Audience
These seminars are aimed at practising Gestalt therapists (or advanced level students) who are interested in learning about or deepening their knowledge of the contemporary relational approach to Gestalt therapy and the clinical applications of field theory, phenomenology and theory of Self, in a peer group context. The groups are in English and usually include people from different countries and with very diverse backgrounds and experiences. This gives the meetings a great richness.
What is it about
The psychotherapeutic approach offered is framed within the current developments in Gestalt therapy, which are anchored in what was called “East Coast” Gestalt therapy at the end of the 20th century, and which today extends its branches into areas such as, for example, Gestalt-oriented psychopathology or Developmental Somatic Psychotherapy (DSP), the approach to work with body movement created by Dr. Ruella Frank.
The aim of these seminars is to present a way of conceiving therapeutic work and supervision based on these approaches, from their roots to the most current conceptions. The commitment to attend the seminars is proposed on a four-monthly basis, for four meetings that take place approximately once a month. The seminars are reopened every four months to incorporate new members and to fill any vacancies. There is no fixed agenda for the seminars, but we adapt to the needs of the group, at the theoretical, supervisory and group process levels.
My motivation for this proposal comes from the great support I have found in my work as a psychotherapist, and also as a teacher and a musician, in the solid theoretical approach to human relationships that I have found in the theory of Gestalt therapy. As the famous phrase attributed to Kurt Lewin, the psychologist and creator of social field theory, says, “there is nothing more practical than a good theory”.
My contribution to these seminars draws on my training and experience as a gestalt therapist, psychologist and DSP therapist and supervisor, my experience of more than 20 years as a University lecturer, my active participation in the field of international gestalt therapy (attending congresses and participating in national and international associations) and my own work in writing and publishing in the field of Gestalt psychotherapy. (You can find more details about me at the bottom of this page).
Some of the topics that may be of interest throughout these seminars are:
- field theory and the relational approach,
- shame in psychotherapy,
- the uncertainty of the therapist,
- the concept of support,
- psychopathology based on a field and relational approach,
- aesthetic diagnosis in psychotherapy,
- corporeality and movement according to DSP,
- inclusive and exclusive aggression,
- democratic and abusive relationships,
- Gestalt therapy as situational therapy.
Some authors of reference for these seminars: Laura Perls, Paul Goodman, Jean-Marie Robine, Margherita Spagnuolo, Lynne Jacobs, Dan Bloom, Gary Yontef, Ruella Frank, Frank-M. Staemmler, Philip Lichtenberg, Ximo Tárrega, Gianni Francesetti, Jan Roubal, Georges Wollants.
Teaching methodology
These seminars will be structured a “didactic supervision” in which there will be both theoretical explanations and work on the participants’ own experience and cases. The aim is to help connect practice with theory and theory with practice. Another important goal is that the group becomes a source of mutual support for participants.
The group will address questions that arise for the participants related to their own work as therapists and their own cases. Depending on the needs of the group, we will work with different teaching methodologies:
- Case supervision from a field perspective with the help of the group.
- Presentation of key theoretical concepts and discussion.
- Experiential therapeutic experiences in the group.
- Readings of articles.
- Demonstration sessions and analysis of the sessions.
The meetings will be held via Zoom videoconferences which will be video-recorded. They will be available to participants privately so that they can review the sessions or listen to them if they have not been able to attend one of them.
We have an online learning platform, with private access, where students will find the reading materials and a discussion forum to keep in touch between sessions.
Dates and times
The groups will work organically on the topics that arise from the active participation of the participants. The participation commitment is 4 sessions. Sessions are approximately once a month and last 2 hours.
Every four-month period a new call for 4 new sessions will be opened (September-December season, January-April season, May-July season). Enrolment is for one season at a time. Once the term is over, those who wish may leave the group or continue in the following term. New people will only be accepted into the groups at the beginning of each term.
The group meets on Wednesdays, one a month (approximately), from 16:00 to 18:00, Valencia time, Spain, Central European Time (CET).
IMPORTANT NOTICE: Participants in the group may live in different time zones. The time of the meeting may change in the different time zones as a consequence of the changes to winter or summer time which do not always take place on the same day in all countries. The reference will always be CET time.
Dates for 2022:
- September 28
- October 19
- November 23
- December 21
Price and registration
Participation in the group implies a commitment for the 4 sessions. The total price will be 120€. Payments can be made by credit card through our web payment platform. However, it is necessary to contact David before registering to make sure that there are still places available in the group.
The start of the seminar is conditional on the number of registrations being sufficient. The reservation fee and course fee will be refunded in case the seminar does not take place. If the seminar starts and a person who has registered decides not to attend the seminar, the reservation fee will not be refunded.
For more information, please contact David at david@terapiados.net.
About the trainer
- Gestalt therapist by the Institut Français de Gestalt-thérapie with Jean-Marie Robine and Ximo Tàrrega.
- Faculty member at Terapiados Formación and Centre Gestalt València.
- Psychologist in private practice at Terapiados in Valencia, Spain. https://terapiados.net
- Certified trainer and supervisor in Developmental Somatic Psychotherapy (DSP). DSP is an approach to body movement based on gestalt therapy and developed by Dr. Ruella Frank.
- PhD in Computer Science, specialising in natural language processing.
- Professor (now on leave of absence) at the Polytechnic University of Valencia with 23 years of teaching experience, research experience and experience in directing projects and doctoral theses.
- Vice-president of the European Association of Gestalt Therapy (EAGT).
- Full member and supervisor of the Spanish Association of Gestalt Therapy (AETG).
- Associate member of the New York Institute for Gestalt Therapy (NYIGT).
- Co-founder and team member of gestaltnet.net, the most important online resource on Gestalt therapy in Spanish.
- Classically trained pianist and singer. Specialised in voice therapy and artistic expression.
Read more
You can consult David’s profile (in Spanish) on terapiados.net: https://terapiados.net/psicologo-psicoterapeuta/david-pico
Publications
On the Experience of Being Seen Doing, an article on stage fright and social phobia. Published in 2022 in the American journal Gestalt Review.
Internet-mediated Gestalt Therapy, co-authored with Heather Keyes and Béatrice Valantin. Published in 2022 in the British Gestalt Journal.
The here now: internet-mediated gestalt therapy. Published in 2022 in the journal of the Spanish Association of Gestalt Therapy. (In Spanish)
An introduction to gestalt therapy. Notes for a university course on gestalt therapy. (In Spanish) https://gestaltnet.net/gestaltoteca/documentos/articulos/introduccion-terapia-gestalt
Voice and expression, a gestalt approach. Dissertation for access to full membership of AETG. Available online (in Spanish): https://gestaltnet.net/gestaltoteca/documentos/tesinas-tesis-doctorales/voz-expresion-enfoque-gestaltico
La voz en psicoterapia. Published in Revista Cuadernos Gestalt. Nº 4. December 2013. Online version: https://gestaltnet.net/gestaltoteca/documentos/articulos/voz-psicoterapia. Published in English under the title The voice in psychotherapy in New Gestalt Voices, 2, 2018.
La voz y la expresión desde conceptos fundamentales de la terapia Gestalt [Voice and expression from fundamental concepts of Gestalt therapy.], Gestalt México, January, 2018. Available here: AMPG | GESTALT (gestaltmexico.org)
Learn more
More extensive list of publications available online for therapists (in Spanish): Picó Vila, David | Gestaltnet
You can also see other articles on psychology and psychotherapy more informative and aimed at the general public, in the “Articles” tab of the page https://terapiados.net/psicoterapeutas/david-pico-vila
