Gestalt Practitioner – Introduction
Are you passionate about working with other people and to help make a difference? The 2-year program gives you insight into Gestalt methodology, while you work with your own personal development.
It gives you solid personal and professional skills that you can use both privately and in your job.
It was Laura and Frederick Perls, who, from the 1940s onwards, developed what was to become Gestalt methodology.
About Gestalt Therapy and Methodology
Gestalt therapy was introduced in the Nordic countries in the late 60´s. The original American approach and style has through the years been heavily influenced by the Nordic culture and existential tradition. Nordic Gestalt therapy has nowadays developed a balanced approach of respect, empathy and clarity in the relational, dialogical meeting between persons.
The three elements in Gestalt Therapy are:
- The Meta theory, that builds on Existentialism.
- The theory, that builds on Gestalt Psychology, Field Theory, Developmental Psychology,
Social- and Clinical Psychology. - The method, that builds on the Phenomenological Method.
Gestalt Practitioner is the first two years of the 4-year program
Gestalt Practitioner corresponds to the first two years of the 4-year program to become a Psychotherapist or Consultant and Coach. You are all in connection to the same team as those who will have the long education. Therefore you get the same high level and the same requirements for your active participation. Even though there is no certification for a Gestalt Practitioner, the program you are on is certified if you decide to continue and take all 4 years.
Gestalt Practitioner – Details
The overall Purpose, Goals and Objectives for GIS:
- To develop and maintain training programs of high international standard and professionalism
- To encourage the students to achieve personal development as individuals, therapists and leaders
- To train highly skilled and professionally competent clinical Gestalt psychotherapists and/or
Organizational Consultants who are compatible with the highest international standards - To ensure deep personal integration of theory, practice and ethics
First Year. Seminar 1-5
Purpose and goal: To provide the students with basic knowledge about Gestalt principles, – methodology and therapeutic practice – the philosophical, theoretical and therapeutic directions that has influenced Gestalt. To put emphasis on the student’s personal development and emerging integration.
- Intensive personal development
- Basic notions and theory of Gestalt
- Gestalt therapy’s history, development and place in society
- Developmental psychology and personality formation
- Individual therapy and self-reflection
- Oral examination in Gestalt principles and methodology
- Written work: Auto biography describing own personal development and connecting to Gestalt
terminology and methodology - Evaluation process where the evaluation tools are introduced and integrated
Seminar 1: Establishing the group.
Introduction to Gestalt psychotherapy: Awareness, Here-and-now, Responsibility, Contact, Resistances. The roots of Gestalt – a historic overview. September
Seminar 2: Body work in Gestalt.
The hidden resources of the body. Retroflection, body awareness, figure-ground, unfinished business. Focus on developmental psychology. November
Seminar 3: The roots of Gestalt: Existentialism and Zen.
Choice and responsibility. Awareness processes and the connection to Existentialism and Zen. February
Seminar 4: Confluence and dependency.
Basic field theory and attachment theory. Group dynamics and process work, encounter. April
Seminar 5: Examination and evaluation.
Gestalt theory related to own development and personality. The roots of Gestalt: Psychodrama and creativity. Gestalt work with autobiography. June
During the first year of training the student integrates the basic theory of Gestalt. In the written autobiography, the student integrates her Gestalt perspective documenting her deep understanding and integration of own process.
Hours first year
| 1st year | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Interview and test feedback | Intake 1st year | 3 | hours | Intake conditions | 3 | 4 |
| Training seminars | 1 x 7 days | 51 | hours | Including 2 days in weekends | 51 | 68 |
| Training seminars | 4 x 6 days | 168 | hours | Including 8 days in weekends | 156 | 208 |
| Study group (P-T-O) | 10 x 1 day | 75 | In weekends | 75 | 100 | |
| Ind. therapy/study counseling | Min. 20 +2 hour | 22 | Individually appointed | 22 | 29 | |
| Personal preference (relevant training) | 27 | hours | Individually arranged | 27 | 36 | |
| Additional training | 1 x 7 days | 51 | hours | Optional (68 lessons) | (51) | (68) |
| Written essay; Autobiography | During 1st year | |||||
| Examination in group | End of year | 1 | hour | Gestalt Methodology | ||
| Evaluation in group | End of year | 2 | days | Included in the study | ||
| Time of study – 1st year | 334 | 445 | ||||
| Optional Training | (51) | (68) |
Second Year. Seminar 6-10 + Supervision option 1 – 2.
