28 Dec 2024

2025 Books: Working with Groups

 

2025 Books: Working with Groups




GROUP WORK by Yaro Starak

This book is for individuals who want to develop experiential skills and process models in working with groups. Here you will find numerous group facilitation examples, art therapy exercises, ideas, and experiments that will provide you, the reader, with many creative tools. Based on the author’s extensive group facilitation teaching at Universities in Canada, Europe, and Australia, as well as offering experiential group facilitation workshops all over the world, this book is an excellent and rich resource for those wishing to build and develop their group process skills.

Group Work with Art Therapy Exercises.

Printed Book (only)

Buy here a copy

(Shipping cost not included, you will see the shipping costs during the purchase)

Combining Gestalt therapy principles with art therapy can be a powerful and effective approach when working with groups in leadership, Gestalt Therapy, or counselling settings. Both Gestalt therapy and art therapy emphasize experiential and creative processes, making them valuable tools to foster self-awareness, personal growth, and group dynamics. 

Here's how this integrated approach can be beneficial:

  1. Enhancing self-expression: Art therapy allows group members to express themselves non-verbally, which can be particularly helpful for individuals who find it challenging to communicate their emotions or thoughts verbally. This enhances self-expression and encourages group members to share their experiences more openly.
  2. Facilitating exploration of emotions: Gestalt therapy encourages individuals to fully experience their emotions in the present moment. Art therapy can serve as a bridge to access and explore these emotions, providing a safe and creative outlet for group members to process their feelings.
  3. Promoting group cohesion: Engaging in art-making together can create a sense of camaraderie and cohesion within the group. The shared experience of creativity fosters a supportive and empathetic environment, leading to better group dynamics. ideal for businesses that want to create group cohesion.
  4. Encouraging self-awareness: Both approaches focus on self-awareness and present-moment awareness. Through art-making and Gestalt techniques, individuals can become more attuned to their feelings, behaviours, and patterns, facilitating personal growth and self-discovery.
  5. Uncovering unconscious processes: Gestalt therapy emphasizes bringing unconscious thoughts and behaviours into awareness. Art therapy can help reveal underlying emotions and conflicts that group members may not be fully aware of, allowing for deeper exploration and understanding.
  6. Addressing resistance and barriers: Group members may encounter resistance or defensive mechanisms during the therapeutic process. Art therapy provides an alternative avenue for exploring these barriers and can help individuals move past resistance more effectively.
  7. Developing problem-solving skills: Art-making and Gestalt techniques encourage creative problem-solving and new perspectives. Group members can apply these skills to challenges both within the group and in their personal lives.
  8. Creating tangible representations: Artwork can serve as tangible representations of group members' inner experiences and growth. This visual aspect allows for reflection, discussion, and a deeper understanding of each individual's journey.
  9. Fostering empowerment: Engaging in art-making and self-exploration within a supportive group setting can promote a sense of empowerment and agency. Group members may discover new strengths and resources, leading to increased self-confidence.
  10. Integrating mind and body: Gestalt therapy emphasizes the mind-body connection, and art therapy can help bridge the gap between verbal processing and embodied experiences. This holistic approach can lead to more profound insights and healing.

In this book you will read about the integration of Gestalt therapy principles with art therapy, offering a dynamic and versatile approach for group work in leadership, therapeutic group sessions, or counselling settings. It can create a rich and transformative experience that supports personal growth, self-awareness, and positive group dynamics.

Buy here a copy





Coming Soon!


- Working with Groups by Yaro Starak
Purchase the book in the Ukrainian language

2025 Books- Risking Being Alive

 


2025 Books- Risking Being Alive



RISKING BEING ALIVE

By Yaro Starak and other authors

English

Printed Book (only)

A new edition by Yaro Starak (This book replaces the old version)

Risking Being Alive is a collection of ideas, experiments, and readings that introduce psychological and psycho-therapeutic tools that can be used to increase the sharpness with which you see and relate to the world. Used properly they will enable you to enrich your life and become master of your fate.

