The Gestalt Foundation, Psychotherapy and Training Center, is moved and delighted to present the poetic collection entitled: "Square Floor" - Poetry meets Gestalt therapy.

The inspirational writer behind the collection is Dimitris Diomataris, who transformed what he experienced during a cycle of gestalt experiential workshops into words that reflect the poetic depth of gestalt therapy.

The collection, whose illustrations were edited by graphic designer Emanouela Mathioudaki, was offered as a gift to everyone who attended the very successful Gestalt Foundation’s 20-year one day anniversary Conference which took place on Sunday, the 9^th of December, in Athens. It will be available for purchase at the IANOS and POLITEIA book stores from the 20^th of December 2018.

On Thursday, the 14^th of March 2019, the cycle of lectures organised by the Gestalt Foundation in collaboration with IANOS Culture Chain, successfully came to a close with the speaker Yianna Yiamarelou*.

The subject of the presentation, an issue which is so strong and alive and which without a doubt has touched all our lives at one time or another, was:

“Guilt, a human process”. 

Ms. Yiamarelou focused on understanding this very human process, especially when and how feelings of guilt can aid growth and development in our relationship with ourselves and others, but also on when and how this function becomes a vicious circle which can entrap us and cause distress.

As expected, after the presentation came to an end, the attendees raised many specific questions, which triggered further exploration and understanding of this process in our life cycle.

*Yianna Yiamarelou, M.A. Clinical Psychology, Gestalt Psychotherapist, Trainer and Supervisor, Member of EAGT, holder of ECP, Member of the Hellenic Association for Gestalt Therapy.

Founding member of the Gestalt Foundation, Psychotherapy and Training Centre.

On Thursday, February 14, 2019, Saint Valentine's Day, the lecture entitled ‘The Universality of Love’ took place at the IANOS Culture Chain, with Giorgos Diplas* as speaker. For this topic, so timely and so universal, there was a great turnout of attendees, who were all very eager to listen carefully to what the speaker had to share with them.

The presentation commenced in a very beautiful and original way; A pair of dancers had been invited to perform an erotic, modern tango that was really enjoyable!

Giorgos Diplas then began his speech by clarifying that love affects all living and non-living organisms in an uninterrupted flow of "meeting" and "conversation". But he focused on human erotic feelings, thus confining the presentation to a people-centered perspective.

But he explained that if love is experienced as a delightful and transcendent experience, this does not mean that it marks a lasting or unchangeable position. A wider look reveals that all aspects of life are essentially a process of love towards existence, interaction and growth, and he closed his speech by paraphrasing Gabriel Marcel's very meaningful aphorism: "My hope for us is based on the success of our encounter with each other". We should add that success presupposes an ongoing preoccupation and caring for this encounter.

As expected, the participation of the attendees was lively, as witnessed not only in the questions many people had but also in their willingness to share their views and experiences with the rest of the audience.

*Giorgos Diplas, P.g.D. in PCA Counseling, Gestalt Trainer, Therapist & Supervisor, member of EAGT and the Hellenic Association of Counsellors (HAC), ECP holder, Member of  the Hellenic Association of Gestalt Therapists (HAGT).

The presentation by psychotherapist Aggeliki Kostalou* entitled ‘What is Our Body Telling Us?’ commenced at 18.00 on Thursday, the 17^th of January 2019, at the IANOS cultural chain Athens.

Most of us, to some degree, have experience of accepting that our body speaks to us. To begin with, Ms. Kostalou presented an in-depth exploration of historical evolution in relation to whether (in the course of time and change in eras) the body, spirit and mind were perceived as separate systems or as one, culminating in the present day assumption that man is a unified system where body, mind and soul constitute a whole which interacts with the environment.

She went on to explain how very common it is for many physical symptoms such as migraines, muscular tension, high blood pressure, allergies, ulcers and asthma to be dealt with as separate entities - bodily illnesses - whereas, in fact, they may be indicators of an unconscious, internal process/conflict which hinders the healing process.

