With Dori Middleman, MD, Mark Putnam, MD and Melody Schaper, RSMT

Dori Middleman, Mark Putnam and Melody Schaper will co-lead this two-day program of Hotseat Work with a special focus on body awareness and movement.

Gestalt therapy is rooted in the belief that our bodies are the most direct path to understanding our emotions, thoughts, and past experiences.  Because we carry unresolved traumas, emotional baggage and painful feelings in our bodies we often experience physical and emotional distress.  Through the present centered work of Gestalt Therapy much attention is given to focusing closely and carefully on what is happening in the body in the therapeutic process where buried emotions and memories can be explored and understood leading to greater self-awareness, healing, and an enlivened sense of self. 

In this workshop we will pay close attention to how we are in our bodies at any given moment to access and awaken the wisdom we hold in the fibers and tissues of our beings.  We will spend time exploring the wisdom of the body through a variety of movement related exercises designed to bring you into closer contact with your true self.  We will pay particular attention to moments of healing and transformation by allowing ourselves to pause to listen deeply to what our organisms are saying in the moment.  We will focus on how we can offer ourselves and others deep support to change patterns in our being that are no longer serving us and discover how to make a new choice. 

“We are designed to move with ease and freedom.  The innate wisdom of our organism continuously seeks balance and wholeness, and it is our true nature to be resilient in our responses to life’s circumstances.  Under perfect circumstances we would all be easy, open and free to be ourselves without hesitation.  Under perfect circumstances we would be able to express ourselves as children do, authentically, fully and openly.  

The history of our lives is embedded in every tissue of our bodies.  We remember on a very deep level each experience in our lives. Those feelings live in us mostly unconsciously  and manifest themselves as holding patterns and resistances to contact until we bring awareness to how we are using ourselves at any given moment.   From the very early moments of life we experience unmet needs and experience moments that cause us to shut down some of our free expression.  We learn to hold ourselves in ways that help us manage our lives and emotions.  

We all shut down some of our expression of ourselves thereby inhibiting access to the full experience of our lives.  The good news is, it doesn’t have to be that way.  With awareness and practice we can experience our true nature and enjoy healthy contact and meaningful relationships with one another. ” 

– Melody Schaper

Individual workspace participants have a time to do “open seat” work with Dori, Mark and Melody. Group participants share in group exercises and are involved as observers of “open seat work”.

Cost: $450 for individual working space, $350 for group space, and $225 for students and alums of our Center. This fee includes a lunch each day. There is no onsite lodging available for this workshop. If you are in financial need, there are a limited number of scholarships available.  Learn more and apply on the Mariah Fenton Gladis Foundation scholarship page. 

CEUs: This program has been approved by the Pennsylvania State Board of Social Workers, Marriage and Family Therapists and Professional Counselors for 16 contact hours of continuing education toward licensure renewal.

Finally, if you are in need of transportation, please contact the Pennsylvania Gestalt Center as we may be able coordinate an ad hoc solution with another participant.