Dan Bloom, JD, LCSW

I am starting a new online seminar this spring. "An Introduction to Phenomenology for Gestalt Therapists and Gestalt Therapy as a Clinical Phenomenology." This is an introduction to phenomenology for gestalt therapists and to gestalt therapy as a clinical phenomenology. The seminar is a fresh look at gestalt therapy itself. ... This 12-week online seminar is in two parts. Part One is an introduction to phenomenology for gestalt therapists. Part Two describes gestalt therapy as a clinical phenomenology. It meets every third week. It begins in March 2019. Part One focuses on basic ideas from phenomenological philosophy that are relevant to relevant to gestalt therapy from Husserl, Heidegger, Merleau-Ponty, Levinas and those influenced by them. Some ideas covered will be the phenomenal field, the epoché (bracketing),the reduction, intentionality, Dasein, temporality, being-toward-death, the body and lived-body, lifeworld, chiasm, dialogue, and the Other. These will be introduced in an understandable and useful manner. Part Two describes gestalt theory as a clinical phenomenology by bringing the ideas in Part One into our gestalt theory and practice. Emphasis will be on concrete case material and the pragmatic application of phenomenological theory. The 12-session onlineseminar is $720. Each part is $360 USD. Partial scholarships are available. Details are on my website, www.danbloomnyc.com. Contact me at [email protected]. A lecture by me on phenomenology and gestalt therapy (July 2018) is at https://vimeo.com/309490918 and www.youtube.com/user/djbnyc. --

This is a link to a video of my July lecture at the GATA (Gestalt Associates of Los Angeles) Residential in Serock, Poland. https://vimeo.com/309490918

" Phenomenology and Gestalt therapy: An Introduction" This webinar is both an introduction to the philosophical concepts of phenomenology and to contemporary relational gestalt therapy as a clinical phenomenology. By studying the thinking of major figures in the field of phenomenology and then various contemporary gestalt therapists, we see how the synergistic interaction between phenomenology and gestalt therapy theory and practice opens contemporary gestalt ther...apy in new directions and underscores gestalt therapy as a clinical phenomenology. All of this is discussed in terms of our clinical practice This webinar is in two 6-session parts. Part One is an introduction to phenomenology. We focus on some basic ideas of Husserl, Heidegger, Merleau-Ponty, Buber, and Levinas that are relevant to gestalt therapy theory and practice. In an introductory way, we look at the phenomenal field, epoché, intentionality, Dasein, temporality, lived-body, life-world, chiasm, dialogue, and the other. Part Two explicitly addresses the influence phenomenological concepts from Part One have on gestalt therapy’s contemporary relational theory and practice. We read and discuss writings by selected contemporary gestalt therapists, including myself, which have added to gestalt therapy theory and practice such concepts as intentionality of contacting, the aesthetic of contact, the phenomenal field, the gestalt epoché, and the other-as-alien, among others. Basic concepts of gestalt therapy are looked at through a phenomenological lens. Concrete references to our clinical practices are always made. Each part consists of six sessions that meet every third week. Part One may be taken alone but is a prerequisite for Part Two. Anyone interested only in Part Two and already sufficiently familiar with phenomenology, as covered in Part One, may take it separately. The webinar is appropriate for experienced gestalt therapists and intermediate to advanced trainees. The 12-sesson seminar is $720 USD. Each Part is $360 USD. I expect to begin this seminar in Fall, 2018. I also offer this as a seminar in New York City. Consult my website (www.danbloomnyc.com) for details of my background, experience, writings, and other trainings. You can contact me from the website or directly at [email protected] to register for this webinar or if you would like further information.

I am offering the following webinar in Spanish to begin in October.. WEBINAR CON TRADUCCIÓN AL ESPAÑOL El self relacional: Perspectivas fenomenológicas contemporáneas en terapia gestalt ... Dirigido a psicoterapeutas con un nivel de experiencia medio y avanzado, con traducción al español. Este webinario de 8 sesiones de 90 minutos trata sobre el self relacional visto desde el modelo de 1951 publicado en Terapia Gestalt: Excitación y crecimiento de la personalidad humana, de Perls, Hefferline y Goodman (PHG) Leeremos y discutiremos con detalle secciones seleccionadas del PHG para que los participantes puedan llegar a una comprensión clara del modelo de 1951. Compararemos y contrastaremos esta teoría original con varios puntos de vista contemporáneos sobre la teoría/práctica desde una perspectiva relacional. Una parte esencial de este webinar es de qué manera la teoría/práctica de la terapia gestalt se aplica en nuestro trabajo clínico. Se animará a los miembros a aportar ejemplos clínicos propios para su discusión. Este webinar es una oportunidad de aprender el modelo original del PHG de 1951. Objetivos de aprendizaje El webinar se centrará sobre la teoría original y cómo la teoría/práctica de la terapia gestalt se ha desarrollado a lo largo de los años hasta una perspectiva relacional y cómo sus conceptos clave han cambiado y siguen cambiando. Estos conceptos incluyen: el campo organismo-entorno la frontera-contacto la secuencia de contacto el proceso del self y sus funciones el ajuste-creativo la estética del contacto el diagnóstico gestáltico la terapia gestalt como fenomenología clínica Este webinar es apropiado para practicantes con una experiencia media y avanzados. Lo dirijo con traducción del inglés al español. El webinar se graba. Las grabaciones de las sesiones quedan a disposición de los participantes. El día y hora está por convenir. La tarifa es de 540 dólares USA. Pueden contactar conmigo en [email protected].

This is an announcement for one of my webinars that is accepting new members. My webinars have members from many different countries. "New Aspects in Contemporary Gestalt Therapy from a Relational Perspective" (Webinar in progress)... This 8-session, 90-minute bi-weekly webinar focuses on the relational perspective in gestalt therapy as it developed from the original 1951 model in "Gestalt Therapy: Excitement and Growth in the Human Personality," by Perls, Hefferline, and Goodman (PHG). Selected sections of PHG are read and critically discussed so that participants get a clear understanding of the 1951 model from a present relational perspective. We see how the core ideas today are different from those in that original model. Gestalt therapy approaches based on the PHG model have been changing to maintain their relevance to changing clinical situations and society. The original theory is compared and contrasted with various contemporary views of theory/practice represented by different gestalt therapists, whose articles we also read and discuss. The emphasis in the seminar is on new models of gestalt therapy that arise from the critical examination of the original theory and relating it to our present situation. We draw on such fields as phenomenology to discover innovative ways to approach our work. Novel concepts that I have developed such as the aesthetic of contacting, the relational function of self, intentionalities, and gestalt therapy as a clinical phenomenology, will be discussed. How gestalt therapy theory/practice applies to our actual clinical work is an essential part of this webinar. Members are encouraged to bring clinical examples into the discussion. The webinar is both didactic and interactive. Learning objectives Our focus is on the original theory, how it has changed, and how gestalt therapy theory/practice continues to develop within its relational perspective. Among the concepts we critically explore are: organism/environment field contact-boundary sequence of contacting self process and the relational function creative-adjusting aesthetic of contacting intentionalities of contacting gestalt therapy as a clinical phenomenology General Information More information about me is on my website, www.danbloomnyc.com. The webinar is appropriate to intermediate to advanced practitioners. The webinar is recorded. The recording is available to members to download for their own use. The time and day is to be arranged to accomodate different time zones. The fee is $540 USD. Contact me at [email protected] or through the link on my website. I currently offer this seminar in Spanish (with a translator) and will offer it in other languages (if I find a translator).