She finished her speech with the conclusion that since man is a unified system, where body, mind and soul are a whole that interacts with the environment, by ‘listening’ to our bodies, we can explore and discover to what extent our emotions, thoughts, and repressed experiences disrupt the healthy functioning of our entire system. In doing so, we increase our self-awareness and promote our health as a whole.

The audience was fully engaged and reacted to the presentation with a torrent of personal experiences and apt questions, which Ms. Kostalou responded to both spontaneously and conscientiously.

*Gestalt psychotherapist, focusing on body process in the therapeutic relationship. BA Psychology (American College of Greece), MSc Psychology and Health (City University, London), Postgraduate Certificate in Counseling Skills (British Association for Counseling and Psychotherapy, London), Degree in History of European Civilization (Hellenic Open University), member of the Greek and European Gestalt Psychotherapy Associations (HAGT & EAGT).

On Thursday the 13^th of December 2018, the presentation entitled: ‘Fear as a Guide in the Course of our Lives’, took place as part of the annual Gestalt Foundation’s collaboration with the IANOS chain of cultural centres. The theme, an emotion which all of us, on some level, have experienced at least once in our life time, was presented by Despina Balliou and Exarmenia Pappa, Gestalt Psychotherapists and Trainers.

The presentation began with an in depth analysis of the questions: Where does fear fit into our lives? How do we cope with it? What are the areas of ourselves that we need to develop in order for fear to lead us towards creative choices that strengthen us and help us to evolve? The two speakers highlighted all the above in a particularly delicate but brilliant way, and the presentation was brought to a close with an experiential process which involved the eager participation of the audience.

The Gestalt Foundation, Psychotherapy and Training centre, is moved and delighted to present the poetry collection entitled: "Square Floor" - Poetry meets Gestalt therapy.

The inspirational writer behind the collection is Dimitris Diomataris, who transformed what he experienced during a cycle of Gestalt experiential workshops into words that reflect the poetic depth of Gestalt therapy.

The collection, whose illustrations were edited by graphic designer Emanouela Mathioudaki, was offered as a gift to everyone who attended the very successful Gestalt Foundation’s 20-year anniversary one day Conference which took place on Sunday, the 9^th of December, in Athens. It will be available for purchase at the IANOS, POLITEIA and BOOKS PLUS book stores from the 20^th of December 2018.

The One Day Conference, organised by the Gestalt Foundation, as part of its 20th anniversary celebration, took place in Athens, on 9 December 2018, in the Antonis Tritsis amphitheatre at the OPANDA cultural centre.

The theme of the Conference was “Phenomenology in Gestalt Therapy” and the event was a huge success, with a wealth of speakers and attendees from different scientific and professional backgrounds taking part.

The initiative was warmly received by Lilian Houliara (Vice-President of the Hellenic Association of Psychotherapy), Vivian Sachazi (President of the Hellenic Association of Counselling) and Kostandinos Kostas (President of the Hellenic Association of Gestalt Psychotherapy).

The event was opened by one of the main speakers, Mr. Panos Theodorou (Associate Professor of Philosophy, Department of Philosophy and Social Studies at the University of Crete). It was an honour to have Mr. Theodorou take part with his in-depth development of the theme: “Phenomenology in Gestalt Therapy: Framework, Perspectives, and the Case of the Phenomena of Emotions”.

The first part of “Phenomenology in Gestalt Therapy”, which was facilitated by Konstandinos Kostas, was introduced by Yianna Yamarellou (M.A. Clinical Psychology, Gestalt psychotherapist, trainer and supervisor, member of EAGT, holder of ECP, founder member of the Gestalt Foundation and the HAGT), who addressed the concept of “Phenomena in Greek Philosophy”. This was followed by Mr. George Diplas (P.g.D. in Pca Counselling, Gestalt trainer and supervisor, EAGT member and ECP holder, member of HAGT), who presented the subject “Freedom of the Will and Phenomenology”, before passing the baton on to Antonia Konstandinidou (M.S.c Social and Clinical Psychology, Gestalt psychotherapist, trainer and supervisor, holder of ECP, member of EAGT and founder member of HAGT), who explored the subject: “When Pain becomes Form: The Phenomenological Dimension of Gestalt therapy in Diagnosis and Psychopathology”. Despina Balliou (M.Sc. Counselling Psychology, Gestalt psychotherapist, trainer and supervisor, member of EAGT, trained in EMDR Trauma Therapy, holder of ECP, founder member of the Gestalt Foundation and HAGT), followed, with her presentation “Mother Nature is Suffering: The Eco-Phenomenological Approach in Gestalt Therapy”.

