The Community
and Its Meetings

What follows is a description of the AAGT 1998 community meetings, as seen through the recording eyes and ears of Paul Schoenberg, Secretary for the AAGT, who took notes during that time. Included, as well, is the message delivered to the AAGT at those meetings by outgoing president, Charlie Bowman, who reflected on the growth and development of the AAGT, and especially so during his term as president

AAGT Annual Meeting Minutes

June 3, 1998

Cleveland, Ohio

I. Welcome, Orientation and Contacting.

Outgoing President Charlie Bowman and President-Elect Bruce Robertson called the meeting to order. We entered by breaking into small groups with the intent to develop a sense of community ground and a focus on two core questions in relationship to our upcoming participation in the annual meeting: (1) what did we hope would happen at the meeting that would allow us to feel glad about being here, and (2) what did we plan to give to the meeting process. In response to these questions members identified various needs, hopes and desires to contribute to the meeting process, including:

• Association and exchange
• Passion
• Desire for the conference to model the small group process that had just occurred
• Attending to the "advancement" of Gestalt therapy
• Awareness of our linkage to other members as people as well as therapists
• Desire to increase comfort level in the larger group
• Warmth
• Interest in the reception and acceptance of others
• Diversity
• Good will
• Respecting the needs of non-English speaking members (e.g. speaking slowly)
• Support for the introvert, the uncertain and the shy as well as the extrovert during the process
• Opening of the organizational process
• Re-emphasis on the community process
• Welcoming of new members
• Slowing of the pace of our organization
• Increased modeling of effective contact and
• Tolerance of healthy conflict

II. President Bowman's Farewell Address.

Charlie gave his farewell address to the membership (a written copy to be placed in the Gestalt archives!). He received a sustained standing ovation and numerous accolades from individual members for his performance, sense of humor, availability, responsiveness and character during his presidency.

III. What are We Coming in With?: Issues presented from the membership floor

The final component of the morning session was designed to elicit and identify members' specific issues that were either of interest or concern to them and hence AAGT. The following issues or concerns were raised within large group discussion:

• Size and intent of conferences for the future
• Re-vamped and improved dues structure
• Making effective transitions within the organization, developing and training new leaders within conference planning as well as within the organization as a whole
• Recruitment of people for both leadership roles and membership; with additional attention paid to utilizing conference process groups and student memberships
• Outreach to diverse practitioners, including diversity of economics, gender and minorities as well as international diversity
• Education and contact/exchange with international practitioners and membership, and acknowledging international as well as American problems in psycho-therapy
• Increasing financial support for AAGT leadership
• Increasing financial resources for the organization other than yearly dues
• Increasing our "associating" and connecting with each other
• Attending to our organizational stance and representation on gaining continuing education accreditation for the conference
• Clarifying a consensual model that allows us as an organization to get business done in a way that we can also thrive, to consider the potential evolution into a "consensual democracy", and addressing the experience of "disappointment" when members' opinions or voices are heard but not agreed with
• Hiring an administrative assistant to support the management of administrative/clerical tasks now sustained by the executive council
• Supporting the interest groups: considering financial incentives and clarification of roles/function of the groups
• Joining the conversation on the "big picture' of mental health both American and international (on issues such as managed care, educational structures, empirically-validated outcomes, governmental definition of "legitimate" therapy, human values, defining of Gestalt as larger than clinical therapy), or developing a political action committee as part of our organization
• Clarifying the role of AAGT regions and regional contact persons and increasing communication links between regions
• Developing an organizational directory that attracts all AAGT members to be recognized, not just those with specific training or academic background

New President Bruce Robertson encouraged members who felt strongly about or were interested in any of the above issues to break into small groups and discuss them over lunch, with the intent of bringing back feedback and highlighted issues to the larger group. We then broke for a ninety-minute working lunch.

IV. Core Organizational Issues Emerging from Lunch Meetings

A. Process Group Leadership: We identified supporting process group leaders and community meeting members to encourage new members to feel welcomed, engaged and supported (recruited) to get involved in the organization.

B. The Concept of Consensus. We began to discuss the relationship of the consensual process to the organizational process and organizational development of AAGT. Some of the underlying concerns identified by individual members included:

• The term consensus has different meaning to different members
• As an organization we need to address and express our experience and definition of this process from time to time
• Acknowledging the balance of rights and responsibilities of consensus
• Determining how and when consensus should be used, or not used
• Developing channels of communication for input into consensual decision-making
• Acknowledging the need for time for developing consensus
• Determining what organizational decisions need to be made by consensus for this meeting
• Clarifying what it means to be "heard" in a consensual process
• Considering that times consensus may not be used, and how then do we make organizational decisions?
• Examining how we respond when an idealized consensual process is not working, dealing with breakdown of the consensual process
• Acknowledging the necessary complement to being "heard" within the consensual process, i.e., the willingness to choose at times to go "unheard"
• Acknowledging a core conference and organizational dilemma; how do we integrate our interest in "associating" internally and extending ourselves and Gestalt therapy into the world

V. What Do I Want AAGT to be for Me? What is the Purpose of AAGT?

From the above discussion, we acknowledged the underlying concern of differing interests in determining the purpose of AAGT. We broke into small groups of about six members each to explore the primary question that emerged from the above discussion on consensus, the question of "what do I want AAGT to be for me?".

