“I don’t know how a poem takes form, I take the mud of my life and feel like a great sculptor.”
– Alda Merini –
From Tradition to Growing Edges
The School offers an approach to psychopathology from a phenomenological and Gestalt therapy perspective. It represents an original and unique combination of the European tradition of phenomenological psychopathology and of contemporary Gestalt Therapy theory applied to clinical practice. Psychopathology is explored from the roots of these traditions and developed towards the edges of a radical relational perspective.
Field Theory and Process of Change
We consider psychopathology as a field phenomenon emerging in the session and aiming towards transformation in the process of therapy. Clinical sufferings and symptoms are expressions of different ways of being absent in the situation. Therapy, consequently, is the art of presence and supports the forces acting in the field and moving towards transformation.
New Directions in Clinical Practice and Social Commitment
This understanding deeply impacts the therapeutic work and opens up new ways of meeting the client and of approaching clinical situations, emerging feelings and the therapist’s interventions. Since individual suffering is indissolubly entangled with the wider field, the social dimension becomes the necessary ground to understanding the clinical phenomena and, conversely, therapy becomes the crucible to foster the social change.
PHENOMENOLOGICAL-GESTALT PSYCHOPATHOLOGY: ONLINE PROGRAM 2024-2025 Part 1
ONLINE PROGRAM
PHENOMENOLOGICAL-GESTALT PSYCHOPATHOLOGY
The program is organized in online monthly seminars: lectures followed by discussion in small groups and then by a Q&A (Questions and Answers) session. They critically address the topics from the historical, nosographic and diagnostic perspectives. The phenomenological and Gestalt understanding of every specific suffering is explored from a field theory perspective.
The first part of the program addresses the main psychopathological forms (that we call weathers), whereas the second part focuses on the personality dimensions and adjustments (that we call landscapes). The seminars of the second part are led by two trainers in order to enrich the presentation from different perspectives.
Structure of the online seminars
(16:00 20:00 CET)
Lecture
Break
Discussion in small group
Break
Q&A
PROGRAM 2024-2025
PART 1: Weathers
FOUNDATIONS AND FORMS OF PSYCHOPATHOLOGY
The first part explores the fundamentals of psychopathology and the specific clinical sufferings. After the first seminar led by the three directors, each seminar is led by one trainer.
- FUNDAMENTS OF PSYCHOPATHOLOGY
Francesetti, Gecele, Roubal, September, 25th , 2024
- PANIC DISORDER
Francesetti, October, 16th, 2024
- DEPRESSIVE EXPERIENCES
Roubal, November, 20th 2024
- MANIC EXPERIENCES
Gecele, December 11th 2024
- ADDICTIVE EXPERIENCES
Van Zelst, January 15th 2025
- OBSESSIVE-COMPULSIVE EXPERIENCES
Francesetti, February 19th, 2025
- ANOREXIA AND BULIMIA
Philippson, March 19th, 2025
- PHOBIAS
Gecele, April, 16th 2025
- LONG TERM POST-TRAUMATIC EXPERIENCES
Roubal, May 14th 2025
- EXPERIENCES OF SCHIZOPHRENIC SPECTRUM
Francesetti, June 11th 2025
11. SHAME AS A WEATHER
Roubal, July 09th 2025
Duration of each seminar: 4 hours, 16.00 – 20.00 CET
COSTS of part 1:
Fee for all the seminars: 900 euros + VAT
Fee for each seminar: 100 euros + VAT
- PART 2: Landscapes
INTERSECTIONS OF SUFFERINGS, PERSONALITY DIMENSIONS AND CLINICAL COMPLEXITY
The second part explores the intersections of the main personality dimensions with specific clinical sufferings (for example the hysterical dimension and psychosomatics, depression, panic disorder, etc.) and some special clinical situations. When meeting the client, indeed, we find a very complex and unique combination of personality styles, symptoms, ways of being and suffering. It is important not only to recognize the forms of sufferings (weathers) but also the ways these forms appear in different situations and personalities (landscapes).
Each seminar is led by two trainers.
1. NARCISSISTIC DIMENSION
Gecele and Francesetti, September 4th, 2025
2. HYSTERICAL DIMENSION
Gecele and Francesetti, October 27th, 2025
3. SCHIZOID DIMENSION
Francesetti and Gecele, November 19th, 2025
4. PSYCHOPATHIC DIMENSION
Francesetti and Gecele, December 17th, 2025
5. BORDERLINE DIMENSION
Roubal and Gecele, January 21st, 2026
6. LANDSCAPES OF FEAR: OBSESSIVE, PHOBIC, PANIC, HYPOCHONDRIAC, DEPENDENT DIMENSIONS
Francesetti and Gecele, February 18th, 2026
7. SUICIDAL WEATHER
Roubal and Francesetti, March 10th, 2026
8. NAVIGATING LANDSCAPES: INSIDE THE SESSION, INSIDE THE WORLD
Gecele and Francesetti, April 1st, 2026
_________________________________________________________________________
STRUCTURE OF THE ONLINE SEMINARS (4 hours)
| 16,00-17,30 | Lecture | ||
| 17,30-17,45 | Break | ||
| 17,45-18,45 | Discussion in small groups | ||
| 18,45-19,00 | Break | ||
| 19,00-20,00 | Q&A | ||
COSTS of part 2:
Fee for all the seminars: 800 euros + VAT
Fee for each seminar: 130 euros + VAT
TRAINERS
