I have just returned from a trip to Melbourne, Australia where, along with Brenda Levien (Gestalt Institute of New Zealand) I co-chaired the second meeting of all training centres across Australia and New Zealand as well as representatives from local associations and gestalt therapy centres. This meeting spent some time deliberating over reports provided by two working parties - umbrella\organisation and standards\accreditation - established at the historic first meeting held in Sydney last November. Preliminary details were also provided regarding the Association's forthcoming Conference to be held in Perth in September 1998, pending the first edition of the Australian Gestalt Journal (editored by Bruno Just) and numerous activities being undertaken by individual centres. Much fun was had along the way, which included song, laughter, many stories, food and some potent chocolate cake. All those present acknowledged the contributions of the many who had over the years supported the development of Gestalt Therapy in this region of the world.

The meeting decided to call the association "GANZ": Gestalt Australia and New Zealand - An Association of Gestalt Therapy and Practice.

The working parties were asked to pursue further tasks for presentation at the next meeting to be held in Brisbane in March 1998.

The english translations for 'GANZ' received considerable attention - particularly "goose" and "geese". In the closing session of the meeting reference was made to the special qualities of geese - they fly in a particular pattern, when the leader becomes tired, another takes the lead; when one falls behind, others slow down and support them, and when one falls to the ground, others stop and assistant them in returning to the flock. While we had a few laughs about other qualities of geese, we all saw parallels between the previous qualities of geese and the qualities we viewed as intrinsic to the Association.

The meeting provided a wonderful reminder of the human spirit of the gestalt therapy community in this region of the world. Along with others, I look forward to informing you of the developments and activities of GANZ.

In the next issue of Gestalt!, we will profile the Gestalt communities of Australia and New Zealand more extensively, geese and all! That will be volume one; number three.