​Authors

Yaro Starak

James Oldham

Tony Key

The metaphoric meaning of "The risk of being alive" refers to the idea that living and fully experiencing life inherently involves uncertainty, vulnerability, and the potential for challenges and struggles. It emphasizes that life is not without its dangers, setbacks, or emotional hardships, but embracing these risks is essential for personal growth, self-discovery, and a fulfilling existence.

Therapeutically, exploring the concept of "the risk of being alive" can have several benefits:

  1. Embracing vulnerability: Acknowledging and accepting the risks and uncertainties of life can help individuals become more comfortable with vulnerability. This can lead to more authentic connections with others and foster emotional resilience.
  2. Overcoming fear: Delving into the metaphorical risk of being alive allows individuals to confront their fears and anxieties, leading to personal growth and a sense of empowerment.
  3. Self-discovery: By embracing life's risks, people may discover hidden strengths, passions, and aspirations. This process of self-discovery can lead to a deeper understanding of oneself and what truly brings meaning and fulfillment in life.
  4. Resilience and coping skills: Confronting and navigating life's challenges can build resilience and enhance coping mechanisms. Therapeutically, this can help individuals develop healthier ways to manage stress and adversity.
  5. Living authentically: Embracing the risk of being alive encourages individuals to live in alignment with their values and passions, rather than succumbing to a fear-driven existence. This can lead to a more authentic and purposeful life.
  6. Breaking free from limitations: Exploring the metaphorical risk of being alive can challenge self-imposed limitations and open up new possibilities and opportunities for personal and professional growth.
  7. Mindful living: The concept of the risk of being alive can also promote mindfulness, as individuals become more aware of their thoughts, emotions, and experiences in the present moment.
  8. Finding meaning and purpose: By recognizing that life is not without risks and challenges, individuals may actively seek meaning and purpose, driving them to create a more meaningful and fulfilling life.

►It's important to note that the therapeutic exploration of "the risk of being alive" does not mean seeking out unnecessary dangers or engaging in risky behavior for the sake of it. Instead, it encourages individuals to embrace life's uncertainties, learn from their experiences, and grow through the process of living fully and authentically.

In this book, you will find a multitude of exercises to be explored individually for personal growth or as group work.

Buy here a copy



UKRAINIAN LANGUAGE


RISKING BEING ALIVE

By Yaro Starak and other authors

Ukrainian





RISKING BEING ALIVE

By Yaro Starak and other authors

Ukrainian

A new edition by Yaro Starak


Note: Yaro Starak, a proud Ukrainian, is actively supporting Ukrainians during these challenging times of war. 

The sales of his books translated into Ukrainian—Risking Being Alive (Yaro Starak, James Oldham, & Tony Key) translated by Rostyslav Burlaka's publishing house, and Working with Groups, translated by The International Association for Experimental Gestalt Therapy—are fully dedicated to supporting Ukraine.

- Risking being alive (Yaro Starak, James Oldham, & Tony Key)
Purchase the book in the Ukrainian language



GEORGIAN LANGUAGE




- Risking Being Alive (Yaro Starak, James Oldham, & Tony Key)

Contact us for purchases:
gestaltarttherapy@gmail.com





2025 Unlock the Power of Gestalt Art Therapy: Access Workshop Recordings Anytime, Anywhere

 

2025 Unlock the Power of Gestalt Art Therapy

Access Workshop Recordings Anytime, Anywhere


ON-DEMAND WORKSHOP RECORDINGS





Why Choose Our Gestalt Art Therapy Workshop Recordings? 

  1. Flexible Learning

    : Watch the videos at your own pace, on your own schedule. Whether you're a busy professional, a student, or someone looking to incorporate Gestalt Art Therapy approach into your daily routine, our recordings offer the flexibility you need.

  2. Engaging Content

    : Each workshop is packed with hands-on activities, such as drawing, painting, collage-making, and more. These exercises are designed to help you explore your emotions, reduce stress, and improve your overall mental health.

