Key details
Dates | Thursday 20 and Friday 21 March, 9.30am to 4.30pm
Duration | 2 days
Location | Elie, Gestalt Centre Training Campus, 27 Royal Parade Parkville, VIC 3052
Fee | $700 (includes GST)
Facilitators | Leanne O'Shea and Tony Jackson
About this event
Join experienced relational Gestalt therapists and group facilitators Leanne O’Shea and Tony Jackson for a two-day workshop exploring the essence of group work through a Gestalt lens. This introductory module offers insights and skills to bring vitality, depth, and clarity to your experience of working in groups and/or leading groups.
Group process is central to gestalt. Our gestalt teaching approach, developed at the Gestalt Centre, uniquely values the power of lateral learning, where knowledge and growth emerge organically and experimentally within group interactions. This workshop reveals the gestalt methodology embedded in our program, equipping participants' language and structure to understand group dynamics, while also providing the space for "something to happen"—and then exploring that experience in depth.
What you can expect
The purpose and benefits of working in groups
This segment explores the purpose and impact of group work in therapeutic, professional, and community settings. Participants will examine how group processes foster connection, challenge limiting beliefs, and promote growth through the interplay of individual and collective experiences. The session highlights how group dynamics can enhance awareness, trust, and relational change, offering unique opportunities for personal, professional and organisational transformation.
Establishing a group
This segment provides practical guidance on laying the foundation for effective group dynamics. Participants will explore how to create a safe and inclusive space where trust, collaboration, and meaningful connections can develop. Key topics include setting clear goals, establishing shared agreements, and fostering a sense of belonging among group members.
The session also covers strategies for balancing structure with flexibility, ensuring the group has enough guidance to function effectively while remaining open to the unique needs and contributions of its members. Participants will learn tools for managing group energy, addressing challenges early, and cultivating a supportive relational field that enables the group to thrive.
Contracting and first meetings
We explore and practice strategies for setting the tone, establishing boundaries, and fostering connection from the very beginning.
We will balance theory with practical tools for therapists, facilitators, counsellors, and anyone involved in group dynamics. As a standalone module, it offers a comprehensive introduction to gestalt-informed group work, while also serving as the potential first step in a deeper series of trainings.
Why choose this workshop
Rooted in relational gestalt theory, this workshop emphasises a compassionate, authentic approach that honours each group member's unique contribution and presence. Together, we’ll frame group work in ways that enhance awareness, trust, and meaningful connection, creating space for genuine interactions and the chance to process them in the moment—leading to both personal and collective transformation.
Who should attend
This workshop is ideal for anyone seeking to deepen their understanding of group facilitation. By combining experiential learning with relational theory, it provides essential tools for working effectively in group settings.
This workshop is applicable to a wide variety of fields, including:
- Therapists and counsellors: professionals seeking to enhance their understanding and facilitation of group dynamics in therapeutic settings.
- Educators and trainers: teachers, lecturers, and workshop leaders who wish to create engaging, collaborative learning environments.
- Healthcare professionals: nurses, social workers, and other practitioners managing group interactions in clinical or community settings.
- Team leaders and managers: those responsible for fostering effective communication, collaboration, and trust within teams.
- Community workers and activists: facilitators of community programs or grassroots initiatives who aim to build cohesion and shared purpose.
- Corporate facilitators and coaches: professionals leading team-building exercises, leadership development, or organizational change initiatives.
- Students and interns: individuals in training who want to develop foundational skills for working in or leading groups.
- Creative and arts practitioners: artists, performers, and creative facilitators using group work for collaboration and expression.
Join us for this two-day introductory workshop and learn how to navigate and enhance group dynamics effectively.
About your facilitators
Leanne O'Shea
DPsych, BTheol., MSc, FellowMGANZ
Leanne O'Shea is a psychotherapist, supervisor and educator. She studied the Gestalt approach in Melbourne and London.
In addition to her private practice work, she holds a number of teaching positions, including the Director of Training at Gestalt Therapy Australia. She is also an Associate with Relational Change in the UK.
She is interested in creating greater awareness of and sensitivity to our relational responsibility and is particularly passionate about the place of sexuality and the erotic within the therapeutic relationship.
Tony Jackson
B.Theol, BA.Psych, GradDip.Counselling, AdvDip.Gestalt Therapy, GradDip.Supervision, M.GANZ
Tony is a psychotherapist, facilitator and coach with over 20 years of experience. Tony works with people to support resilience and wellbeing and helps them develop a sense of vitality and choice in their lives. He provides supervision for psychotherapists which assists them to deepen their own personal and professional capacities. Tony also provides training for individuals and groups that focuses on building responsiveness to individual and group needs in emergent situations.
About the Gestalt Centre
The Gestalt Centre is the heart of Melbourne’s Gestalt community. We offer a four-year psychotherapy training program through Gestalt Therapy Australia, staying true to the experiential roots of Gestalt while embracing cutting-edge developments in contemporary Gestalt thinking and practice worldwide.
We also operate ConnectGround, a community-based counselling and psychotherapy clinic. ConnectGround serves as both a training facility for psychotherapists and a provider of low-cost individual and group therapy for clients. The clinic emphasises the therapeutic relationship between client and therapist as a key support for building awareness and adaptability. Psychotherapy interns and volunteers gain valuable hands-on experience, enhancing their skills and professionalism through client work.
