About the course

The roots of Gestalt derive from Jan Smuts and the Gestalt psychologists who pioneered holism. Kurt Lewin developed Field Theory - now a central pillar of Gestalt Therapy. We explore this topic, examining the use of context in therapy, spheres of influence, the fivecore principles of Field Theory, and the dynamic of co-created realities.
Course includes: 272 minutes video presentation by Steve Vinay Gunther, 46 core readings, 20 additional readings, 11 related books, 124 item quiz, Completion certificate for 10 CPE points.

Course content

  • 272 minutes of video presentation by Steve Vinay Gunther
  • 44 core readings
  • 23 additional readings
  • 11 related books
  • 124 item quiz
  • Completion certificate for 10 CPE points
  • Subtitles in 30 languages

Course curriculum

    1. Bird, J. (2000). Working with time. In The heart's narrative -Therapy and navigating life's contradictions (pp. 233–241). Edge Press.

    2. Blatner, A. (1985). Looking at relationships. In Foundations of psychodrama (1st ed., pp. 81–89)

    3. Cabrera, D. (2015). The 6 sacred cows of systems thinking. httpsblog.cabreraresearch.orgsacred-cows-of-systems-thinking-emergence

    4. Catalina Foothills School District & Waters Foundation (2007). Systems Thinking Rubric. Systems Thinking in Schools Partnership

    5. del Pozo, H., & Hellinger, B. (1999). Unravelling family secrets. httpbertchile.iwarp.comHellingerFamily

    6. Dimitrov, V (1998). Introduction to the Key Concepts of Complexity Science.

    7. Engel, G. L. (1980). The clinical application of the biopsychosocial model. The American Journal of Psychiatry, 137(5), 535–544.

    8. Goodman, M. (1997). Systems thinking - What, why, when, where, and how_ The Systems Thinker, 8(2), 6–7.

    9. Goodman, M., & Karash, R. (1995). Six steps to thinking systemically. The Systems Thinker, 6(2), 16–18.

    10. Hilgers, M., & Mangez, E. (2014). Introduction to Pierre Bourdieu’s theory of social fields. In Bourdieu’s Theory of Social Fields. Taylor & Francis Group.

    11. Hyland, M. E. (2001). The intelligent body. New Scientist, 12.

    12. Krause, M. (2018). How Fields Vary. The British journal of sociology 69.1 322

    13. Levi Martin, J. (2003). What Is Field Theory? The American journal of sociology 109.1 149

    14. Martin, J.L., Gregg, F. (2014). Was Bourdieu a field theorist? In Bourdieus Theory of Social Fields. Taylor & Francis Group.

    15. Rosenberg, J., Rand, M., & Asay, D. (1985). The primary scenario. In Body, self and soul Sustaining integration. Humanics

    16. Sheldrake, R. (2008). Morphic resonance and morphic fields - An introduction. Rupert Sheldrake. httpswww.sheldrake.orgresearchmorphic-resonanceintroduction.

    17. Stroh, D. P. (2010). Identifying and breaking vicious cycles. The Systems Thinker, 20(10), 7–8.

    18. Waters Center for Systems Thinking. (2019). Habits of a systems thinker.

    19. Williamson, D. (1999). Face to face. In Two plays (pp. 74–125). Currency Press.

    1. Borrell-Carrió, F., Suchman, A.L., Epstein, R.M. (2004). The Biopsychosocial Model 25 Years Later: Principles, Practice, and Scientific Inquiry. Annals of family medicine, Vol. 2, no. 6.

    2. Cahalan, W. (1983). An elaboration of the Gestalt personality theory The experience of self in social relations. The Gestalt Journal, 6(1), 39-53.

    3. Daniels, V. (2023). Life-Space Mapping. Available: https://consciousnessandculture. com/gestalt-therapy/life-space-mapping/ [Accessed 05.09.23]

    4. Francesetti, G. (2019). Chapter 2 A clinical exploration of atmospheres. Towards a field-based clinical practice. In G. Francesetti & T. Griffero (eds.), Psychopathology and atmospheres Neither inside nor outside. Cambridge Scholars Publishing.

