ABSTRACT
Every member of every Personal Development (PD) group will have experienced some form of conflict. This unique personal history, in conjunction with that of the wider family and cultural group, will shape the meaning of conflict for each group member. Some people are comfortable with conflict and have developed skills in this form of communication. Popular team sports such as football and rugby are other ritualised expressions of conflict. Learning to manage one of the threads can not only provide a model for the others but also demonstrate the constant ambiguity in locating exactly where the conflict belongs. There is always conflict between members, even in the most seemingly friendly and co-operative group. Conflicts can take time to understand and resolve, and are rarely genuinely cleared away in one group session. A conflict can be an expression of a group concern as much as an individual challenge.