  3. Expert Guidance

    : Benefit from the expertise of our Gestalt Art Therapists, with a strong background in Counselling, Psychology, Early childhood education, Language arts, Visual arts, and Training and assessment. Our workshops are crafted to provide high-quality support and foster a positive learning environment.

  4. Holistic Approach

    : The workshops incorporate a variety of materials and methods, including body language, masks, clay, and puppets, to ensure a comprehensive therapeutic experience that addresses all aspects of your being.

  5. Personal Growth

    : Enhance your self-awareness, improve your communication skills, and develop creative thinking. Our workshops are designed to help you grow personally and professionally, equipping you with tools to navigate life's challenges.

 What You'll Get 

  • Online Access

    to a library of recorded Gestalt Art Therapy workshops.

  • Downloadable Resources

    : Worksheets, guides, and additional materials to support your journey.

  • Exclusive Community

    : Join a network of like-minded individuals who share your passion for art therapy and personal growth.

 How to Get Started 

  1. Registration

    : Registration to access to the recordings.

  2. Explore

    : Browse through the workshop library and choose the sessions that resonate with you.

  3. Engage

    : Dive into the activities, follow along with the video guidance, and immerse yourself in the transformative power of Gestalt Art Therapy.

 Transform Your Life Today 

Don't miss this opportunity to experience the benefits of Gestalt Art Therapy from the comfort of your home. Empower yourself with tools and techniques that promote healing, creativity, and self-discovery.


Join now and start your journey towards a more balanced, creative, and fulfilling life!


More Information:

Gestaltarttherapy@gmail.com


Register here to BUY HERE THE ACCESS TO One of Four workshops


Cost per Access recording one Workshop:

Members of the Gestalt Art Therapy Center 

Participation: $95Aud

Click here to pay by Credit card (Paypal) 


General participants

Participation: $110Aud

Click here to pay by Credit card (Paypal) 



Cost per Access recording FOUR Workshops:

Members of the Gestalt Art Therapy Center 

Participation: $350Aud

Click here to pay by Credit card (Paypal) 


General participants

Participation: $410Aud

Click here to pay by Credit card (Paypal) 


If you need a Certificate of Participation for CPD purposes, you are eligible for the certificate. To qualify, you must watch the recording, complete the proposed activities, send us a picture of your creations, and complete a feedback form.


For Australian Professionals

Registrants can obtain their CPD /OPD hours (Non-endorsed activities)

ANZACATA CPD hours

AASW CPD hours

ACA OPD hours

PACFA CPD hours

AHPRA CPD hours

For professionals: Experiential workshop with Mandalas as a Projective Technique to be used with clients to improve patient outcomes.


We are not registered for GST

Workshop only for adults.

Recording Access one year

Please note that for payments and refunds processed via PayPal, a 3% commission will be applied by PayPal to each transaction.

Read the cancellation policy.


Read more about the Recorded Workshops:


►MANDALAS Gestalt Art Therapy

Workshop objectives:

Creating mandalas can indeed have therapeutic benefits and promote relaxation and well-being. Mandalas are intricate and symmetrical patterns that often originate from spiritual and cultural practices, particularly in Hinduism and Buddhism. In recent years, they have been adopted in various therapeutic settings due to their potential psychological benefits.


- The artistic techniques involved in creating mandalas using a wide range of artistic materials.

- Investigate and experiment with the creation of mandalas and the process in the Gestalt Art therapy session.

- Have the opportunity to practice with this tool, because when you draw or paint your mandala, you are making a portrait of your unconscious self in a particular moment in your life, and when you carefully observe your creation, it can provide an amazing insight in a deep level (Susanne F Fincher)

- Learn how to present this art tool to your clients in Counselling Sessions.

- Discover the spiritual transformative power of the mandala

- You will be able to offer options to the client to communicate in a new language. Mandala work provides a space where clients can reproduce their inner world in a safe and relaxed way.

- Practice with the integration of polarities using Mandalas.

- Investigate more about Symbols, Archetypes, and the Collective Unconscious.

· If you are a professional working with clients, during this online workshop, participants will understand how to work with Mandalas, in a Gestalt art therapy approach.

