Facilitated by Andrew Briggs
An APPCIOS Reading Webinar Series
Wednesday January 13th 2026 to March 18th 2026
This ten-week series will run between 20:00 and 21:15 between the dates listed above. Its aim is to help participants grow their understanding of Wilfred Bion the psychiatrist who went on to become one of the most influential psychoanalysts of the 20th century.
We will explore Bion’s remarkable and, at times, harrowing life story, beginning with his early childhood in India, through to his education at an English public school, and his service as a young officer in the Army Tank Corps during the First World War. At just 19, Bion faced the horrors of the Flanders battlefields, an experience that profoundly traumatised him. He spent the rest of his life trying to understand and make sense of this trauma.
His war experiences shaped his lifelong interest in group behaviour and dynamics, as well as his deep insights into the fragility of the human mind and the fine line it walks between sanity and madness. Outwardly, Bion could appear to embody the Edwardian gentleman, but beneath this lay a fiercely independent, anti-authoritarian thinker, deeply wary of conformity within large institutions.
Across the ten weeks, we will trace both his life (1897–1979) and some of his key ideas. Each session will focus on a specific theme, with an associated reading.
- I will begin with a brief introduction to the topic.
- A participant will then share their synopsis of the week’s reading.
- This will be followed by a group discussion, drawing links between Bion’s writing and the events and experiences that shaped his thinking.
For example, one session will explore Bion’s work with leaderless groups during the 1940s and his later publication Experiences in Groups (1961).
Bion’s writings are often described as challenging, not because they are deliberately obscure, but because he grapples with some of the most difficult and painful aspects of human existence. There is no expectation that participants will fully grasp his meaning in a single reading. Instead, our discussions will provide a supportive space to explore, question, and arrive at a workable understanding of each week’s focus.
Fees:
- APPCIOS Members: £325
- Non-Members: £350
Please note: Non-members will need to sign up for a free APPCIOS Community account before registering for the series.
If you are interested in joining this webinar, please give your name and contact details to Aly Thompson. alythompson@icloud.com
Andrew Briggs
September 2025