a group of people who meet in order to develop self-awareness and mutual understanding by openly expressing their feelings, by confrontation, physical contact, etc
encounter group in American English
noun
Psychology
a group of people who meet, usually with a trained leader, to increase self-awarenessand social sensitivity, and to change behavior through interpersonal confrontation, self-disclosure, and strong emotional expression
Word origin
[1965–70]This word is first recorded in the period 1965–70. Other words that entered Englishat around the same time include: double-book, genetic engineering, hired gun, red-eye, stun gun
Examples of 'encounter group' in a sentence
encounter group
What if it turned out to be an encounter group for dysfunctional romantics?
Times, Sunday Times (2009)
Yet do we want policies affecting the nation to be decided by a parliamentary encounter group?
Times, Sunday Times (2016)
They will probably have lunch once a week to discuss and then head out to an encounter group holding hands.
Times, Sunday Times (2010)
Such were his manipulation skills that today he'd be running successful encounter groups or an evangelical cable channel.