The second subject area, “Society, Research, Organizational”, facilitated by George Diplas, began with Ioanna Kato (M.Sc. Psychology, Speech Therapist, Gestalt psychotherapist, trainer and supervisor, member of EAGT and HAGT) on the theme of “Human rights in relation to Gestalt therapy” followed by Antigone Mertika (B.Sc Psychology, P.g. certificates in Counselling and Organizational Psychology from Columbia University, New York, Ph.D Clinical Psychology), who delivered her speech on “Research in Gestalt: Approaches and Variations in Clinical Practice with Scientific Research”. To close part two, Mr. George Stamatis (B.A. Law, H.S.D. (marketing), M.Ed. Adult Education, Gestalt Foundation graduate, development counsellor, trainer and coach in businesses and organizations) highlighted and emphasised the importance of Gestalt Coaching and intervention in the world of businesses and organizations.

Part three, “The Phenomenological Field in Action”, was facilitated by Katia Chatzilakou (M.Sc. Social and Clinical Psychology, Gestalt psychotherapist, trainer and supervisor, ECP holder and EAGT member, founder member of Gestalt Foundation and HAGT) and included the presentations of: Exarmenia Pappa (M.Sc.Psychology, M.Sc. Mental Health Studies, PgCert Gestalt Body Process, Certificate in Performance Studies at Birbeck College, Gestalt psychotherapist and trainer, member of EAGT and HAGT): “Contradiction as a Phenomenon of the Field”; Maria Farmaki (Infant and nursery school teacher, Psychologist, Gestalt psychotherapist, member of EAGT, HAGT and member of the Panhellenic Association for Infant and Nursery Schools): “Savouring the Pleasure of Closure”; Kostas Michailidis (B.Sc. Counselling and Psychological Science, Gestalt psychotherapist and trainer, member of EAGT and HAGT): “The surprise of the meeting: The Field takes Shape”; and Antigone Orfanou (School Psychology, M.Sc. Professional Training in Educational Psychology, Gestalt psychotherapist and supervisor, member of EAGT and HAGT, trained in the Ruella Frank model of Somatic Psychotherapy): “The Aesthetic of the Presence of Other”.

The fourth and final subject area, entitled “The Phenomenological Approach in Group Therapy”, was facilitated by Despina Balliou and commenced with a speech by Amalia Kapoulea (B.SC. Counselling and Psychological Science, Gestalt psychotherapist, member of EAGT and HAGT) on the subject of “The Phenomenological Field in the Formation Process”, followed by Elena Antoniou (B.Sc. Psychology, M.Sc. Counselling Studies, member of EAGT and HAGT), who talked about “What the Body Tells us in the Therapeutic Process”. Marietta Paraschou (B.Sc. Psychology, M.Sc. Counselling Studies, psychotherapist, member of EAGT and HAGT) carried on from here by addressing the important function of speech in the context of the therapeutic process, and the speeches came to a close with Konstandina Gkioni (Psychologist, M.Sc. Mental Health, Gestalt psychotherapist, member of EAGT and HAGT), who discussed how therapeutic interventions are fed in a group context by the phenomenological concept of Prolongation and Dimitra Chantziara (B.Sc. Psychology, Gestalt psychotherapist, member of EAGT and HAGT, trained in EMDR Trauma therapy) who presented the subject: “Approaching Phenomenologically the Ethical Issues that arise in the therapeutic process”.

