Good stuff, Johnny. I was curious about the gestalt as I’ve studied Perls a bit and have interest in refining my knowledge and use of gestalt as well as its use at Esalen with Perls since the 1960s. What role does it play in MKP?
Curious if you’ve done any research on other men’s groups that do “the work”?
Re: Gestalt, there's a process that MKP pioneered, and which many men's groups now have their own version of, called "carpet work" or "guts." It's often the most intense part of a retreat, and involves a facilitator going deep in dialogue with a man about whatever issue is present for him, and then moving energy through physical movement. The goal is to get the man out of his head and into his body, feeling as deeply as he's able/willing to and often creating some kind of cathartic release.
I'm not sure how Perls originally performed Gestalt therapy at Esalen, but what I just described is a modern interpretation of it.
And there are lots of great men's groups doing the work out there. I haven't been able to find any directories of them so I created a free and simple one at findamensgroup.com
Good stuff, Johnny. I was curious about the gestalt as I’ve studied Perls a bit and have interest in refining my knowledge and use of gestalt as well as its use at Esalen with Perls since the 1960s. What role does it play in MKP?
Curious if you’ve done any research on other men’s groups that do “the work”?
Thanks
Re: Gestalt, there's a process that MKP pioneered, and which many men's groups now have their own version of, called "carpet work" or "guts." It's often the most intense part of a retreat, and involves a facilitator going deep in dialogue with a man about whatever issue is present for him, and then moving energy through physical movement. The goal is to get the man out of his head and into his body, feeling as deeply as he's able/willing to and often creating some kind of cathartic release.
I'm not sure how Perls originally performed Gestalt therapy at Esalen, but what I just described is a modern interpretation of it.
And there are lots of great men's groups doing the work out there. I haven't been able to find any directories of them so I created a free and simple one at findamensgroup.com
Ride on. Thanks Johnny