    5. Frew, J. (1992). From the perspective of the environment. The Gestalt Journal, 15(1), 39-60.

    6. Gerunde, H., & Kampmann, V. (1996). Disease and suffering - the Gestalt approach as an alternative to the medical model. The British Gestalt Journal, 5(2), 84–91.

    7. Gibson, R. (1998). 1st Australian Gestalt Conference. Perth.

    8. Gunn, J. (2006). Gestalt and family constellations compatible, complementary, or conflicting_ . British Gestalt Journal, vol. 1 5, No 1 , 40-47

    9. Latner, J. (1983). This is the speed of light Field and systems theories in Gestalt therapy. The Gestalt Journal, 6(2), 71-109.

    10. Macaluso, M. A. (2015). Beyond the Perls-Goodman model- From the organism-environment field to the relational field. Gestalt Review, 19(3), 233-250.

    11. Meara, A. (1999). The butterfly effect in therapy Not every flap of a butterflys wing... Gestalt Review, 3(3), 205-225.

    12. Neumann, J. E. (2005). Kurt Lewin at the Tavistock Institute. Educational Action Research, 13(1), 119-136.

    13. O'Neill, B. (2010). Being present to the emergent creation of the field- Wordsworth, Buber, and Gestalt therapy. Gestalt Review, 14(2), 171-186.

    14. Parlett, M. (1991). Reflections on field theory. The British Gestalt Journal, 1, 6891.

    15. Parlett, M. (2011). Beyond individualism- Toward a new understanding of self, relationship, and experience (2000). Gestalt Review, 15(3), 271-280.

    16. Philippson, P. (2023). Topics in Gestalt therapy. Paper 1 Revisiting the field. Kindle.

    17. Roberts, A. (1999). Digging up the bodies. The British Gestalt Journal, 8(2), 134–137.

    18. Rubenfeld, F. (2009). Reflections- Field theory and transcendent experiences. Gestalt Review, 13(3), 296-301.

    19. Rubenfeld, F. (2011). Cocreating the field- Intention and practice in the age of complexity (2009). Gestalt Review, 15(3), 321-326.

    20. Schoch de Neuforn, S. (2001). Considering the field in the Gestalt therapy clinic. Australian Gestalt Journal, 5, 39–47.

    21. Spagnuolo Lobb, M. (2019). The paradigm of reciprocity- How to radically respect spontaneity in clinical practice. Gestalt Review, 23(3), 232-260.

    22. Staemmler, F.M. (2006). A babylonian confusion_ on the uses and meanings of the term 'field'. British Gestalt Journal. Vol. '15. No 2. 64-83

    23. Stevenson, H. (2018). Holism, field theory, systems thinking, and Gesalt consulting- How each informs the other - Part 2, practical application. Gesalt Review, 22(2), 189-207.

    24. Stevenson, H. (2018). Holism, field theory, systems thinking, and Gesatlt consulting- How each informs the other - Part 1, theoretical integration. Gestalt Review, 22(2), 161-188.

    25. Yontef, G. M. (1993). Introduction to field theory. In Awareness, dialogue and process - Essays on Gestalt therapy (pp. 285–325). The Gestalt Journal Press.

    1. Burnes, & Bargal, D. (2017). Kurt Lewin 70 Years on. Journal of Change Management, 17(2), 91100.

    2. Burnes, & Cooke, B. (2013). Kurt Lewins Field Theory A Review and Re-evaluation. International Journal of Management Reviews IJMR, 15(4), 408425.

    3. Glass, I. (1998, September 4). Mapping - Sight [Radio broadcast transcript]. This American Life.

    4. Rein, G., & McCraty, R. (2001). Local and non-local effects of coherent heart frequencies on conformational changes of DNA.

