Gestalt Group Weekend Highlights 2013 Fall retreat I felt that the group worked tremendously hard this weekend. Everyone appeared very attentive and supportive of one another. I appreciated the high levels of trust and risk-taking that each member contributed in order for individual and collective growth to occur. Work is never “finished” nor “complete” as that is not something, at least in Gestalt theory, is ever attainable…work, hence growth, is on-going and viewed in layers (I view growth and change as an ascending spiral). To witness the struggle and emergence of new levels of awareness is both exciting and sometimes painful. That each individual and the collective can accomplish such transformation is always nothing short of amazing to me. Recapping some of what I witnessed: New Group Reconfiguration: Perls stated that “the process of creative adjustment to new material and circumstances always involves a phase of aggression and destruction, for it is by approaching, laying hold of, and altering old structures that the unlike is made like. When a new configuration comes into being, both the old achieved habit of the contacting organism and the previous state of what is approached and contacted are destroyed in the interest of the new contact. Such destruction of the status quo may arouse fear, interruption, and anxiety, the greater in proportion as one is neurotically inflexible but the process is accompanied by the security of the new invention experimentally coming into being.” (pg. 9, Gestalt Therapy, P, G & H). The group had undergone dramatic reconfiguration this weekend with two older members not present and one new member introduced. This reconfiguration may have been experienced as uncomfortable, curious, interesting…etc. What is important to note is that a dramatic change occurred within the larger system which implies that each individual made the necessary shifts to birth a new “status quo” which then incorporated new rules of governing the group, new group figures, new directions and perhaps new values or standards for group behavior. It might be helpful or useful at an individual level to reflect on how you may have consciously or unconsciously adapted your behaviors or attitudes to accommodate the needs of the larger system. Being aware of how we respond individually within the context of the whole to keep a system intact is something to be greatly appreciated and is a milestone of systemic maturation and personal growth. Figure Formation: Perls taught that figures represent unified structures that are derived out of the wholes of experiences. We make “contact” which results in assimilation and growth when we become aware of these figures of interest. “The figure (gestalt) in awareness is a clear, vivid perception, image, or insight; in motor behavior, it is the graceful energetic movement that has rhythm, follow-through, etc.” (Perls, page 7). Figure identification can function as a marker for us in our personal growth processes and also as a methodology for reclaiming self-identity and power. Sometimes the sheer awareness of what the dominant figure is will catapult us through the Cycle of Experience to creatively adapt new behaviors, beliefs and ways of being that are much more conducive to our true natures. I observed what seemed to be a couple of developing figures over the weekend for the group. The first seemed to be around a belief about “anger” with ANGER serving as a dominant figure in the way individuals, and consequently the group, chose to organize behavior and attitudes. In no means was the figure unified, for certainly some of us, myself in particularly, felt that anger should be something that should be experienced without fear of repercussion or guilt. But GROUP BEHAVIORS: the lack of agreement or the avoidance of anger or the reaction to anger…all of this speaks to the presence of ANGER as a central group figure that will need further exploration at both the individual and group level. The other figure that seemed to show itself consistently centered on GUILT. The beliefs, actions and the feeling of GUILT is something that manifest differently in different people but still appeared in the experience to develop a group gestalt. (I won’t rehash data points to support what I saw because I went over this in group, but certainly feel free to add to or debate anything I am offering with your own interpretations). Individually, symbolic and anecdotal figures emerged during work such as “the BROOM” transformed to “SHAPESHIFTER” represented one of the most complete gestalts; “I NEED PERMISSION” transformed to “IT’S MY RIGHT” represented yet another gestalt; “STABILITY” became a figure disguised as “CONTROL” and “YOU KNEW I WAS CRAZY WHEN YOU MET ME” was loosely transfigured into “GRASS GROWING THROUGH CONCRETE”. Perls taught that when a figure is “dull, confused, graceless, lacking in energy (a weak gestalt) that something in the environment or field is blocked or a vital organic need is not being addressed, recognized and therefore, not met. This is one of the reasons that we offer gestalt therapy…a therapeutic modality that assists in the process of gaining awareness of dominant figures (gestalts). Once that awareness is achieved, then the group or individual will complete a cycle of experience and continue the spiral upward. That is my recap of group experience from the retreat. Again, please feel free to add your own comments. I will post this on the Gestalt Ann Arbor webpage on Facebook: https://facebook/a2gestalt. I thank each of you for making the experience so rich for me personally and professionally. Future Directions: As you know I am still immersed in my dissertation process and my energy is sharply divided between my private practice work and my academic training. My personal goal is to keep my stress at a minimum yet still offer meaningful growth opportunities for those who are interested. I am planning to offer Gestalt coaching workshops in January 2014 for those who wish to pursue certification through the International Coaching Federation. I will offer this training at my Ann Arbor office. There was a discussion of offering a group in Lansing and that is something that is still being developed. The structure of Gestalt Coaching certification training will differ significantly simply because the requirements for certification are more stringent. I will give more information on the changes in subsequent correspondence. Blessings to each of you in your continued Journey! Sheree
Posted on: Tue, 15 Oct 2013 20:04:54 +0000
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