-  Working with mandalas with a Gestalt approach will help the participants to understand not the "why" but the "what for" and the "how" during the creation and understanding of the Mandala.

"Here and Now" will give participants valuable awareness during this amazing process of working with the Mandalas.

· This workshop is "practical" - this means that the importance is the practice, the moment, and the experience. We will present theories but the goal is practical.


No previous experience with mandalas in Gestalt Therapy, Psychology, Therapy, or Art is necessary.

This workshop will be recorded and will be experiential "Here and now". So there will be later access to the contents.


DREAM WORK Gestalt Art Therapy

" The dreams are the symbolic narration of an unconscious reality"

Dreams are studied through Psychology and neuroscience, memory processes during REM sleep. The existing neuroscientific evidence suggests that we are almost certainly capable of learning during dreams and that learning may therefore be one of dreams’ primary adaptive functions. (Isaac Roberts)


· During this online workshop participants will understand how to work with their dreams, in a Gestalt Art Therapy approach.

· Using creativity, expressive creations, and imagination, participants will connect with their dream projections.

· Dreamwork in a Gestalt focus will help participants to understand not the “why” but the “for what” and “how” during the translation of their dream

“Here and now” will give a precious awareness during this amazing process of working with dreams.

· This workshop is “hands-on” - this means that the importance is the practice, the moment, and the experience. We will present theories but the objective is practical.

No previous experience in dream work, Gestalt Therapy, or Psychology, Therapy or Art is necessary.


If you do not remember any of your dreams, do not worry, you are also welcome to participate, we will give you some ideas on how to work with this.


Objectives of the workshop:

· Discover the hidden messages of your dreams.

· Learn the steps to work with Dreams.

· Working with Dreams in a Gestalt Art therapy approach

· Integrate awareness during the dreamwork in your everyday life.

· Create your dream in a conscientious manner

· Gain tools to be used with your clients in therapy sessions

· Becoming a “Dream catcher”




►INNER CHILD Gestalt Art Therapy


In popular psychology and analytical psychology, the inner child is an individual's childlike aspect. It includes what a person learned as a child, before puberty. The inner child is often conceived as a semi-independent subpersonality subordinate to the waking conscious mind.

Psychologist Carl Gustav Jung (1875–1961) originated the concept in his divine child archetype. New Thought spiritual leader Emmet Fox (1886–1951) called it the "wonder child". The concept of the inner child was further developed by husband and wife team Vivian and Arthur Janov in primal therapy, expounded in the books The Primal Scream (1970) and The Feeling Child (1973).

During this day  you will:

  • Work with the meaning of the "nurturing parent" and "protective parent" within "inner family work" to care for a person's physical, emotional, creative, and spiritual needs.

  • We will review the concept of the "critical parent within", and provide you tools for managing it.

  • investigate the unresolved childhood experiences and the lingering effects of childhood dysfunction: the sum of mental-emotional memories stored in the subconscious from conception through pre-puberty.

  • Through the Gestalt Art Therapy approach each participant will access, in a safe mode, their childhood memories, being witness to the stories of their origins in childhood, and participants will find some different proposals for the healing process.

  • Recovery and support of Your Inner Child using Gestalt art therapy techniques.

  • Review of the connection between Attachment Theory and the Inner child work.

  • Discover how the unfinished business of the inner child will be affecting the adult lives of your clients.

  • Support your clients in working with their inner child.

  • Work with your inner child, to be ready to support your clients' inner child.

Working with the inner child in counseling provides a range of emotional benefits for clients, facilitating deeper self-understanding and healing. Here are some key emotional benefits:

  • Emotional Release: Addressing unresolved feelings from childhood allows clients to release long-held emotions, providing a cathartic experience that can reduce stress and anxiety.

  • Healing Past Traumas: Engaging with the inner child can help clients process and heal from traumatic experiences, leading to a sense of closure and relief.

  • Building Self-Compassion: This approach encourages clients to nurture their inner child with kindness and understanding, fostering self-compassion and reducing self-criticism.

