What was your background before studying at Gestalt Therapy Australia (GTA)?
I completed the GTA training program in 2015. Before that I worked as a hospital social worker in psycho-oncology and had just started work as a counsellor in the field of addictions. I also worked across non-government and Aboriginal organisational settings.
What are you doing now?
I am a gestalt psychotherapist working in private practice in Melbourne. I am a member of the Faculty at Gestalt Therapy Australia (GTA) and one of the Coordinators of the Gestalt Seminars run by the Victorian Association of Gestalt Practitioners (VAGP).
What drew you to GTA and the study of gestalt therapy?
I felt I needed more intensive training to equip me to sit with clients in the complexity of their experiences. Gestalt training was recommended by trusted colleagues who had previously completed the course at GTA.
What stands out for you in relation to the course?
The group process work during the first two years was particularly important and supported me going into the practice work in the third and fourth years. My current level of solidity and confidence in my work comes from the graded learning process which enabled me to sit and practice in front of my peers in a grounded way, integrating feedback and reflecting on the work.
How has completing the course at GTA impacted you?
My experience in the training program was transformative, and it continues to support me in personal and professional relationships and it has provided a richer way of interacting with people. In my personal life, the training program changed the way I am in the world, making me more reflective and conscious of why I choose things and why I am interested to pursue certain things.
Without the gestalt training I would not have been prepared for private practice.
What was your overall experience of the course?
Initially I found the training quite overwhelming as I hadn’t realised the level of deep personal reflection involved. As the first year of the course progressed, I engaged with a personal therapist to support my process, and I began to find the program incredibly engaging and very nourishing in terms of connecting with others that were interested in reflecting in unique ways.
What would you say to someone who was thinking about doing the training program?
This is the best therapy training program available in Melbourne. Be prepared that it will change things in your life.