Human connection: is it possible in the era of virtual groups and social distancing? One group worker’s journey through the COVID-19 pandemic

Abstract

The COVID-19 pandemic has forced many professionals to move their work into the virtual space. In March 2020, the pandemic reached Israel and shortly after, social gatherings were mostly prohibited. As a social work educator and as a group facilitator, my work became virtual, for the first time in my life. This narrative manuscript describes four chapters which represent my experiences as a group facilitator, who is transitioning into the virtual space, and contemplating whether human connection can still be made in an age of social distancing and virtual encounters.