About GANZ

Gestalt Australia and New Zealand (GANZ) is an Professional Association of Gestalt Practitioners which is the peak body representing Gestalt Practitioners in this region of the world.

GANZ was formally established as an Association at the 1st 'Down Under' Gestalt Therapy Conference held in Perth in September 1998. The establishment of the association was the outcome of a series of meetings, the first being held in Sydney (November 1996) followed by Melbourne (May/June 1997) and Brisbane (March 1998).

These meetings were attended by representatives of training centres from across Australia and New Zealand, practitioners and interested others. The motivation to form an Association arose from developments in the field of counselling/psychotherapy and registration requirements, and a desire to forge bridges between centres and practitioners across Australia and New Zealand.

Three working parties were established at the Sydney meeting; umbrella/organization; standards/accreditation; and conference. Each working party included representatives from various sectors of the gestalt therapy community and provided materials for discussion at each meeting.

In March 1998 a draft constitution, based on meeting discussions and community consultation, was circulated, revised and accepted by those who had participated in the various meetings. In June 1998, GANZ was incorporated in the ACT as a professional Association.

As a foundation member of PACFA (Psychotherapy and Counselling Federation of Australia) GANZ established criteria for membership, training standards and a training program accreditation process and a code of ethics which apply to all GANZ members.

As a Professional Association GANZ is governed by a Council which is elected by GANZ members every 2 years. A GANZ Community Newsletter is published every three months. The Australian and New Zealand Gestalt Therapy Journal, an GANZ initiative, is about to be established.

Since the 1st 'Down Under' Conference, GANZ Conferences have been held in:

2000 - 2nd GANZ International Conference, 'Dreaming the Future', Brisbane, QLD

2002 - 3rd GANZ International Conference, 'Matters of the Heart', Christchurch, New Zealand

2004 - 4th GANZ International Conference, 'Weaving the Fabric of Community', Sydney, NSW

2006 - The 5th GANZ International Conference, 'Then Now Next', Melbourne, VIC

2008 - The 6th GANZ International Conference, 'To Be Is To Be With', Ballina, NSW

FOR INFORMATION REGARDING THE 2010 GANZ CONFERENCE PLEASE VISIT THE GANZ WEBSITE AT -> WWW.GANZ.ORG.AU