Walk on a beach in Trinidad, and look up from the surf to the waving palm trees. Come back in a year or two and that first line of palms will be toppled in the surf, because the sea is eroding the island faster than anyone would like to know. Nothing stays the same. As the ocean comes ashore, the mud flats where birds look for food will disappear and much of the the fresh water will go the way of the sea. The land and the life that was associated with Trinidad of yesterday will disappear, because nothing stays the same.

That's also the way it is with publications. They change with the field in which they exist.

This issue marks a turning point in the way Gestalt! will be published. This is the first issue in collaboration with the Gestalt Global Corporation. More about that corporation will emerge over time, and the advantages to readers of Gestalt! will become evident. These changes will be marked by increased services and support. Far from any erosion, Gestalt!'s collaboration with Gestalt Global should indicate a building process helpful to each one interested in Gestalt psychotherapy.

In this issue of Gestalt!, people will encounter new writers, writing on challenging subjects.

• Phil Brownell, Jay Levin, and Brian O'Neill challenge the Gestalt community to deal with ethical guidelines and training practices.
• Jay Uomoto explores the ethical dilemma of relieving suffering when suffering may be a helpful road to growth.
• Dan Carpenter presents ethical guidelines, and something of a conscience, for Gestalt practioners and others working with religious clients.
• Elias F. de Almeida explores the phenomena associated with falling in love in therapy, suggesting how to utilize the experience in practice.
• There is a report from Gerhard Stemberger on the tenth international conference of the Society for Gestalt Theoretical Applications (GTA).
• There's a report from Charlie Bowman regarding the 1997 international conference for the Association for the Advancement of Gestalt Therapy (AAGT).
• There is a brief dialogue with Thomas Fuchs regarding the difficult situation for Gestalt therapists in Germany.
• Finally, Bruce Barrett provides a controversial look at the military's use of Gestalt concepts, which should challenge a few perspectives on the military itself, if not the ethical application of Gestalt principles.