ABSTRACT
A special effort was put into working out the likely relationship between the conductor and the group as a whole, as well as to making sure that there would be no serious incompatibilities between the conductor and any one member within the group. Nevertheless, the reports and feedback by participants and group conductors as well as comparison with other experiential and staff support groups dealing with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)/acquired immune deficiency syndrome (AIDS) give enough evidence to substantiate the following observations. Virtually all seven groups started with some ideas touched upon in the talks preceding the first small group session. Also, the presence of one or the other speaker as a group member created a particular dynamic in three of the groups. From a group-analytic point of view one of the most interesting aspects is how the basic feelings and themes that appear in the unconscious of every group connect up with anxieties and emotions around HIV/AIDS.
