Member: Contributing Member

Susan is the head and founder of Instituto de Terapia Gestalt para niños y adolescentes, a Gestalt Therapy Institute for training therapist under the Violet Oaklander Model in Leon, Mexico (gestaltmexico.com.mx). She holds a Master´s degree in Gestalt Therapy; she received the following training: Basic Intensive Training, Advanced Intensive Training, 2nd Advanced Intensive Origins, and Training for Trainers at Felicia Carroll’s West Coast Institute in Solvang California. Also she participated in the 21st Century Perspectives’ Summer Workshop in Malibu, California; she fulfilled all requisites to obtain the Certification in the Oaklander Model by the West Coast Institute for Gestalt Therapy

Jon is a Gestalt psychotherapist, supervisor and trainer based in London, UK working with adults, children and families in private practice. His background lies in psychiatric social work and counselling. Jon is a Director of the British Gestalt Journal; he is also an improvisatory musician performing with Playback South theatre company (www.playbacksouth.org). He tutors and supervises on the child psychotherapy course at Terapia and facilitates a ‘BabyWatching’project . He also facilitates a dialogue group for descendants of Holocaust Survivors. Since training with Violet Oaklander in 2000 Jon’s work has been deeply influenced by the Oaklander approach; his annual expressive arts intensive for child therapists at the Gestalt Centre, London draws inspiration from Violet’s ideas. Jon’s chapter on adolescence, “Am I Bovvered? ” features in Relational Child ,Relational Brain ( eds. Harris and Lee, Taylor and Francis, 2011). Email: jon.blend335@gmail.com; Web: lifechanges.manspark.webfactional.com

Adriana is licensed psychologist in the Regional Council of Psychology, Brazil. She worked as a researcher in infant development and full professor for 14 years. Adriana earned her Ph.D. in Psychology at State University of Rio de Janeiro in 2004. She has written numerous publications about parenting, adult-child interaction, infant development and Gestalt therapy with children. She really loves to work with children and fortunately works with them at her office as a clinical psychologist. She uses and teaches the Oaklander Method. She conducts training programs for psychologists in Rio de Janeiro and other states in Brazil, teaching the Oaklander Method. Adriana also attended some trainings and conferences in Gestalt Therapy conducted by Felicia Carroll. She is a co-founder of Grão Cursos (www.graoweb.com.br) and has organized professional events in Brazil in order to promote the Oaklander Method. She can be reached at aribas@globo.com

Rodolfo Ribas is Associate Professor at the Federal University of Rio de Janeiro (UFRJ), Brazil. He earned a bachelor's degree in Psychology from the State University of Rio de Janeiro (UERJ), a master's degree in Psychology from the UFRJ and doctoral degree in Social Psychology from the UERJ. He is licensed psychology by the Brazilian Federal Council of Psychology and currently maintains a private practice that includes working with couples and adults, and consulting. Ribas received a dissertation award and publication grants from the Jacobs Foundation, Switzerland. He received the title of Collaborative Investigator to the National Institute of Child Health and Human Development by the National Institutes of Health of the Department of Health and Human Services, U.S.. Current topics of research interest include Gestalt psychology, emotional intelligence, creativity, and wisdom. Ribas has contributed scientific papers in the areas of developmental, clinical, methodological, parental, pediatric, and cross cultural psychology. He is cofounder of the Grão Cursos (www.graoweb.com.br) and has promoted the work of Violet Oaklander in Brazil. He can be reached at rodolforibas@globo.com

Lillian Freeman, LCSW works in West Los Angeles as a psychotherapist. Thirty years ago she graduated from UCLA. She specializes in work with children and adolescents. In addition she sees families, couples and individuals. She combines psychodynamic psychotherapy and gestalt. She trained at the Los Angeles Gestalt Institute and with Violet Oaklander, Ph.D.

For the last fifteen years she has taught in the Psychology Masters Program at Ryokan College. Two years ago she began teaching at Antioch University in their Psychology Masters Program. Regularly she teaches Treatment of Children and Adolescents, Treatment of Families, and Child and Adolescent Development. She has done training and supervision throughout California. She has supervised at the Maple Counseling Center and the Airport Marina Counseling Center. Lillian can be contacted at this email: lillianfreemanlcsw@earthlink.net.

Lori combines her interests in psychology, spirituality, philosophy, dreams, child and adult development, astrology, meditation, nutrition, health, and her intuitive gifts to guide her way in the healing arts. She specializes in helping parents, for themselves and their children, through the stages, challenges, and changes of parent-child relationships, married life, self discovery, healing old wounds, spiritual development, and inspired creative expression. She’s a graduate of the University of Southern California with a Master’s degree in Counseling Psychology, and earned her Pupil Services Credential in School Counseling from Phillips Graduate Institute. She is currently working toward Advanced Certification in BodyTalk through the International BodyTalk Association. Lori continues to move toward the integration of science, psychology, and the healing of mind, body, and relationships in developing two ongoing programs: Calm & Sense Workshops for Enhanced Alignment in Living, and The Road to Optimal Health: An Educational & Motivational Community Service Series. Lori can be contacted at consciousworks@sbcglobal.net or (818) 342-1008. Her office is in Tarzana , California.

Psychotherapist for Children, Adolescents, Adults and Families
Adelina holds a B.A. in Psychology with a minor in Applied Psychology from University of California, Santa Barbara as well as a Masters degree in Marriage and Family Therapy from USC. She was introduced to Violet’s work while training at the Maple Counseling Center in Beverly Hills, Ca where she worked with children, adolescents and their families. Since then, she has completed several trainings with Violet and “21rst Century Perspectives” which have strongly influenced her work as a therapist and has been supervised by Karen Hillman Fried Psy. D., founding member of the VSOF. Adelina currently practices as a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist in Santa Monica, Ca. where she specializes in working with children with learning disabilities, adolescents, parenting and multi-cultural issues. She can be contacted at amehrazarin@gmail.com

After I graduated with a B.A. in Child Development, I started my business providing creative arts programs for children in preschools and elementary schools, as well as training University students and teachers, and as a Teaching Artist for the Music Center. So many of the children responded positively to the arts, but needed more than I could provide in that context. I went on to get my M.S. in Counseling, and now, as a licensed psychotherapist with a private practice in Encino California, I combine my education and experience in Child Development, the Creative Arts and Psychotherapy to connect with children and adults, helping them to grow into the people they can be. The Oaklander Model is the theoretical foundation that so sensibly informs and supports my private sessions and workshops in Movement as a Therapeutic Intervention and Contact Function in Play Therapy. Denise can be contacted at ddb4@earthlink.net.

Giandomenico Bagatin is a psychologist, psychotherapist and international trainer from Trieste, Italy. He's a child psychologist, Gestalt certified supervisor, NLP coach and EMDR practitioner, working in private practice with children, adults and couples. Very interested about spreading good psychology to people, he runs his own "revolutionary psychology" blog and published two books in Italy, the first of them has been published in Hungary. After his first training in Oaklander model his work was deeply influenced from it. From 2012 he contributes organizing trainings and teaching Gestalt with children and adolescents Oaklander way in Italy, Spain and Portugal. giandomenico.bagatin@gmail.com www.psicologiarivoluzionaria.com www.psicologipsicoterapeutitrieste.it