Authenticity and Belonging: The Experience of Being Known in the Group

Abstract

This article explores the causes of inauthenticiy, an increasingly common complaint amongst people seeking therapy and more generally in society, and describes the relationship between inauthenticity and the ability to connect with others. Developing the notion that assimilation into alien culture can lead to a sense of unbelonging and identity confusion, the article focuses on this process at the micro-level, where a child's true self may not be attuned to within his family; and the child's authentic experience is replaced by that of the dominant family culture. We then consider how a good enough environmental response, such as may be found in therapeutic groups, can allow a move towards authenticity through being known, thus enabling more genuine connection with others.