Conversations with Clinicians

Life and Practice Through a Gestalt Lens

Free live-online series

The Gestalt International Study Center’s (GISC) approach to clinical practice embraces traditional Gestalt theory while amplifying it with our unique approach, known as the Cape Cod Model. This free series will provide a deeper understanding of concepts such as contact, paradoxical theory of change, polarities, engaging resistance, and self-regulation as ways of engaging clients for growth and development. Clinicians working with individuals, couples, and families will have the opportunity to learn experientially and didactically in the series.

These sessions are free but you must register in advance. Each session meets from 12:00PM-1:00PM Eastern.

Upcoming Sessions:

July 3 - Summer Break
August 7 - Summer Break
September 4 - When a Client Brings a Dream
October 2 - A Contemporary Gestalt Approach to Diagnosis
November 6 - Hopelessness in Hard Times
December 4 - Highly Sensitive: Exploring our Gifts and Challenges

Additional sessions to be announced.

Throughout this series you will:

Raise awareness of key Gestalt concepts and their clinical applications.
Cultivate an ability to see how to apply these concepts in practice with a client or client system.
Develop an understanding of how these concepts contribute to the Cape Cod Model.

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Participants

While this free series is designed for clinicians practicing psychotherapy or those studying to be clinicians, all members of the GISC community are welcome to attend.

Continuing Education

NASW-MA: This program has been approved for 1 Social Work Continuing Education hour for relicensure, in accordance with 258 CMR.

MaMHCA: This program has been approved by MaMHCA/MCEAP as a Continuing Education Activity for LMHCs for 1 Category 1 hours.

When a Client Brings a Dream

Date: Friday, September 4

Faculty: Lucy Ball, BAHons & Renya Larson, MA, LMSW

When a client brings a dream to your session, what do you tend to do?

Avoid?
Get excited?
Look for symbolism?

In Gestalt practice we tend not to ask, “What does the dream mean?”. Instead we ask “What happens as you experience this dream, with me, here and now?” In this hour we will play with some Gestalt ways of working with dreams and give you a chance to share and compare with other practitioners.

A Contemporary Gestalt Approach to Diagnosis

Date: Friday, October 2

Faculty: Sharona Halpern, MA, LMHC, & Joseph Melnick, PhD

When a client walks into our office, how do we organize what we see, in order to move forward in our work? The Gestalt Cape Cod Model approach provides a unique lens for noticing energetic patterns of behavior, rather than applying a medical diagnostic label. In this hour, we will introduce our method for assessing what is going on with our clients, and give you an opportunity to explore this concept with colleagues around the world.

Hopelessness in Hard Times

Date: Friday, November 6

Faculty: Spencer Melnick, LCSW, PCC, & Renya Larson, MA, LMSW

As therapists, we know how important hope can be for clients in hard times. But hope is not always present for clients – or for us. What happens for our clients – and for us – when hopelessness is present? In this session, we will build awareness of our own experiences of hopelessness – both inside and outside of the therapy room. We will explore curiosity as a Gestalt concept – approaching “what is” instead of resisting it – to expand our range when working with hopelessness.

Highly Sensitive: Exploring our Gifts and Challenges

Date: Friday, December 4

Faculty: Melanie Nevis, MA, LCAT, ACC, & Diane Shannon, MD, MPH, PCC

What is highly sensitive? Are you highly sensitive? Do you have clients who might be? In this session, we will explore what being highly sensitive means for ourselves and our clients. We will also focus on the extraordinary gifts of being highly sensitive, which are too often discounted or overlooked. We will be exploring how the Cape Cod Model can enhance our awareness of our gifts and strengths, as well as those of our clients.

DATES + FEES