Space for a New Gestalt
Dedicated to innovating and incorporating new ways of being, learning and reaching one another in Gestalt, OG offers online and hybrid meetings, working groups and process spaces.
ACTIVITIES
Click on the title for a full description of the upcoming groups and activities
Phase 1
Peer support groups (shame and trauma sensitive, inclusive, ethical spaces to deal with issues that come up for trainees) in MANY time zones and languages.
Book club(s)
Gestalt Experimenting : learning by doing.
Peer supervision groups
Phase 2
Mentor Bank where graduates would commit to offering ethical, free and supportive mentoring meetings for individuals or small groups for a set period/number of sessions.
Writing support groups.
Project support for emergent project development (research and applied/work projects).
Dialogue sessions around regional/national differences in curricula/context/practice.
Student Retreats: Development of free/low cost “inter-gestalt” student retreats/meetings (institutionally sponsored or sponsored by community partners in exchange for student work hours on specific projects).
Student Exchange : Exploration for potential “exchange experience” programs between training centres where students can experience a module/intensive/retreat at another institute under letters of permission to counteract the “bubble effect” and to get students beyond the experience of institutional branding/identity. (Already piloted at the “Seat at the Table” OG program).
Coodinators: Aleksandra Vancevska (Serbia/UK), Mark McIntyre (AUS), Priscilla Julien (USA),
Maria Clara Sepulveda Faria (Brazil)
First 3 meetings, 1st May, 29th May, 10th July at 9PM (21:00) London (UK), 4pm EDT
“If you have come to help me, please go away. But, if you have come because your liberation is bound up with mine, let us work together.” – Lilla Watson, Aboriginal Artist-Activist
As we lean into awareness of colonialism in Gestalt, what can we do to decolonize Gestalt spaces? Join us and (maybe) liberate the Gestalt approach.
In reading about liberation, colonization and decolonization we wondered how much our own Gestalt theory and practice might be colonizing. How might we be imprinting Western values on other culture? In what ways is Gestalt colonizing? What parts of Gestalt theory, practices and the systems through which it operates needs to be decolonized for it to be liberating? How can not naming or noticing the inherent US and euro-centric power structures in Gestalt lead to abuses of power?
How can Gestalt reach beyond Western, Educated, Industrialized, Rich, and Democratic (WEIRD) societies which only represent 12% of the world ‘s population, yet represent more than 80% of Gestalt´s reach?
Our idea is to explore together in what ways we all may also be colonizing. We do not want to do this by lecturing or offering experiments, but by being together and exploring our here-and-now sharing to become more aware of possible colonizing moments, statements, ideas etc.
After sharing a brief introduction to this topic, in this group we will explore together possible ways of decolonizing Gestalt Theory, Practices, Systems, etc. We will sit together by holding awareness of what emerges in our here and now experiences when we keep Decolonizing Gestalt at the center of our group process. We will also attend to the oppressive and oppressed parts of ourselves and how that shapes our work.
Suggested donation: (sliding scale) $20 USD
This is a group for neurodiverse therapists and therapists who work with neurodiverse clients. We do not have a set teaching agenda, we will meet monthly to share experiences, resources, get to know eachother, and offer the support we can as our process emerges.
We don´t want to make a list of people who do/don´t fit into this group. Neurodiversity can include a huge variety of experiences and structures, so please Bring Your Own Brain if you feel identified or curious. This is a non-judgemental, respectful place.
The group will meet on time/day to be determined to be as inclusive as possible for all interested members (via doodle poll ). First meeting: Sept 2021.
Facilitators: Heather Keyes, Desiree Carlson
Suggested Donation (sliding scale): $30
How do our white identities play into our identities as therapists? How do we locate, understand, relate from “whiteness” and what does it mean for ourselves, our clients, our practices and our communities?
This group will meet 6 times over 6 months for 2.5 hours per session. It will be a closed group, with some readings and resources shared between sessions, and we will hold our intention to support critical self-awareness, personal responsibility, and to compassionately further the development of our group members in their being and practices.
Dates/Time: North American Tuesdays (morning or afternoon times, depending on the geographical makeup of the group)
Facilitators: Sophie Keeley, Heather Keyes
Suggested Donation (sliding scale): $30 USD
Facilitators: Sophie Keeley, Heather Keyes
This series features presenters who will speak to their own varied experiences of migration between points A, B and beyond. These are not seminars designed to teach therapists how to work with migrants, but will focus on the presenters´ understandings of social justice, therapeutic, trama, and personal development processes involved in migration.
The series recognizes the migrant roots and stories in the history of Gestalt itself, but also how *in spite* of the migrant roots,most training institutes have traditionally been ROOTED. Therapists often have to pass through systems which have become settled and fixed places where the migration of people and knowledge has been limited and fraught with layers of exclusion, “outsiderness” and the need to “revalidate” or translate or re-certify both knowledge and the people who carry it.
Each 2.5 hour session will have a presentation and breakout discussion and process space followed by large group reflection/reaction/sharing.