The small groups then reported back to the larger group. Some of the hopes and expectations that emerged included:

• Supporting the tension between the previously identified polarities in a relational way
• Increasing our ability to understand each other
• Soliciting input on including our tensions within the programming of the conference
• Appreciating how we are doing what we are doing, for example, having some structure and sense of completion
• Acknowledging we can use the conference, annual meeting, e-mail etc. as different ways of associating, rather than seeing them as conflicting with each other
• Using the annual meeting to further influence the ground of conference planning
• Desiring to use the example of how we generate the conference program structure as a subject for our examination of consensual decision-making
• Continuing to define the places in the conference planning committee where consensual styles of decision may not be effective or are not being genuinely used
• Acknowledging the healing process that occurs within our organization as we work through these concerns, both from really old (pre-organizational) business and more recent old business from our growth as an organization.

We agreed that a major theme reverberating through the small group discussions and emerging into the larger group was looking at the conference as a whole and including its structural components such as: format, content, how decisions were made during the development process, and how to grieve the decision-making process when planning members perceive that the decision- making process is not being followed. We agreed that we would put aside time for addressing this theme more completely on tomorrow's agenda.

VI. Planning for tomorrow.

In addition to the previously identified thematic concern, Bruce reviewed the business items planned for the agenda for tomorrow. We also identified the current open or opening positions on the executive council and took nominations from the field. Todd Butler and Sarah Toman were each nominated for the Membership Chair position.

I. Regional Meetings.

Bruce welcomed new and old AAGT members who were not present yesterday. We began with members from each region meeting for about one hour to identify current regional interests and concerns, needs from AAGT, and direction for the future. Each region then reported back to the larger group. Themes that emerged included:

• The need for more time for regional associating within the conference
• Increased funds to support regional communication
• Developing an ability to connect existing international gestalt organizations with AAGT
• Sustaining a global vision for the organization
• Continuing regional conferences
• Increasing the availability of written materials on Gestalt for newly developed regions

We welcomed two new members forming a region that would be focused in Turkey. Bud Feder identified his willingness to serve as a conduit for distributing extra and excess Gestalt materials (books, papers, old journal issues) to members in other countries with emerging Gestalt interest. Members can send materials directly to him. Susan Gregory established an additional meeting time within the conference for the Northeast Region.

II. Nominations for Office.

A. Nomination for Treasurer

We began by with the nomination of Gail Feinstein for treasurer. Gail identified her willingness to take on the position, but only if she had the clerical support of an administrative assistant. Exiting treasurer Brian O'Hara reiterated his belief in the necessity of hiring an administrative assistant to support the treasurer and other positions within the organization. He also reiterated his perception that it would be necessary to raise dues to subsidize this position, if the position was accepted by the membership. No motion was initiated.

B. Annual Dues.

We moved into the underlying and connected issue of raising the annual dues. Members noted concern about whether increased dues would sustain the administrative position. We continued to acknowledge the need for tiered (or otherwise named) memberships for those individuals who have difficulty in paying full dues (e.g. students, retirees, individuals with special needs). After discussion, it was moved that we raise the regular annual dues from $50 to $100. The motion was carried unanimously, according to AAGT due process first by the board and then the membership. It was then moved that we eliminate the group membership at reduced rates. The motion was carried by the board and then the membership, both unanimously. It was moved that we develop a category for retirees and students with a suggested dues rate of $25. The motion was carried with one dissent (believing that rate was too low). It was moved that we develop a category for special financial consideration, for those individuals in need who would determine their dues rate through discussion with the treasurer and/or the membership chair. After discussion, this motion was carried unanimously. We agreed to request (not demand) that all current AAGT members voluntarily remit an additional $50 for this year's (1998) dues, and for students and retirees to voluntarily remit an additional $5, with the active change in dues occurring for 1999 membership.

C. Administrative Support Position.

After the above discussion, it was moved that we develop an administrative fund of $25,000 to be managed by the executive council, with the purpose of providing administrative support to the treasurer, conference coordinator, president, secretary and other administrative functions as determined by the council. The motion was carried unanimously.

D. Treasurer.

We moved to elect Gail Feinstein as treasurer for two years. The motion was carried unanimously. We identified support for developing an apprenticeship for this position to facilitate future transitions.

