SUMMER 2009

In Brazilian market
Adriana Ribas: Training OrganizerThe Summer of 2009 has been jammed packed for Felicia Carroll. In May she travelled to Rio de Janiero, Brazil and presented to a large group of students and practitioners organized by VSOF members, Adriana and Rodolfo Ribas. Felicia gave an evening lecture about the child’s journey in Gestalt therapy as illustrated by the story of Pinocchio to over 150 attendees. This lecture was followed by a two day workshop on shame and how we can address the issues of shame and anger in our work with children and adolescents. She felt as though she had found a new community of friends in Brazil. Felicia returned with many stories and beautiful memories of her stay in Rio.

In June, she presented a three day Advanced Gestalt Play Therapy sponsored by the Ecumenical Center for Religion and Health in San Antonio, Texas. Again as in previous years over 75 people attended this workshop, many of whom said that it was the best training they had ever attended. This was her second presentation at the Center. They have invited her again for 2010.

In July, Felicia taught three graduate level seminar classes at universities and institutes in San Luis Obispo and Santa Barbara. She also closed out her third Year-Long Training Group in Solvang. See Picture. This Third Year group will continue with another year devoted to deepening their theoretical understanding of Gestalt Therapy with children and adolescents. The fourth year for this Year Long program will begin this September with another group of eight trainees.

Then in late August Felicia presented a one day workshop for the Central Coast Chapter of the California Association for Play Therapy on “Healing the Torment of Shame: A Gestalt Play Therapy Approach.”

In October, Felicia will be in Atlanta, Georgia , presenting at the Annual Conference of the APT. Her workshop topic is, “The Neuroscience of Gestalt Play Therapy.” See www. a4pt.org.

WHAT TO LOOK FOR IN 2010

At present, Felicia’s schedule for 2010 includes Morocco, Austria, and Germany. At home in Solvang, she will continue with the Fourth Year-Long Training, the first Advanced Seminar Series, and the Third Summer Training in August, 2010.

A special Issue of the International Gestalt Journal which is devoted to Gestalt therapy with children will be published in 2010. Felicia, who is the guest editor of this issue, is finishing up with editing articles that represent Gestalt Therapy with children from clinicians all over the world. This will truly be an international issue. PS: She couldn’t find a penguin who could write and article to represent Antarctica.