The Bali group relaxing at Karsa Spa, post massage!
My new Passion! Women’s groups
I’m really feeling the excitement of developing a business. I never thought I would use that B word, but here it is… and it’s so much FUN! So…I’ve been a GP forever and have longed for new and better ways to engage with folk, less time constrained and more present, a true healing relationship. In medicine we have glimpses of this, I call it speed dating. Since qualifying as a Gestalt therapist ten years ago, I first started a low key business at home which has run by word of mouth alone, seeing individuals and couples for therapy….I kind of hid under a rock, where people had to dig around to find me…but momentum has built over the years and new, exciting ideas for connection and growth have emerged which are now making me get visible and fearless.
Becoming a Groupie
I always knew that groups were where my energy and passion lay. The connection, depth of sharing and wisdom in a group is a delight, it is like wind under my wings. Watching the interconnectedness develop, the trust and generosity of individuals in group, the falling away of advice giving and competitiveness as it is replaced with trust, courage, authentic sharing and self confidence, is like magic. We are all different, yet we share a common, golden humanity, and when we describe our deepest experiences to others, it creates profound resonance and connection. Look at those gorgeous kittens in the picture, no two are alike. For most of us, our feelings of difference and brokenness becomes a source of self-criticism and shame. Group is about understanding that we all share a common vulnerability and celebrating our individual difference. We begin to treasure what each individual brings, hearing the truth for each of us and blowing up the projections and assumptions which keep us shamed. A rich group values each members contribution and takes on a life of its own as the wisdom of the group emerges.
The Power of Women’s Group
The first group in Stanthorpe, May 2018
‘The whole is different from the sum of its parts’
Not sure who said that but it is widely quoted in Gestalt circles. Something magical arises in a group as it starts to cook and becomes so much more than the sum of all individuals present. Every group is different. The sharing of authentic experience creates a deep level of connection and trust. I often discover in women’s group that I am not alone in my feelings, and this support is affirming, allowing me to more deeply accept myself- a lesson requiring multiple repetition! But the richness of group is multifaceted, we learn from each other through modelling, sharing, observing, and in becoming part of a cohesive group. I can be noticed, show up, be heard, be visible and be received. This, unfortunately, is a rare experience for most of us.
A Complex Web
This work offers the complex web of interconnected relationships and perspectives which arise in any group. It naturally echoes our orientation and experience with family, work and friendship groups, but is a privileged space where communication and connection are the goal, not the means to an end. This means we can all learn and experiment with new ways of bringing ourselves as the group forms and deepens, and take our learnings back to our various worlds. Your world outside group will be changed for the better as you step out of your comfort zone and into celebrating yourself and your contribution.
Building Awareness
Most of us can recognise familiar patterns where we feel stuck and lifeless, these are nearly always relational, and the healing power of the group is in offering a new context within which to experiment and create new behaviours. Excited?? I am! This is how group work creates the vibrant, excited energy which I know so well and love so much! We are social beings and need good contact and connection in order to flourish, however our difficult paradox is that relationship also involves risk. As a Gestalt therapist I know that support is required for growth and this is the piece that a facilitated Gestalt group provides, a supported environment in which to explore self and other, experiment with new ways of being and take these skills back to your life space.
Growth- The Ultimate Goal!
As a result of participating in group, you will get closer to yourself, deepen and expand your inner landscape and have a firmer base from which to be with others. You will discover more choice in your response to life and build a bigger repertoire with which to engage with the world. This strengthening of self and relationship is the key piece that we seek, to bring vitality, joy and spontaneity back to life. Group work for me is about shifting gears from health to wellness, bringing back a sparkle in my life, noticing my adaptations to contact which can leave me lifeless and dull….and doing something about them with a group of like minded people.
New Groups Starting!
This year I will be changing the way my groups run. Groups need commitment for transformation to happen, both commitment to the group and to your own self growth. New groups starting throughout the year will come together for 6 months, meeting once a month for 2 hours. Commitment to all 6 meetings is required and size will be limited to 6 people to ensure a held, supported, intimate space. I can’t wait to work with you to create support, awareness and connection in your life!
If you are interested in joining a group like this which will nourish and support you in your family, work and personal endeavours, contact me here.
I love watching my clients blossom as they drop the stories they have been telling themselves, replacing old patterns with new, more vibrant ways of living.