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An Overview of the Process
GANZ would like to make the process of applying for membership as user friendly as possible. The Membership Committee encourages you to read closely this information on how to apply so that you are informed about what is required and what you can expect. The frequently asked questions (FAQ) section will assist you clarify some concerns you may have. GANZ is committed to ensuring the application process for membership has integrity. We encourage you to avoid any delay by checking that you have completed all required sections on the Application Form and that you supply the necessary supporting documentation. Failure to do so will result in your application being delayed and/or returned.
You will need to use the Membership Application Form (click here). A printed version of this form is also available from the GANZ Office and Gestalt Training Centres. Once you have completed you application form send it with all accompanying documentation to the GANZ Office in Australia or New Zealand.
When your application form, supporting documentation and payment is received, you will be sent a letter of acknowledgement that explains what will happen next. If your application is incomplete you will receive a letter requesting more information.
After your application has been received, the process that is followed depends on the level of membership for which you have applied.
All NEW applications for associate, student, graduate and member categories, and UPGRADES between these categories of membership will be approved by the GANZ Office Manager if you meet the necessary criteria and have provided the required information. You will receive a letter confirming that your application has been approved, and advising you of your membership number as well as where to locate the GANZ Code of Ethics. You will also receive a certificate if you have applied for Membership of GANZ.
All NEW Clinical Membership applications and UPGRADES to Clinical Membership from other membership categories will be reviewed by the Membership Committee and submitted to the GANZ Council for approval. The committee process will be used to verify that you meet the required criteria for clinical practice (i.e. client hours), supervision (i.e. Gestalt practice with an appropriate supervisor) and further training (i.e. additional training in the Gestalt approach). You will be asked for further information if your details are incomplete.
The Chair of the Membership Committee, after completing the Committee process, will recommend your ratification as a Clinical Member of GANZ by the GANZ Council. The ratification process will occur on a monthly basis – at the end of each month. Depending on when your application is lodged will determine when you are notified of the outcome (i.e. best practice from three to six weeks). If you submit your application in the last two weeks of any month it will most likely not be considered by Council until the following month. This will depend on the workload of the Membership Committee. Of course every effort will be made by the Membership Committee and Council to approve your application as quickly as possible.
For Clinical Membership you will not receive your confirmation letter until after ratification by the Council. Please contact the Chair Membership about the status of your application for Clinical Membership as the GANZ Office will not have this information. When your application had been ratified you will be advised by the GANZ office, and a certificate issued.
The fees for membership can be found on this website (see categories and fees). Each year you will receive a Tax Invoice during May specifying the fees you are required to pay for the following year. You will need to photocopy the Tax Invoice for your personal records as it will serve as your receipt of payment. Your membership will be current until the end of June each year.
The membership renewal process for GANZ Members, Clinical Members and Fellow Members will also require providing information on supervision and professional development hours. Notification of professional development (PD) and supervision is required for each year but is only reported every two years. It’s a good idea to keep records during the year.
Guidelines for the Application Form
To assist you to adequately complete the Application Form please refer to the following additional information for each section. If your application requires more space than is provided copy the title of the relevant heading, type the required information on separate form and attach it to the Application Form.
Personal details: This information is entered into the GANZ data base, so that we can communicate with you. It is important that you print information legibly, and advise the Office if any details change during the year. Please provide the postal and email addresses that you want GANZ to use when sending you information. Increasingly GANZ will rely on electronic communication so your email address is vital information.
Academic qualifications: While these are not necessary to gain membership, they are useful in understanding our practitioner base, and for supporting submissions to governments. When you provide this information specify the year of graduation, the conferencing institution and the title of the degree (e.g. 1995, University of Sydney BA).
Other professional memberships: This is also useful demographic information to better understand our membership. Please provide the full name of the professional association and the professionally recognised abbreviation (e.g. Member of the Australian Psychological Society, MAPS).
Proposers (must be completed): Student members need only be proposed by one person, the Director of Training (DOT) of the course in which you are enrolled. All other applicants for all other categories of membership, including applications for upgrading your membership category, require two proposers who are Clinical Members of GANZ – one of whom is a DOT. Where this creates an insurmountable difficulty due to living in an isolated community, an email advice from one of the proposers is acceptable.
Membership level applying for: You only need to complete the relevant section of the form that relates to the membership category for which you are applying. Applicants for membership (i.e. every category except Student Membership) are required to include a copy of their graduation certificate from a GANZ accredited course. This is a requirement that trips up many people – make sure you are not one of them!
Declaration: All applicants must complete this section. If you are paying by credit card on the form please also print the name that is on the credit card.
Click here for the GANZ Membership Application Form.