Grex is the West Coast regional affiliate of the A. K. Rice Institute for the study of social systems a national educational institution whose goal is to advance the study of social systems and the field of group relations. Through the outreach of its eight regional affiliates, the A. K. Rice Institute seeks to “deepen the understanding and the analysis of complex systemic psychodynamic and covert processes which give rise to non-rational behavior in individuals, groups, organizations, communities and nations” (www.akriceinstitute.org).

The purpose of Grex, which is latin for “group,” is to advance the study of group relations—“the dynamics of the group as a holistic system”—(hayden & molenkamp, 2003, p. 3) along the west coast of the united states. In order to accomplish this goal, we sponsor group relations conferences and training events as well as participating in scientific meetings and publishing research employing experiential theories and methods based on the tavistock tradition.