I am a psychotherapist, so it could be said I am biased. I do think
that some kind of pschotherapy training is necessary for most people
to practice constellation work.
Because constellation work has an intuitive and coud be said
spiritual dimension, I think someone who has done a great deal of
personal work - psychologically and spiritually, will be in a better
position to be able to work with others.
Psychotherapy training - if its really worth anything - involves
extensive personal work. It may be focused on the psychological, but
generally also ends up developing people's subtler sensibilities in
the process. I think that the kind of skills and knowledge associated
with psychotherapy are parallel with those required for constellation
work. There are also a few skills, which are present in therapy,
which are required to be futher developed in constellation work - a
certain ability to tune into and work with the field. Therapies which
are exclusively individiual and intrapsychic may not be so tuned into
this level. But still, having developed the abiliity to work with
individuals, there is generally some solid ground there.
People who have not done this kind of training could still do good
constellation work, due to the intiuitive factor, and the fact that
the knowledge base of CW can be learned without attending a course,
but by reading the books and attending many workshops.
However, I think its rediculous to say that someone with 3 or 4 years
intensive training in self awareness, the skills of working with
others, and the knowledge base that goes with that, is not really
more equipped than someone who does not have such preparation. On a
few occasions this may be true, but for someone to do constellation
work without some kind of equivalent preparation to psychotherapy
trainig is I think dangerous in some ways. Simply attending a bunch
of constellation workshops is not I believe an equivalent.
This said, it also has to be recognised that someone doing a 5 year
masters degree in psychology in Australia has virtually no
preparation for the actual clinical skills of working with people,
and virtually no personal self development work is required. So
someone can be registered as a psychologist, with plenty of book
knowlege, without the therapeutic skills. So I would draw a
distinction there as well, and say what is required is therapeutic
training, not just psychological licensure.
I know this is a hot topic of discussion in the constellation world,
and that lists of skills and necessary knowledge are being drawn up.
I do think there is a danger, as there is in Australia with
counselling, that someone can do a few workshops, read a few books,
and think they have sufficient preparation, claim they have the
required skills, but not have the real depth of professional acumen
that will provide a more solid background to the work.
Vinay
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Northern Rivers Gestalt Institute
15 Coleman St, Lismore,
NSW, 2480 Australia
Ph/Fax (02) 66 213 911
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Perceive all conflicts as patterns of energy seeking a harmonious
balance in a whole."
Dhyani Ywhoo, Etoway Cherokee
* GESTALT training in the Northern Rivers:
http://www.gestalt.org.au
* GANZ (Gestalt Australia And New Zealand):
http://www.ganz.org.au
* Prout - an alternative socio-economic vision:
http://www.prout.org
* Follow your life-dream - excellent support from Barbara Sher:
http://www.barbarasher.com
* Health and Healing in Cebu:
http://www.amwellness.org
* Online Gestalt course:
http://www.zurinstitute.com/gestaltcourse.html