    5. Scott, B. (2003). Secondorder Cybernetics An Historical Introduction. Kybernetes Vol. 33 No. 910, 2004 pp. 1365-1378

    1. Fernandez Hearn, I. and Madrona Rodenas, S (trans) Aditya, R. (2015). The unity of body-mind and culture cultural mannerisms as processes of introjection. British Gestalt Journal, Vol. 24, No. 1, 25-31

    2. Francesetti, G. (2015). From individual symptoms to psychopathological fields. Towards a field perspective on clinical human suffering. The British Gestalt Journal, 24(1), 5–19. 

    3. Francesetti, G. (2019). The field perspective in clinical practice - Towards a theory of therapeutic phronesis

    4. Francesseti, G. (2016). _You cry, I feel pain._ The emerging, co-created self as the foundation of anthropology and psychotherapy in Gestalt therapy. In J. Robine (Ed.), Self- A polyphony of contemporary Gestalt therapists (pp. 1-13). L’Exprimerie.

    5. Martin, J. L. (2003). What is field theory_ American Journal of Sociology, 109(1), 1–49.

    6. Meyer, K. (2017). Advances in contemporary psychoanalytic field theory Concept and future development. Istituto di Gestalt H.C.C. Italy.

    7. O'Neill, B. (2008). Relativistic quantum field theory Implications for Gestalt therapy. Gestalt Review, 12(1), 723.

    8. Parlett, M. (1991). Exploring the field. (Excerpted from Reflections on field theory. The British Gestalt Journal, 1, 68–91). 

    9. Parlett, M. (1997). The unified field in practice. Gestalt Review, 1(1), 16–33.

    10. Parlett, M. (2005). Therapy of the situation. Georges Wollants Interviewed by Malcolm Parlett. British Gestalt Journal, vol. 14, No 2, 91-102

    11. Parlett, M., & Lee, R. G. (2005). Chapter 3- Contemporary Gestalt therapy - Field theory.

    12. Philippson, P. (2006). Field theory mirrors and reflections. British Gestalt Journal. Vol. '15. No 2. 59-63

    13. Philippson, P. (2017). Topics in Gestalt therapy - Revisiting the field [Kindle Edition].

    14. Robine, J. (2015). Chapter 37 - A background to _the field_.

    15. Schulz, F. (2013). Roots and shoots of Gestalt therapy field theory - Historical and theoretical developments. Gestalt Journal of Australia and New Zealand, 10(1), 24–47. 

    16. Siminovitch, D. Unit of work. Gestalt Coaching Works.

    17. Smith, N. W., & Smith, L. L. (1996). Field theory in science - Its role as a necessary and sufficient condition in psychology. The Psychological Record, 46(1), 3–19. 

    18. Wheeler, G., & Hausner, S. (2015). Afterword - Constellations and Gestalt - A closer look for Gestalt readers. In Even if it costs me my life - Systemic constellations and serious illness (pp. 287–319). Routledge.

    1. Video lecture on Field Theory - 208 minute

    2. Gunther, SV (2021). Entanglements and flow in the family field. Qineticare - 64 minute

    1. Quiz on Field Theory

    1. 3. Field Theory • Assessment 11 • Essay - Field Theory Implications

    2. 3. Field Theory • Assessment 12 • Concept Map

    3. 3. Field Theory • Assessment 13 • Reflection Form

    4. 3. Field Theory • Assessment 14 • Core Readings - Focus summaries / concept maps

About the presenter

Steve Vinay Gunther

Dr Steve Vinay Gunther

Steve Vinay Gunther has studied Gestalt therapy since 1985 and founded Gestalt institutes in Australia, South Korea, and China. Since 2000, he has been an international Gestalt trainer, teaching in Asia, Egypt, South Africa, Mexico, Colombia, and the USA.

In addition to Gestalt therapy, Steve is trained in family therapy, narrative therapy, somatic therapy, career coaching, and family constellations. He has practiced and studied meditation since 1973 and previously served as a professor of Spiritual Psychology at the Ryokan Institute in Los Angeles.

Steve pioneered relational psychology with his concept, The Unvirtues, and designed the Relational Parenting system. He is the father of five children and grandfather to four boys.

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