There followed a lively and interesting open discussion with the audience which was enriched by the diversity of questions posed by those who participated in the exchange. The Conference came to a close with a small, celebratory gathering in the foyer of the amphitheatre, which was ‘illuminated’ by the warm and moving comments and good wishes extended by many, with regard to the road that the Gestalt Foundation has now carved!

Over 100 people turned up at the venue BOOKSTORES in central Athens for the  presentation of the Greek edition (Sideris Publications) of 'The Healing Relationship in Gestalt Therapy', written by Rich Hycner and Lynne Jacobs, third generation Gestalt psychotherapists. The presentation was facilitated by Despina Balliou (psychotherapist, trainer, supervisor and founder member of the Gestalt Foundation) who had also acted as scientific editor for the translation of the book. Other members of the panel were: Yiannis Prelorendzos, doctor of philosophy (Sorbonne University, Paris IV), professor of early and contemporary philosophy and Dean at the school of philosophy in Ioannina University; Efi Lagiou-Lignou, psychotherapist specialized in working with children, adolescents, parents – infants, and president of the Hellenic Association of Psychoanalytic Psychotherapy; Yianna Yiamarelou, psychologist, psychotherapist, trainer, supervisor and  founder member of the  Gestalt Foundation; and Athanasia Karayiannopulou, theatre director and translator.

Each speaker examined the subject of the book in a very apt and thorough way, capturing the full attention of the audience, who (via previously recorded video-taped messages) also had the opportunity to see Lynne Jacobs and Rich Hycner 'in person' as they related their experience of writing the book before expressing their deep gratitude to everyone involved in the Greek translation.

We hope that everyone who has the book enjoys reading it!

On Thursday, 22 November 2018, the series of  presentations which takes place each year in collaboration with the IANOS chain of cultural centres commenced in Athens with Ioanna Kato (Psychologist, Psychotherapist and Gestalt Supervisor). The topic of the presentation was: “The Shame That Keeps Me Captive” - a phenomenon which is familiar to all of us and which appears in our lives irrespective of education, culture or age.

In her presentation, Ioanna Kato examined how shame develops in an individual, and to what extent it can create problems and/or function in a protective way. She addressed the issue in relation to when it is healthy, when it is toxic,  and how it shows itself. Finally, she focused on ways we can deal with shame. As expected, throughout the presentation the interest of those present was obvious, and the dialogue which followed was lively, with stimulating questions and responses.

The Aesthetic of Otherness, edited by Margherita Spagnuolo Lobb, has been published in digital and print formats. It presents the workshops delivered by the delegates at the September 2016, twelfth Pan-European Gestalt Psychotherapy Conference in Taormina, which was attended by more than1000 participants from all over the world. The publication was completed in collaboration with Dan Bloom, Jan Roubal, Jelena Zeleskov Djoric, Michele Cannavò, Roberta La Rosa, Silvia Tosi and Valentina Pinna. It is the first joint venture of the AAGT (Association for the Advancement of Gestalt Therapy) and the EAGT (European Association for Gestalt Therapy) - with the organizational support of the Italian Association, SIPG (Società Italiana Psicoterapia Gestalt). The theme of the conference was: ‘The Aesthetic of Otherness: Meeting at the Boundary in a Desensitized World.’ This publication includes the presentation of Yianna Yiamarelou*, entitled ‘The Beauty of Words’, and the workshop of Despina Balliou** and Exarmenia Pappa***, entitled ‘Please Mind the Gap’.

*Yianna Yamarellou, M.A. Clinical Psychology; Psychotherapist; Gestalt Trainer and Supervisor; Member of EAGT; Holder of ECP (European Certificate of Psychotherapy).

**Despina Balliou, M.Sc. Counseling Psychology, Psychotherapist, Gestalt Trainer and Supervisor; Member of EAGT; Trained in EMDR Trauma Therapy; Holder of ECP (European Certificate of Psychotherapy).

***Exarmenia Pappa, Psychologist (MSc), MSc Mental Health Studies,PgCert Gestalt Body Process (Trained by James Kepner); Gestalt Psychotherapist and Trainer; Member of EAGT and HAGT (Hellenic Association of Gestalt Psychotherapy).