Suggested donation per session: $5 USD
Dates, times and speakers:
Friday Jan 21, 4:30 – 6:30 PM EST – Kirti Sing, Sophie Keeley
Monday Feb 7, 4:30pm EST – Kiangana Dialungana (Makaya Revell)
Saturday Mar 26, 5:30 EDT – Eden Brown, Heather Keyes
April – Desiree Carlson, Mariel Etchemendy
May – Nancy Andino, Ewurasi Dei Anang
June 30 – Jelena Zeleskov Doric
En esta serie de mesas de diálogo, hemos invitado a colegas Gestaltists de diferentes partes de Latino América a que compartan los procesos sociales propios de su contexto- movimientos indigenistas, de descolonización, o de recuperación social después de traumas colectivas (dictaduras, crisis económicas, revoluciones o guerrilla). Se espera generar una reflexión acerca del papel de la psicoterapia en términos de su pedagogía, teoría, y práctica en sociedades contemporáneas.
En español
Fechas, Horario y Ponentes:
2 Miradas Gestalt un solo Corazón
Sábado 5 de Febrero
11:00 AM – 1:00 PM Hora Santiago De Chile | 8:00 AM – 10: 00 AM CDMX
Mariel Etchmendy, Ricardo García
Género, el Introyecto Patriarcal
Marzo 2022
Verónica Konstantinovsky, Romina Coria
La Dimensión Social En La Psicoterapia Gestalt ¿Figura o Fondo?
Jueves 10 de Marzo
11:00 AM Hora Argentina | 15:00 PM Hora España
Deigo Gastón Brandolín, Iñaki García Maza
BECAUSE HAVING A SEAT AT THE TABLE MATTERS.
Would your Gestalt institute or training program be OPEN to hosting an international guest or two in an upcoming online training program?
En español- fechas y detalles de panelistas próximamente
- This can be a one day, weekend or ongoing group activity in any language.
- Activities of any level from “new to Gestalt” to “years experience” welcome.
Experiment with online learning opportunities, cross- pollination of ideas, and intercultural connectivity!
Our program aims to:
- Facilitate intercultural and international dialogue in the Gestalt Community
- Promote practices of inclusion, diversity and equity
- Encourage personal and professional networking for Gestalt students and practitioners
- Contribute to the creation a trans-institutional vision of Gestalt theory and practice.
As a host, you can choose to be part of the applicant selection process, or allow the Open Gestalt team to review the applicants and present you with either a shortlist or final selection if you wish to keep selection blind. You will receive written feedback from your guests which may help your program´s understanding of how it is perceived by participants.
Participants can expect to receive a letter or certificate of participation with the name and hour count for the event. Equivalency for Institutional academic credit or professional development/CE credit are not guaranteed.
Open Gestalt Collaborators
Kirti Singh
MA/ Master, English, Hindi
Kitchener, Canada
Kirti is a humanistic psychologist, ICF certified professional coach, and a process group facilitator. As director of exponent coaching, she works with individuals, organizations, and communities. She is also a visiting faculty at the Gestalt Institute of Clevland, Ohio, USA.
She is a cisgender woman, able-bodied, a person of color, Indian-born immigrant to Canada. In her work, she acknowledges the impact of social identities and socio-cultural field conditions; and works towards making spaces more equitable and diverse. She is an advocate of making education and coaching more accessible and affordable. Currently, she is co-organizing ‘Human Rights and Social Responsibility Committee at the International Association for the Advancement of Gestalt Therapy (IAAGT)
She is a cisgender woman, able-bodied, a person of color, Indian-born immigrant to Canada. In her work, she acknowledges the impact of social identities and socio-cultural field conditions; and works towards making spaces more equitable and diverse. She is an advocate of making education and coaching more accessible and affordable. Currently, she is co-organizing ‘Human Rights and Social Responsibility Committee at the International Association for the Advancement of Gestalt Therapy (IAAGT)
Area of Interest:
Social justice, Liberation psychology, Decolonizing Psychology, Decolonizing Gestalt and Gestalt for social change and action.
DESIREE CARLSON
MA/ Master, English, spanish.
VANCOUVER, Canada (Mexico)
Desiree Carlson is a versatile, creative and experienced Gestalt and Existential therapist. She has dedicated over 12 years to the development of a therapy without borders through a phenomenological perspective.Her transcultural and phenomenological approach creates open spaces for dialogue allowing questions and experiments to emerge and bring awareness and possibilities to those who co-create with her.
Skilled at developing and implementing a wide variety of therapeutic programs around the globe. She has been a consultant to educational institutions in psychology and emotional issues in schools over the past eight years.
She has participated as a professor and trainer in leadership for companies such as Heineken, CISCO and EGADE Business School in the last four years with more than 1000 participants.
She is currently the Latin America representative for the International Association for Counselling, as member of the executive council she has worked to bring connection and evolution to counseling in Latin American countries.
Areas of interest: Transcultural therapy, relational approach, decolonization, cultural relativism, gender and sexuality, group process
Sophie Keeley
MA/ Master, English, Spanish
CO, USA, United States
Sophie Keeley is a trilingual therapist who offers Gestalt therapy, with a foundation in Social Justice Counseling. She is skilled in providing therapy, advocacy, supervision, and facilitation. She brings over twelve years of experience supporting people to deepen their community connection and personal growth.