Purpose and goal: To continue personal development with increasing integration. To deepen knowledge about the fundamental psychological and therapeutic theories and methods of Gestalt and to provide knowledge about the roots of Gestalt (Existentialism (Kirkegaard, Yalom, Spinelli), Gestalt Psychology, Psychodrama (Moreno), Psychoanalysis (Freud), Body oriented therapy (Reich and Lowen). To integrate ethics in the work with Gestalt methods, principles and techniques. To understand and integrate how the emotional Gestalt approach connects to the existential Doing and Being.
- Continued personal development with emphasis on relational work starting with the group process and group dynamics
- Deepened work with communication skills and conflict resolution (encounter)
- Training in basic skills (Person-Therapist-Observer work)
- Integrate understanding of and skills in working with the basic theories, concepts and methods in Bioenergetics, Psychodrama, Existentialism, Psychoanalysis, Zen etc.
- Oral examination in the fundamental psychotherapeutic theories and how they connect to Gestalt theory, approach and practice
- Basic knowledge about other psychotherapeutic methods and their connection to Gestalt therapy.
- Written work about how one of the fundamental psychotherapeutic theories and how it has influenced Gestalt theory, approach and practice
- Evaluation process where the student´s readiness personally, relationally and professionally is assessed. The process determines whether the student is accepted to the third year of training or is recommended another second year.
Training Seminar 6: Psychodrama and creativity in Gestalt, continued.
Confluence, dependency and co-dependency in couples and families. Dialogical work. Relational work, encounter, conflict resolution in systems and in organizations. Field theory and practice. September
Training Seminar 7: Bodywork in Gestalt. Gestalt and Bioenergetics.
Creative work with dreams and fantasy. Deep integration Gestalt work individually and in the group with body awareness as a key issue. Developmental psychology in connection to the body. November
Training Seminar 8: Gestalt methods and techniques – in clinical work and in development work.
Psychopathology in theory and practice. Boundaries and contact. Ethics. February
Training Seminar 9: Gender issues: Sexuality and sensuality related to own personality.
Ethics and boundaries. Couple therapy, Gestalt work with families and systems. April
Training Seminar 10: Examination, evaluation and Gestalt work with the roots.
Transition to the 3rd and 4th year. Supervision and action plans. June
Voluntary Work, Client Supervision
Supervision on client work. 60 hours. Voluntary work with clients 1. Transition to becoming a therapist. The student organizes therapeutic practicum/work under supervision in an organization in cooperation with GIS. Individually planned. Through last part of the training year
During the last part of the second year the student writes an essay describing one of “the Roots of Gestalt” and how that root has influenced Gestalt therapy and terminology. At the end of the year there is an oral examination in the roots/the basic theories of Gestalt.
Hours second year
| 2st year | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Training seminars | 1 x 7 days | 51 | hours | Including 2 days in weekends | 51 | 68 |
| Training seminars | 4 x 6 days | 156 | hours | Including 6 days in weekends 156 208 | 156 | 208 |
| Study group (P-T-O) | 10 x 1 day | 75 | hours | In weekends 75 100 | 75 | 100 |
| Ind. therapy/study counseling | Min. 20 +2 | 22 | hours | Individually appointed 22 29 | 22 | 29 |
| Personal preference and choice | 27 | hours | Individually arranged 27 36 | 27 | 36 | |
| Additional training, Practicum | 1 x 7 days | 51 | hours | Optional (68 lessons) (51) (68) | (51) | (68) |
| Voluntary work under supervision | External | 60 | hours | Clinical Supervised Experience (60) (80) | (60) | (80) |
| Written task: Roots of Gestalt | During 2nd year | |||||
| Examination | End of year 1,5 | 1,5 | hour in pairs | Roots of Gestalt (2 St.hrs.) 1,5 h -> | 2 | 2 |
| Evaluation for entering 3rd year | End of year | 2 | days | Included in the study | ||
| Time of study – 2nd Year | 333 | 443 | ||||
| Optional Training and Supervision | (111) | (148) |
Overall content for both 2-year and 4-year training program
The Study plan for the 2-year Gestalt Practitioner education is identical to the first 2 years of the Study plan for the 4-year education for Clinical Psychotherapist or Organizational Consultant.