E. Secretary.

We moved to re-elect Paul Schoenberg as secretary for two years. The motion was carried unanimously. Ruth Wolfert identified her support for the idea of developing an apprenticeship for this position similar to that as proposed for the treasurer.

F. Board Appointments.

The Board identified the interim appointment of Phil Brownell as Publications Editor for one year (to complete the term already in progress), the appointment of Todd Butler and Sara Toman as Membership Co-Chairs for three years, and Jack Aylward as Interest Group Co-Chair for two years.

III. Conference Issues

A. Future Conference Site Locations.

We discussed potential sites for our planned international conference in the year 2000, asking whether infrastructure and desire existed for having a conference outside of the North American venue. Some members offered their perceptions on the likelihood or uncertainty of this infrastructure currently existing, with definite hope for the future. We responded to a written proposal from Dolores Bates to hold the conference in Vancouver. After discussion on the pros and cons of the proposal, there was a motion to hold the year 2000 conference in Vancouver, BC. The motion passed with two dissension (based in part on the desire of some members to move AAGT conferences into a different cultural arena, such as Mexico, France, England, or Russia). We also moved to develop a task force headed by Iris Fodor to develop future conference sites outside of the US. The motion passed unanimously. We also identified an interest in investigating the possibility of integrating our conference with European Gestalt Therapy in the future

B. Other Conference Issues

We began to identify other conference-related issues, concerns and questions including:

• What is the "style" of the conference, professional vs. experimental, offering styles of workshops that might not fit into a CEU track?
• What is the style of decision-making process within the conference planning committees, i. e. when to use consensus and when to use alternative means of decision-making?
• What is the delegation of authority for decision-making as connected to actual responsibility/deadlines/work within the conference planning and execution process?
• How do we incorporate experimental conference workshops into the conference while balancing the expectations of professional organizations willing to offer CEUs?
• How do we consider incorporating community meetings during the conference, as well as prior to it?

After discussion, we moved to develop a conference track of non-CEU based workshops with a flavor of "adventure" that still would pass through a blind peer review process. The vote passed with some dissension, including: valuing thought-out written workshop proposals, not wanting programs that have non- specific purpose, and acknowledging that some well-written proposals had minimal quality as actual live presentations.

We acknowledged our interest in continuing to attend to the use or non-use of consensual process during any part of the conference planning and execution process and the experience of members involved in conference planning. Members dissatisfied with the process may inform the conference coordinator and if still dissatisfied may bring their concerns to any member of the executive council.

IV. Relationship with the Gestalt Review.

The membership spent about twenty minutes considering a proposal from Joe Melnick to link AAGT and the Gestalt Review, with the intent to gather more information on the possibilities, opportunities and risks of this proposal. This dialogue emerged from the recommendations from yesterday's board meeting to consider the potential affiliation of the Gestalt Review with AAGT, with the awareness we were under no self-imposed pressure to make a decision today. We listened to Joe Melnick's presentation on the history of the Gestalt Review, and his perceptions on the potential mutual advantages of associating the Gestalt Review and AAGT including: AAGT offers the advantage of having a large subscription base, the Gestalt Review offers the opportunity of publicizing AAGT and legitimizing our approach to therapy in the larger therapeutic community via rigorous peer review and on a quarterly basis . Another consideration noted was the possibility of using the Gestalt Review as a "carrot" to entice membership or build student engagement. Sonia Nevis identified her experience of financially supporting the Gestalt Review and her hope that AAGT ultimately would take over and run the journal, and take financial responsibility for its success. We identified an interest in building even more ground to consider this affiliation. Iris Fodor recommended building a task force to review this possibility. We concurred that Publications Editor Phil Brownell would head this task force and that interested members could contact him. Concerns identified and expressed around the affiliation included: considering the impact on and our existing relationship with other international Gestalt journals, and the perception that from an organizational standpoint we may not be mature enough to manage a journal.

V. Selection of At-Large Board Members

Nominees included Bob Resnick, Dolores Bates, Judith Brown, Robert Lee, Jan Ruckert, Irv Gadol, Janice Roosevelt Gerard, Jack Neggerman, Maya Brand, Ann Duckles, and Jan (last name?). We agreed that members who did not respond to the request for information on their desire to continue would not be considered for nomination, with exceptions noted for board members out of the country. The slate of nominees passed unanimously.

VI. Closing.

President-Elect Bruce Robertson thanked all attending members for their contributions to the community meeting and their hard work. He invited all members to participate in next year's meeting and conference over the Memorial Day Weekend (May 26-30, 1999) at the New York Hilton and Towers in New York City.

