The Riggs Difference: Where Understanding Leads to Recovery
Conferences
Authority in Systems - A Part and Apart: The Tension Between Dependence and Autonomy
January 21, 2026 at 11:30 AM to January 25, 2026 at 2:30 PM Eastern
Pricing varies, see registration page for details.
Donna Elmendorf, PhD, serves as associate director and Megan Kolano, PsyD, ABPP, serves as a consultant at this residential group relations conference.
Donna Elmendorf, PhD, serves as associate director and Megan Kolano, PsyD, ABPP, serves as a consultant at this residential group relations conference.
(from the conference website)
"Ever feel both part of a system and somehow apart from it?
In a divided world, this tension can leave us feeling disconnected, anxious, or unsure of where we stand in our organizations, institutions, families, and workplaces.
Many of us grapple with stepping into leadership roles, sometimes holding back or not using our voice just when the system most needs our engagement.
Breathe. These challenges arise from the emotional dynamics of groups; the shared tensions that emerge whenever people join together to work, lead, and depend on one another.
This five-day conference offers a rare opportunity to explore these dynamics in real time. Participants can examine how authority is delegated, created, and exercised in systems to advance or hinder the work at hand. You can also explore how roles are taken up or resisted, and how dependence and autonomy shape leadership and followership alike."