This course explores the many ways that issues of “culture” influence the frame of psychotherapy and the relationship between client and therapist.  A historical context is provided to help define “Multiculturalism, Biculturalism and Interculturalism” as discussed in the literature.   A psychoanalytic perspective on the issues is then provided.  Next, an analysis is provided by several Gestalt therapists. Emphasis is then given to issues of particular relevance to therapists in the United States; that is, therapist and client field-related issues with regard to race and ethnicity.  Finally, the course looks at social action as it relates to Gestalt therapy theory and to our role as Gestalt therapists.

• $300

• 10 Hours

• Instructor: Patricia Tucker, LCSW, LP

In this course we will explore the multiple and intertwining cultural, biological, and psychological issues that contribute to the formation of a sense of a male or female gendered “self.” We will draw upon the works of such diverse theorists as Winnicott, Freud, Mitchell, Chodorow, Benjamin, and Gilligan, and analyze their contributions to an understanding of the role of gender in personality development.

• $300

• 10 Hours

• Instructor: Justin Laird, PhD, LP

• Sundays, 12-3:30pm

• October 4 - November 15, 2026

• Location: On Zoom

• Semester: Fall 2026

This course will address family issues, dynamics and treatment from a Gestalt Psychoanalytic perspective, interweaving ideas derived from Family Systems theory. We will look at the history of the development of Family Therapy, various schools of thought, emphasizing gestalt, psychoanalytic and systems thinking and modes of treatment. We will study tapes and use role play as well as supervision of actual cases to explore various treatment interventions based on solid theoretical formulations. This course requires participants to complete Level I of GAP training before registering.

• $450

• 15 Hours

• Instructor: Jordan Dann, LP, CIRT, SEP

Utilizing a psychoanalytic and Gestalt therapy framework, the interplay of social factors in the environment and issues of LGBTQIA+ identity will be discussed in depth. Students will be presented with many of the cultural issues and struggles of this population, and the creative adjustments, defenses, and coping mechanisms frequently utilized by LGBTQIA+ clients that clinicians need to understand when working with this population in a psychotherapy setting. Assessment and treatment issues will be discussed using both case material and the student’s own experiences with the LGBTQIA+ population.

• $350

• 10 Hours

• Instructor: Jennifer Byxbee, LCAT