She currently works at the Mental Health Center of Denver as Program Manager for El Centro de las Familias, which serves the Latinx, Hispanic, and immigrant community in the Denver area. Additionally, Sophie runs a private practice in which she works with multicultural families helping them achieve their mental health goals while holding the wider systemic factors impacting their lives.
Sophie is familiar with navigating numerous identities as she was raised bicultural (France and US), later lived and worked in Mexico, and is currently in an interracial and multicultural relationship and exists as a pansexual woman. This personal journey allows her to hold a broader perspective on being and connecting.
She holds a Masters from Naropa University’s Mindfulness-based Transpersonal Counseling Psychotherapy program, a Masters in Gender Studies from Instituto Universitario Puebla, and a certificate from the Gestalt Institute of the Rockies.
Areas of interest: Social Justice, Gender, Immigration, Social Justice course
eden brown
Wurundjeri Traditional Owners of the Kulin Nations
eden is a final-year student at Gestalt Therapy Australia and resides in Melbourne, Australia the land of the Wurundjeri People of the Kulin Nations. eden has spent the last 12 years supporting young people in State care, women and children escaping family violence, within Aboriginal Community Controlled Organisations and Indigenous run organisations supporting and advocating for Indigenous Self Determination, Land Rights and Human Rights and currently works as a men’s family violence counsellor raising awareness to prevent gender based violence. eden is also a queer, trans non-binary Indigenous Pasefika Person of Colour, who’s areas of interest include: Indigenising Narratives and Education, Planetary Healing & Climate Change, Collectivism, A Non-Binary field perspective, Field sensitive practice and awareness, Anti-Oppresive practice, Queer-ing, Intersectionality and Wisdom from the margins; Contemplative studies and Spiritual activism.
Heather Anne Keyes
Canada/Mexico
Heather is a Gestalt-trained psychotherapist, living and practicing online from Durango, Mexico. She is the Founder and President of the AMPG and coordinator of the Open Gestalt program. Heather also co-founded the Humans of Gestalt project, and has served on the Board of IAAGT, taught internationally and served as academic advisor to support graduating therapists on their diverse research projects as well as organizing numerous international conferences, workshops and gatherings for the Gestalt community.
Areas of interest: Critical theory, feminist therapy, delononization, ethics, social justice, trauma, intercultural practice, organiational practice and above all else, humour.
David Picó Vila
Ph.D/ Doctorate, Spanish, English, Catalan
Valencia, Spain
Clinical psychologist and Gestalt therapist by the Institute Français de Gestalt-Thérapie. Trained in Developmental Somatic Psychoterapy by Ruella Frank. Full member of EAGT and AETG. Associate member of NYIGT. PhD in Computer Science. Associate professor in Universitat Politècnica de Valencia. Musician (piano, singing).e
Areas of interest: Theory of field, relational gestalt therapy, expression, voice, stage fright
Frans Meulmeester
MA/ Master, English, Dutch, German
Rotterdam, Netherlands
Gestalt trainer, therapist, coach, supervisor and consultant for more than 35 years and staff member of several Gestalt institutes in Europe and Asia. As a therapist and counsellor, he combined working in his own private practice with working in a centre for clients with cancer. As a coach/consultant, he mainly worked in healthcare and education.
Working in other cultures has always been a passion. It enriches him and deepens his understanding of his own culture, assumptions and what he takes for granted.
He is a registered member of the EAGT (Therapist, Supervisor and GPO) and ECP member of the EAP.
Areas of interest: Field theory, Group work, Psychopathology, Paradoxical theory of change
Jelena Zeleskov Doric
Ph.D/ Doctorate, English, Serbian, Croatian, Bosnian, Macedonian, Slovene
Sydney, Australia
Jelena is a clinical psychologist, gestalt psychotherapist and accredited clinical supervisor registered in Europe. In Australia, Jelena is a registered psychologist with the Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Agency (AHPRA) and a registered Gestalt psychotherapist and accredited supervisor with the Psychotherapy and Counselling Federation of Australia (PACFA). Jelena is also a registered psychologist with the Singapore Psychological Society in Singapore. Jelena worked in academia for years starting as a Research Associate at the School of Medicine, University of Belgrade (Serbia), Research Fellow at the Institute of Criminological and Sociological Research Belgrade (Serbia), Lecturer in Psychology and Psychological Therapies at Charles Darwin University (Australia), and Senior Lecturer in Counselling and Psychotherapy at the Australian College of Applied Psychology (Australia). She has been working as a clinician for 17 years. Jelena has been trained as a gestate psychotherapist at Gestalt Studio Belgrade, HCC Istituto di Gestalt Italy, and Gestalt Psychotherapy Training Institute Malta. She also finished Body Relational Psychotherapy (Gestalt framework) in Germany. Jelena is passionate about research in gestalt psychotherapy, contemporary psychopathology, resilience and attachment theory.
Areas of interest: Psychopathology and Contemporary Disturbances, Research in Gestalt Therapy, Contemporary Field Theory, Gestalt Therapy and Photography
