Outstanding Counseling, Coaching and Training since 1975
Our next Gestalt Life Coaching Course 2019-20 is forming now.
Gain the skills to embark upon a meaningful new career!
Call (504) 931-9022 for more info about any of our services.
The Gestalt Institute of New Orleans was founded in 1975 by Anne Teachworth, Certified Gestalt and Psychogenetic Coach and Fellow of the American Psychotherapy Association, to help empower people to live more satisfying lives and have better relationship skills.
For over 40 years we have offered a Gestalt Therapy approach to individuals, as well as The Psychogenetics System™ for relationship growth. We also utilize NLP (Neurolinguistic Programming) in our educational training, communications and personal improvement workshops - which we offer to the general public and professionals in all walks of life. We provide private counseling and life coaching to individuals, couples and groups.
Private sessions are available with our Director, Dr. Tina Thomas or with our Assistant Director, Jeff Teachworth. Our Staff are masters of their various specialties and available by appointment. The New Orleans based Gestalt Institute has long been nationally recognized as a leader in our field.
For those needing CEU's, we present workshops addressing personal growth. We also offer a training program in Gestalt Life Coaching for practicing counselors, life coaches, students and the general public - anyone wishing to improve their personal and career skills.
Come visit our friendly Gestalt and Relationship Center.
We are located near the parish line at 433 Metairie Road, Ground Floor, Suite 113.
A Message from Our Director, Dr. Tina Thomas
What is Gestalt?
Gestalt was originally created as a non-analytical, non-judgmental, existential psychotherapy. In the present day, it has adapted to the field of life coaching especially well. Much of the modern day practice of Mindfulness shares concepts developed in Gestalt. It deals with patterns and what IS happening, instead of what SHOULD be, COULD be, WILL be or WAS. We encourage you to become aware of HOW you prevent yourself from discovering positive new alternatives. HOW, not WHY, is the goal of Gestalt. Gestalt gives awareness rather than advice, and choices in life rather than chances. Increasing self-awareness of old patterns which didn’t work well leads to new behaviors which do. NeuroLinguistic Programming is a newer tool we include in our Gestalt work. To quote a favorite NLP saying, “If you always do what you’ve always done, you’ll always get what you’ve always gotten.” Gestalt is a here-and-now inner self relationship awareness method of better understanding how to live your truth and accomplish in your life.
How does this work?
Instead of dividing people into mind and body, past and present, right and wrong, Gestalt seeks human wholeness by increasing self-support and by synchronizing mind, body, feelings and behavior. It improves your communication with others in your life "now" by resolving your internal conflicts and unfinished business from your past. Gestalt focuses on becoming more healthy-alive instead of concentrating on a sickness-cure approach. It is about self awareness, making better contact and living more fully in the here and now. We believe in facilitating our clients in their goals for growth, and utilizing the teachings of Laura and Fritz Perls, the founders of Gestalt Therapy.
One of the primary beliefs in our work with our clients is exemplified by this poem by Frank Rubenfeld:
“The light’s within you, the dungeon, too.
You know what to do and what not to do.
I won’t open that rusty door,
I’ll show you how you locked it...
nothing more"
