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Name: The Gestalt for Organisations Group (GOG)
Objective: The purpose of GOG is to explore how Gestalt theory can be applied in the creation of healthy organisations.
Profile: GOG has been in existence since the early 1990’s when it was born at the Gestalt Institute of Melbourne (GIM). A small but increasing number of trainees, noting applications of Gestalt therapy theory to non-therapeutic organisational situations (Herman & Korenich, 1977; Nevis, 1987), formed an interest group.
In the late 1990s the location of continuing monthly meetings shifted to Swinburne University of Technology where they continue to this day.
GOG meets monthly in the Australian Graduate School of Entrepreneurship, Swinburne University of Technology. The meetings run from 6.30-8.30 pm.
Traditionally its meetings respect the ‘I and thou, what and how, here and now’ principles of Gestalt therapy. Considerable effort at each meeting is made to provide a safe environment in which members can take the necessary risks of learning from emergent processes. Experiences are reflected upon and applied to the organisational contexts of members who are usually practitioners, lecturers, OD consultants and managers.
The process is well expressed by a member who says of her experience, “GOG is a place that I go to explore my own reactions and emotions, that I can speak openly and honestly and explore how my Being impacts others and the organisation that I work in ( parallel process). I am often amazed that what goes on in the group is what is going on in the organisations I am working in. What makes us different is that we are about developing and evolving our BEING as an embodiment of what we want in others. Sometimes more successfully than other times, for me GOG has been a safe place to explore this.”
Membership: Membership is open to all adults who are interested to come. No membership fee is applied but a small donation is asked to contribute to refreshments.
Contacts:
John Batros (E: eudaemonia@bigpond.com; M: 0402 487 868)
Sandra Quinlan (E: sandraquinlan@bigpond.com; M: 0408 067 639)
Sam Luxemburg (E: luxemburg@bigpond.com; M: 0428 270 401)
Link to website: Nil
Body Process Study Group
Objective: To support therapists to learn more about body process and start integrating its use into their practice.
Profile: This would be a new group, focusing on supporting therapist to learn more about body process work, with the goal of become comfortable enough to use it in their practice. It would take a study group format, making it more informal and including guest speakers, group discussion, case studies and presentations. The group would look at Jim Kepner’s work but also build upon this, looking at understanding somatic structure and how to work with it in a psychotherapeutic context.
Membership: The group would involve 5 bi-monthly meetings starting in February 2010, each meeting would go for two hours and be located in Coburg. Members would need an interest in body process work, no past experience would be necessary.
Contact: Dean Smith 0419013403 activemindbody@optusnet.com.au