The training programs are experiential, theoretical, and practical. The study program is divided into 2 parts. 1st part of 2 years and a 2nd part of 2 years with duration of 4 ½ years altogether including a ½ year of pre-training. Each year the student concludes by an evaluation, an oral examination and a written work. The total minimum of the Training Program for all 4 years is 1639 hours of 60 minutes or 2185 study hours of 45 minutes. Individual study, self-reflection and written tasks are estimated extra 900 hrs./1200st.hrs.
The Gestalt program for both 2 and 4-year program includes
- Intensive personal development work in theory and in practice, integrating Gestalt Theory,
principles and methodology - Experience and training in working with the client´s change process in the mental health area
- Personal and professional leadership training
- Specialization within Clinical Psychotherapy 3rd and 4th year
- Specialization within Organizational Consulting and Counselling, 3rd and 4th year
- Direct and indirect supervision
- Theoretical and practical experience with most significant other psychotherapeutic theories
and methodologies - Clinical work with individual clients and with groups under intensive direct and indirect
supervision. (Min. 450 hours)
Gestalt Practitioner – Requirements
Both our 2 and 4-year programs require that you already have a basic and relevant professional education, knowledge and practice. Many pedagogues, therapists, leaders and other professionals have this. Otherwise, you can attend one of our 120-hour basic courses. Contact us and together we can assess whether your experience is sufficient to get directly into the program.
If you want to continue after the first two years and educate yourself for either Clinical Gestalt Psychotherapist or Organisation Consultant and Coach there are additional requirements you must meet. See all requirements here.
General requirements
In addition, there are a number of general requirements for admission to the 2-year program:
- Undergone Gestalt development in groups or individually corresponding to a minimum of 120 hours (60 minutes).
- Minimum 26 years of age.
- Working experience with other people, organizations, or other relevant areas. Applicants to the clinical specialization have to have or get sufficient clinical and theoretical and clinical experience and knowledge before entering the 2nd part of the Training Program. Applicants working within theatre, music, sculpturing, painting etc. are accepted to the organizational program.
- Theoretical studies in developmental and clinical psychology is required before entering the 3rd year of training.
- Personal interview.
- Personality test and test-review. Agreement is made on areas of development within personal development, theory, clinical experience according to background.
Gestalt Practitioner – Dates and Price
Applications for the Training Programs are being accepted now.
Next study start is in September 2025 – Application deadline is August 18th 2025.
See prices for training and accommodation here.
1. year
| Description | Date |
|---|---|
| Seminar 1: Establishing the group. | September |
| Seminar 2: Body work in Gestalt. | November |
| Seminar 3: The roots of Gestalt. | February |
| Seminar 4: Confluence and dependency. | April |
| Seminar 5: Examination and evaluation. | June |
2. year
| Description | Date |
|---|---|
| Seminar 6: Psychodrama and creativity in Gestalt, continued. | September |
| Seminar 7: Bodywork in Gestalt. Gestalt and Bioenergetics. Awareness as a key issue. | November |
| Seminar 8: Gestalt methods and techniques. | February |
| Seminar 9: Gender issues: Sexuality and sensuality related to own personality | April |
| Seminar 10: Examination, evaluation and Gestalt work with the roots. Transition to the 3rd and 4th year. | June |
| Voluntary Work. Client Supervision Through last part of the training year. |
Want to hear more about our education?
Start your new life journey now.