  • Rebuilding Trust: As clients reconnect with their inner child, they rebuild trust in themselves, fostering a greater sense of security and confidence.

  • Strengthening Emotional Regulation: By addressing and acknowledging deep-seated emotions, clients can learn healthier ways to manage and regulate their feelings.

  • Enhancing Relationships: As clients understand their inner child’s needs and vulnerabilities, they often improve their relationships with others, promoting empathy and authentic connections.


►COLLAGE Gestalt Art Therapy


The use of figurative and metaphorical language during the creation using collage techniques helps to make changes and implement new options within the client's process, without having to work directly with the confrontation of the problem or conflict. Through collage, clients objectify their conflicts to put them in a different perspective and open future channels of communication.

Creating collages with paper can indeed be a therapeutic and beneficial activity when working with individuals and groups in an emotional support setting. Collage-making provides a creative outlet for individuals to express their emotions, thoughts, and experiences in a non-verbal and visually symbolic manner. This can be particularly useful in group therapy or support settings where participants might have different comfort levels with sharing verbally.

Here's how collage-making with paper can be therapeutic when working with groups in an emotional support context:

  1. Self-expression:

    Collage-making allows participants to communicate their feelings and experiences through images, colors, textures, and compositions. This can help individuals express emotions they may find difficult to put into words.

  2. Non-verbal communication:

    Some participants might struggle with verbal expression due to the nature of their emotions or their comfort levels. Collage-making provides an alternative means of communication that can help bridge this gap.

  3. Catharsis:

    The act of selecting images and arranging them in a collage can be cathartic. Participants can explore their feelings, release pent-up emotions, and experience a sense of relief and release.

  4. Empowerment:

    Creating something tangible and visually meaningful can enhance participants' sense of accomplishment and empowerment, which can positively impact their self-esteem and confidence.

  5. Metaphor and symbolism:

    Collages often involve selecting images that symbolize feelings or experiences. This can encourage participants to reflect on the deeper meanings behind their choices and gain insights into their emotional states.

  6. Group cohesion:

    Collaborative collage-making can foster a sense of unity and camaraderie among group members. Sharing the creative process and the final pieces can create a bond and mutual understanding among participants.

  7. Mindfulness and focus:

    Engaging in the process of selecting images, cutting, arranging, and gluing requires concentration and focus. This mindfulness can help participants stay present and grounded in the moment.

  8. Distraction and relaxation:

    Artistic activities like collage-making can provide a break from distressing thoughts or overwhelming emotions, offering participants a chance to relax and shift their focus.

  9. Narrative development:

    Collages can be used as visual narratives to explore personal stories, challenges, and growth. Participants can arrange images to create a visual representation of their journey.

  10. Safe exploration:

    Collage-making can create a safe space for exploring difficult or complex emotions without feeling directly exposed. Participants can choose how much or how little to reveal through their collage.

When incorporating collage-making into individual and/or group therapy or emotional support sessions, we provide a supportive environment, clear instructions, and opportunities for participants to share their collages if they feel comfortable.

During this workshop, you will:

  • Know how to design the collage-work: kind of collages

  • Paper collage

    – One of the more basic forms of collage. Various pieces of paper are gathered and put together to create a unique collage strictly from paper products.

  • Photomontage

    – whether done by hand or with the help of a computer, a photomontage is a collage of pictures or photos.

  • Painting collage

    – Gluing pieces to a canvas and then painting over and/or around those pieces on the canvas, thus creating an original and unique painting.

  • Wood collage

    – Create from pieces of wood, whether it be from scraps, old furniture, crates, barrels, house parts, driftwood, branches, sticks, bark, etc.

  • Digital collage

    – Using a computer to gather the visual pieces and put them together

  • Discover how this tool will support the psychological process, revealing meaningful information about the client’s inner world.

  • Collages are visual artworks that are created by selecting magazine images, textured papers, or ephemera; cutting or altering these elements, and arranging and attaching them to a support such as paper or cardboard”. This kind of creation could be compared with clients' lives and patterns.

