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The UKAGP Team - Who we are
UKAGP Administrator: Natasha Wilson
Following on from my assisting with the organisation and administration of the UKAGP Residential Conference in June 2013, I was invited to continue working for the UKAGP for a further 18months as a pilot scheme. I shall be assisting with membership processing, and giving support to the Committee in whatever administrative and organisational capacity is needed. I will also be assisting with a review of the administrative and operational systems currently in place to increase efficiency and coherence.
My background is in health care, complementary therapies, and administration and I now combine these skills in my work. Along with the administrative role for the UKAGP, I also work as General Practice Manager of The Practice Rooms, an organisation that provides space for the practice of talking and complementary therapies.
I am passionately interested in the process of change and transformation and so am very happy to be working with the UKAGP.
The Organising Committee
Jacqui Lichtenstern – Chair
I have been working therapeutically in a variety of contexts since age 14, including integrated play, youth and care work, and completed my MSc in Gestalt Psychotherapy at Metanoia after an initial training in Integrative counselling. I am passionate about making connections, engaging with the wider community from the beginning; becoming a member of GPTI, AAGT & PCSR, attending diverse conferences and CPD training across modalities, assisting teaching at Manchester Gestalt Centre and to prison inmates, and facilitating groups & workshops on issues of identity, belonging and mixed heritage. I have a small private practice and work as a therapeutic mentor to university students, and as part-time librarian at Metanoia. I am delighted to represent UKAGP in EAGT, and see my role as playing a part in enabling UKAGP to grow and develop into becoming more widely known as the National Organisation for Gestalt Therapy (NOGT) in the UK.
Rod London – Secretary
I worked for 20 years as a primary school teacher in various Birmingham schools. Alongside this I trained initially at Birmingham Counselling Centre, followed by psychotherapy training at Metanoia. By the time I graduated in 2011, I had left teaching and currently work co-managing a university counselling and mental health team, in GP practices and run a small private practice.
I see UKAGP as offering a unifying opportunity for what sometimes seems a very disparate gestalt community. It could become the first place anyone interested in gestalt looks for information about gestalt practice and practitioners in the UK. Additionally, UKAGP events and communications have provided a sense of belonging for me - something I hope you find too.
Ruth Nightingale – Finance Officer
I came to Gestalt in 2006 having reached a stuck place in my working and personal life. Gestalt made sense and I began studying for a career in this field; qualifying with an MSc in Gestalt Psychotherapy from Middx/Metanoia in June 2011.
During this time I was fortunate to be able to also study with Ruella Frank in New York. This complementary training on Developmental Somatic Psychotherapy (DSP) enhanced my Gestalt learning and remains a clear interest in my client work, and I deliver Introductory workshops in DSP and Relational Movement.
I live and work in London; am in private practice, support a counselling placement delivering to NHS patients, provide business consultancy for counselling services in the region, am an assistant tutor at Metanoia Institute and run a Women’s Therapy Group.
I joined UKAGP at its inception, and bring to the committee my skills learnt through running my own business along with a need for order! I have a passion for our work which has led me to meet Gestalt Therapists from all over the world. The opportunity to be part of a UK community that brings peer support and peer learning both face to face and virtual is what UKAGP can provide through its membership.
James Bailey - Membership Recruitment, Publicity and Marketing Officer
I have spent my nearly 30 year business career working in UK and International media, primarily in advertising sales and commercial strategic/business development, and currently work at CNN, the international news broadcaster. In 2003 I began my training as a Psychotherapist at the Gestalt Centre, graduating in 2013, and I now balance my working week between CNN, private practice and voluntary therapy work in London and Sevenoaks.
My hope is to find exciting reasons for new members to join UKAGP.
Jane Flint – Regional and Special Interest Groups Co-ordinator
My Gestalt training began in 2002 with GPTI at the York Psychotherapy Training Centre. In 2009 I completed my MSc in Gestalt Psychotherapy at Metanoia. Prior to my MSc, I completed an MA in Integrated Counselling Studies at the University of Nottingham. I have clinical experience in the NHS, voluntary sector and private practice. As Regional and Special Interest Groups Co-ordinator, I’m interested in facilitating the formation of regional groups and special interest groups by helping members to connect with each other. If you are interested in starting or being part of a group, please get in touch with me.
Helen Thomas – Trainee Representative
I began my Gestalt training in 2010 at Metanoia/Middlesex and am currently in my 4th year of study. My current placement work is at a low cost counselling service in west London and I plan to begin a small private practice in 2014. My background is in software development and management in both the private and public sectors and I now work at the Houses of Parliament.
As Trainee Representative, I’m interested in how the wider Gestalt community can both support and benefit from the trainee community especially as trainees transition to fully fledged therapists. I am aware how vital peer support has been throughout my training so far and want to keep giving and receiving this as I progress professionally. I volunteered to be the trainee representative at the June 2013 conference (when I was one of two trainees there!) and I enjoy bringing naive and challenging questions to the committee on behalf of newer therapists as well as trying to help answer them.
Dawn Gwilt – Welsh Representative and Pre-accreditation and Research Representatitve
In July 2013 I finished the taught part of my psychotherapy training at the Welsh Psychotherapy Partnership in Cardiff. I am now working towards UKCP accreditation, and therefore I am very interested in finding ways to support those of us at this stage of training - pre-accreditation/ post-training. I am also keen to encourage more links with research, and would be very interested to hear from members on either of these topics.
Liz Beauchamp -
MSc (Gestalt Psychotherapy), UKCP Registered: MBA.
I graduated from Metanoia in 2011 and I work part time as a psychotherapist in private practice in East London. Having completed an MBA in 2005 I became a self-employed business consultant working primarily with owner/managers helping them to achieve their goals. Whilst studying I realised how compatible my consultancy work was with Gestalt and so completed a Diploma in Organisational Gestalt. I’ve found this has complemented my consultancy work and enables me to use my passion for Gestalt in a much wider context – my business clients seem to find it quite useful too!
In my spare time, which I’m always trying to increase, I love to travel and enjoy trekking in far and distant lands where I’m never happier than when the phone has no signal, the only running water is in a nearby stream and the only decision to make is whether to wear an extra layer!
Rachael Kellett
Rachael Kellett is a UKCP accredited Gestalt Psychotherapist working in private practice in Beaconsfield, Bucks and Wimpole Street, London. She works with individuals, couples, groups and facilitates workshops. She is also a Relax Kids Coach.
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