Gestalt Practitioner in Organizations – New Program of the IGW Center Zagreb

Petar is the director of a manufacturing company. For some time now, he has been facing manager turnover. With the support of a gestalt-oriented consultant, he will realize that turnover is one of the symptoms of dysfunctional communication and will initiate radical changes in organizational culture and the development of human resource management.

Sonja is the head of an association that is forced to reassess its goals and survival strategies in the market due to the crisis. With the help of a gestalt-oriented expert, she will organize a series of workshops for team members where they will collectively redefine the focus of the business and make decisions about the further direction of development.

Maja is a newly promoted director in a corporation. The new role brings new challenges, including changed relationships within the team. With her gestalt-oriented coach, she will have the opportunity to work on the challenges of her new role in a safe environment.

The examples mentioned illustrate just some of the numerous possibilities for applying gestalt therapy in organizations. Gestalt therapy has been practiced in the classical sense since the 1950s. The principles of gestalt therapy are now successfully applied not only in classical therapeutic settings but also in organizational environments, in interventions with large groups, and in the development of teams and individuals.

– One of the main strengths of the gestalt approach in organizations lies in its ability to balance process orientation and result orientation – says Sandra Čanić, a psychotherapist with many years of experience in human resource management and the head of the new program for Gestalt practitioners in organizations.

– One of the main traps in modern organizations operating in complex environments is to approach complex problems in a simplified manner – continues Čanić.

Problems characterized by low levels of uncertainty can be solved using tried-and-true formulas, but so-called wicked problems characterized by high levels of uncertainty require a fundamentally different approach. Selective perception, an overemphasis on logic while simultaneously ignoring systemic approaches, embodied knowledge, feelings, and intuition contribute to often overlooking the complexity of the situation from the very beginning. Continuing along the path we have set out worsens the initial state. For this reason, a vast number of well-conceived projects fail every year, bringing immeasurable losses to organizations and society as a whole.

– In the 21st century, we have significantly moved away from viewing the organization as a large, predictable clock. Organizations that want to be innovative realize that the toolbox containing classical knowledge of logic needs to be supplemented by using intuition, understanding the bigger picture, and generally using oneself and the entirety of available experience as an instrument of change – concludes Čanić.

– Organizations tend to focus heavily on business processes and content while neglecting the human factor, especially human irrationality and emotionality. In my experience, working on interpersonal relationships as well as on intra-individual conflicts in one-on-one work leads to the most significant changes within organizations. Only by working on relationships, both with oneself and with others, can we achieve engaged individuals and teams – emphasizes Mijo Marić, one of the co-owners of the IGW Center Zagreb, an experienced psychotherapist and consultant, as well as a trainer in the program.

– For these reasons, we are proud to launch education for Gestalt practitioners in organizations, the first of its kind in Croatia. This interactive, highly experiential two-year program is intended for professionals in the field of organizational development, human resource management experts, consultants, trainers, and all managers who wish to enhance their skills related to implementing various organizational interventions. As a Center, we have already established ourselves as one of the most significant Gestalt institutes in Croatia, and with this innovative program, we aim to expand our activities to organizations that are among the most important drivers of social change – concludes Marić.

The purpose of the program for Gestalt practitioners in organizations is to enable participants to acquire theoretical knowledge, as well as guidelines and tools that will support them in developing skills essential for understanding organizational dynamics and for sustainable change management. Through this program, participants will have the opportunity to work on developing an authentic consulting or managerial style based on the principles of the gestalt approach – a holistic humanistic approach focused on the client. The program starts in June 2022. More information can be found on the page: https://centarigwzagreb.hr/obavijest-o-upisu-na-program-gestalt-prakticar-u-organizacijama/.