Relational Gestalt Practice: The Transformative Power of Emotion

Relational Gestalt Practice is a five-day Gestalt workshop at Esalen Institute in Big Sur, California, led by Dorothy Charles. It is for people who want to understand how their earliest relationships shaped their beliefs about themselves and others, and to practice new ways of meeting people in the present. The work blends body-centered Gestalt, the tradition Esalen is known for, with relational Gestalt theory.

The premise is simple and humane. Our sense of self develops in connection with others, and while the past cannot be changed, the parts of life that feel difficult or unfulfilling can shift through new experiences of contact. When a need for understanding and emotional attunement is met, limiting beliefs can loosen.

What to Expect

The workshop combines basic Gestalt awareness practices with a mix of teaching and experiential exercises. Over the days, participants have the opportunity to:

- Build skills that increase presence and awareness
- Improve their ability to make good contact with others
- Explore how to set healthy boundaries
- Develop and track awareness of physical sensations and emotions
- Communicate needs and wants more effectively
- Notice habitual relational patterns that get in the way of the connection they long for

Some participants will have an individual "open seat" session with Dorothy, with the support of the group.

The week begins on Monday with a "How to Drop into Esalen" orientation in the late afternoon, followed by a welcome and opening circle in the evening. Tuesday through Thursday follow a steady rhythm: a morning session from 9:30 am to 12:30 pm and an afternoon session from 3:30 pm to 6:30 pm. The themes move from Gestalt foundations to deepening practice to relational work. On Friday a final session runs from 10:00 am to 12:00 pm, centered on integration and closing, and the rest of the day is open for reflection and Esalen's open classes.

About Dorothy Charles

Dorothy Charles has been a student and teacher at Esalen since 1982. She studied with Esalen co-founder Richard Price, and she brings together Esalen's body-centered Gestalt and relational Gestalt theory. She leads workshops in Asia, Europe, and the United States.

The Setting

Esalen Institute sits on the Big Sur coast, and the workshop can be taken with accommodation on-site or off-site, or as an individual day pass. On-site rooms range from budget-friendly sleeping bag space in shared rooms and gender-inclusive bunk rooms, to standard shared rooms, private queen rooms, and premium rooms and yurts, some with ocean or forest views and private decks.

Meals are served in the dining hall: breakfast from 8:30 to 9:45 am, lunch from 12:30 to 1:45 pm, and dinner from 6:00 to 7:30 pm, with coffee, tea, and snacks through the day. Guests staying on-site also have access to the hot springs and campus facilities.

Travel on Highway 1 into northern Big Sur has at times been limited to Caltrans-run convoys at set morning and evening times, so it is worth checking current road conditions before you travel.

Before You Go

On-site stays include the workshop, housing, all meals, coffee, tea and snacks, hot springs access, and attendance at open-schedule classes. Healing Arts sessions such as Esalen Massage, specialty drinks and alcohol from the bar, and bookstore purchases are extra. A scholarship application is available for those who need support.

Dorothy suggests two books for those who want to read ahead: Gestalt Therapy: Practice and Theory by Korb and colleagues, and Gestalt Therapy: 100 Key Points and Techniques by Mann.