The Nordic Gestalt Journal has been in publication since 1993. It is a bi-lingual creation in Swedish and English. It also represents the two chief interests of its editor, writing and graphic design. Issue number 8, for instance, carries articles that stem from the Sixth conference of the EAGT and includes pictures, diagrams, and original poetry and art work.

The French Cahiers de Gestalt-thérapie has published 6 issues; it is published twice each year. Each of them is betwen 200 and 280 pages. This journal is published by the French "College de Gestalt-thérapie," a national organization which was created in 1996, after a split inside the French Society for Gestalt (SFG). The same team, with Jean-Marie Robine as chief editor, was in charge of the previous journal, inside the SFG, so it's now an experience of 10 years, something like 15 issues, with more than 3500 pages!

Considering the French situation, i.e. a very few books available in the Gestalt-therapy field, the journal has to be a real tool for practitioners and students alike. Consequently, every issue is focused on a specific topic, both as a handbook, and as a place for research in theory, clinical practice, and translations mostly from English, German, Spanish, and Italian. Now the Cahiers are very well known all over the Gestalt Community in the world for deep reflection, theoretical and practical insights, and re-grounding Gestalt-therapy in the cultural context of European thinking.

Previous topics were :

• Consciously aware, unaware, unconscious
• Nastiness
• Clinical practice
• Id function
• Groups in Gestalt-therapy
• Field and background
•  

Each issue receive the cooperation of an artist who offers pictures related to
the topics.

The subscription (2 issues) is FF. 280 a year (More or less 47 US$) and can be
obtained via "international money order" to:

Co-Sponsored by:

• Gestalt Therapy Institute of Philadelphia
• Portland Gestalt Therapy Training Institute

Faculty:

• Carol Swanson, LCSW
• Mary Lou Schack, Ph.D.
• Philip Lichtenberg, Ph.D.

Description:

• A two-week-long workshop in Gestalt therapy combining theoretical exploration, personal work, creative endeavor, group-building, and space for savoring the countryside and atmosphere of Provence in southern France.
• This workshop is appropriate for developing Gestalt therapists, established psychotherapists wanting additional learning, and creative individuals in arts and letters who wish to explore their possibilities and limits in a workshop setting.
• Costs: $1800, whcih includes tuition, room and board. (This does not, however, include transportation to and from the workshop site.)
• For information on the east coast contact Philip Lichtenberg, Gestalt Institute of Philadelphia, P.O. Box 691, Bryn Mawr, PA, 19010-0961; (610) 519-1300
• For information on the west coast contact Carol Swanson, Portland Gestalt Therapy Training Institute, 1020 SW Taylor St. #750, Portland, OR 97205 (503) 224-3833

Experiential Pre-Conference Workshop in Contemporary Gestalt Therapy

"In this experiential workshop, attendees will observe contemporary Gestalt practice. They will discuss basic tenets in the Gestalt theoretical matrix and sense Gestalt's utility for tracking intrapsychic, interpersonal, and group processes. Participants will experience the character of a Gestalt training group and explore a Gestalt model of supervision."

The Integrative Grid in Gestalt Therapy: Contact & Religious Impasse

"Religious impasse is the point where resistance stalemates spiritual growth. The integrative grid of Gestalt therapy, which emerges from the matrix of Gestalt therapy theory, will be explained and applied to demonstrate its usefulness in supporting contact while working through religious impasse on intrapsychic, interpersonal, and group or organizational levels."

Phil first experienced Gestalt therapy while working as a neuropsychiatric technician for the U.S. Navy during the Viet Nam war. He later spent fifteen years in Christian ministry, serving as a pastor of children, heading up a Christian education program in a large, urban church, and pastoring in small rural churches. He received his doctorate in clinical psychology from George Fox University, has worked extensively in residential treatment of acute and dual-diagnosed clients and now serves as Porgram Coordinator/Clinical Supervisor for a county-funded family center in Portland, Oregon. Phil trained in Gestalt therapy through the Portland Gestalt Therapy Training Institute and has been supervised by Steve Zahm, Ph.D. and Jon Frew, Ph.D. He is Sr. Editor at Gestalt! and President of Gestal Global Corporation

Gestalt therapy has grown enormously in recent years, with over 150 institutes worldwide and an increasing number of regional, national, and international conferences. Gestalt Review is responding to this growth by nurturing dialogue throughout the worldwide community of Gestalt practitioners, including the publication of translations of articles from other languages. Further, it appeals to readers outside the Gestalt community by providing a forum for exchanges among Gestalt and non-Gestalt practitioners and theorists; the journal aims to demonstrate the relevance of the Gesalt approach to clinicians and consultants who work with specific populations, systems, and problem areas. Gestalt Review concentrates on the Gestalt approach to clinical, family, group, and organizational topics. Case studies and papers dealing with specific clinical issues are regularly featured, but the journal also publishes original papers dealing with politics, philosophy, culture, and gender.