How to challenge clients

This workshop will explore the interplay of confirmation, differentiation, and navigating how to challenge clients in the therapeutic context.

Presented by: Tony Jackson

Date: Wednesday 19 June, 2024

Acknowledging the universal human yearning to be understood and validated, this workshop underscores the significance of meeting clients where they are and offering meaningful support through dialogue, with a specific emphasis on confirmation.

Human suffering often stems from a lack of attunement and mirroring, and therapists play a pivotal role in addressing this by affirming and recognising a client's unique experiences. At the same time, clients seek therapy not only for validation but also for change. Therapists are tasked with bringing awareness, compassionately exploring clients' core organising themes, and helping them understand and transcend repetitive relational patterns. This involves guiding clients toward more creative, choiceful, and flexible relationships, including establishing new boundaries or relinquishing unhelpful ideas about self or others.

The delicate balance between support and challenge is a central theme in gestalt therapy, requiring therapists to navigate the tension between confirming the client's identity, maintaining their own distinct individuality and perspective, and supporting the client to explore new patterns in relationship.

Central to the workshop's exploration is Martin Buber's concept of confirmation, a profound acknowledgment and recognition of the other person's existence and uniqueness in dialogue. This goes beyond mere agreement or compliance, emphasising a deeper affirmation of the essential being of the other in the relational context. The workshop aims to equip therapists with the skills to honour the client's authenticity and growth.

Don't miss out on this valuable opportunity to deepen your practice and learn practical skills to help your clients.

Venue | Elie, Gestalt Centre Training Campus, 27 Royal Parade, Parkville, Victoria

Date | Wednesday 19 June 2024 / 9.30am - 4.30pm

Cost | Full registration $275 / GTA Student $220. Fee includes GST.

Learning outcomes

• Understand the value of challenge and the sorts of challenges we might be required to make.
• Identify what gets in the way of challenging others, including your own core themes and fears.
• Develop strategies for when challenging feels difficult, and when challenge seems like it is not possible.
• Understand how to 'think' into making challenges and creating the best potential ground for this.
• Be clear about your duty of care and ethical considerations.
• Learn what to do when their is rupture, how to repair and build robust therapeutic relationships.

Don't miss out on this valuable opportunity to deepen your practice and learn practical skills to help your clients.

View flyer

https://www.gestaltcentre.com.au/

About the presenter

BTheol, BA (Psych), Grad Dip Counselling, Adv Dip Gestalt Therapy, Grad Dip Supervision, MGANZ

Tony is the Managing Director of the Gestalt Centre. He is a psychotherapist, facilitator and coach with over 20 years experience.

He 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 assist 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.