  • Uncovering the power of the creation with symbols, also the act of cutting and ripping images and gluing them together can be cathartic for some clients.

  • Offer options to the client to communicate in a new language, collage art therapy work involves unconscious levels related to archetypes and the collective unconscious.

  • Adapting this tool to the client's age and emotional development


Register here to BUY HERE THE ACCESS TO One of Four workshops


Read cancellations, terms and purchase conditions during registration


Any questions please get in touch with us: gestaltarttherapy@gmail.com

ART THERAPY - A GESTALT APPROACH

Hello! Welcome to our creative therapy centre!

Here you will find everything related to Art Therapy using the Gestalt approach.

What is Art ?:

Art is genarally known as what is done by a person whose purpose is to express a message through symbols.

These symbolic tools can be music, paintings, sculptures, theater and so on.


What is Gestalt Therapy ?:

Gestalt therapy is a methodology within psychology that grew out of the research and work of the psychiatrist Dr.Fritz Perls and his wife Dr.Laura Perls.

These two professionals were coming from the psychoanalytic perspective and felt that this method was not enough to work with clients. Today we are clearly aware that no one single method can resolve the issues that involve a range of human suffering and growth.

Gestalt is a German word roughly meaning "Shape" or "configuration".

This concept is understood, in gneral terms, that all individual experiences are shaped by a figure and a background. As time goes on, and our needs change, the figure can become the background and vice versa. So in the client's experience, the figure is changing at all times from becoming a background and as the needs arise, the figure emerges seeking completion.

When we block or prevent this process, we become unaware and suffer. That is a part of the theoretical foundations of Gestalt therapy.

Gestalt therapy, therefore, is a "philosophy", a way of being in the world in the "here and now" and taking "response-aibility" without pushing the river. Thus life is a flow ..

What is GESTALT Art Therapy?


It is the sum of the two previous concepts, Gestal therapy and the use of tools we learn to use in art therapy.

Using the artistic tools and adding the gestalt language between client and psychotherapist we work jointly to decode the messages hidden in the intrinsic symbols representing the client's situation. The Psychotherapist accompanies the client in the process of "discovering" what is helpful and not analysing or interpreting, but suggesting and asking the client what it is he or she knows are the answers and supports client's need to discover the ncessary solutions.

WE ARE SURE THAT YOU WILL BE ATTRACTED by this new way of working with emotions, whether or not you are a professional psychologist or therapist, since many of the exercises can be used personally for your own growth.

Our work is done in Australia & Spain and other countries. We have given workshops and participated in conferences throughout the world. We are located in our offices at the Gestalt Art Therapy Centre in Brisbane -Australia.

BE HAPPY HERE AND NOW..... AND BE CREATIVE !

Yaro Starak - Gestalt Psychoterapist
Gemma Garcia- Gestalt Therapist- Ericksonian Hypnosis


SEE LABELS ON THE RIGHT SIDE

1-TRAINING MODULES FOR SALE: Gestalt art therapy

1.1-FOR PSYCHOLOGY & THERAPY PROFESSIONALS:

Here you will find and carry out therapeutic work with tools that combine art and gestalt method.

You can learn new ways of providing therapeutic treatment depending on the particular situation and client needs.

1.2-ART AS PERSONAL GROWTH

These modules can be practical exercises for your "realize" how do you do in your life.

There are specific modules that you can play with your partner and / or family.

SKYPE - ON LINE THERAPY

We offer brief therapy sessions via Skype. You may request a no-obligation appointment with us, the first session is free.

This is a way of doing personal therapy we call "Emergency work" used in very special cases and situations. For us, the therapy session should be mainly for the benefit of the client needing immediate help.

BOOKS FOR SALE:

GESTALT THERAPY theory and practice - some books written by Yaro Starak

A GESTALT TEST: you can acquire to discover your potentials.

VIDEOS & DVD focussing on gestalt work and art therapy work.

ARTICLES: Written by varoius therapists from Australia, NZ and overseas.