creativity: We discussed different models of intervention, from structured approaches like EMDR for chronic pain to looser, metaphor-driven work with inner child parts.
• Commitment to feedback: Practicing giving and receiving feedback with compassion and specificity became a skill in itself.

Looking Ahead

As we move into the next chapter, the group continues to evolve. Some members are preparing to launch their own peer groups, expanding the reach of this approach. Our core belief remains the same: real professional growth happens when we are willing to show up authentically, stay open to feedback, and trust in the collective wisdom of a supportive community.

This group has shown that clinical excellence isn’t built in isolation — it’s nurtured in community, reflection, and shared courage.