First year

Group meetings with Prof. Dimitri Nadirashvili

I course • Group therapy - 200 (two hundred) hours (one weekend per month). Group therapy includes 44 (forty-four) hours of practical experiments in Gestalt therapy (PHG). • Individual therapy - 50 hours. • A course conference is held at the end of the first course. • Transition to the second course is based on the recommendation-characterization given to the student by group and individual therapists .

Second year

Meeting with Dick Lompa

II–III Year Courses

The student studies Gestalt therapy theory and methodology with a total duration of 600 (six hundred) hours.
After each training seminar, the student reviews the relevant literature and prepares a written report (written colloquium), which must be sent by email to geonational@gmail.com before the start of the next training seminar.
For each training seminar on theory and methodology, the student must submit the written report (colloquium) within 30 (thirty) days from the end of the seminar.
If a student’s backlog includes written colloquia from two seminars, the student will not be allowed to attend the next training seminar until the backlog is cleared.
At the end of each academic year, a course conference is held, which includes the student presenting the material they have learned and demonstrating satisfactory responses to questions.
In the II–III years, tutors (supervising practitioners) work with students, providing corrections, consultations, and recommendations on weak points in the written colloquia.
II-year students conduct practical Gestalt therapy (PHG) experiments with I-year students under the supervision of a group therapist.
II- and III-year students also engage in professor assistant practice in a university setting, conducting lectures and seminars under the supervision of a professor for psychology students.

Diploma defense

III–IV Year Courses

2.5 years after starting the program, the student begins supervised clinical practice.
Supervised clinical practice involves 400 hours of client work.
Until the completion of the 4-year program, alongside clinical practice, the student undergoes 150 hours of supervision, including:
- 130 hours of group supervision
- 20 hours of individual supervision
Upon starting clinical practice, the student is required to engage an EAGT-accredited supervisor for 1 individual online supervision session per month.
- If a student cannot secure an EAGT-accredited supervisor immediately, they must work with a certified trainer from the institute and begin individual supervisory consultations with at least 1 session per month.
From the start of clinical practice, the student must participate in weekly in-person (offline) interviz sessions on Wednesdays from 19:00–21:00, presenting at least 1 clinical case per month.
- Students may attend online once per month and are allowed 1 absence per month.
After completing individual supervision, the student receives written evaluations and recommendations from supervisors and interviz leaders, which must be sent to the institute’s email at least 1 month before diploma defense.
Clinical practice cannot proceed without individual and group supervision and weekly interviz sessions.
In the fourth year, the student writes a diploma thesis.
At least 3 months before the diploma defense, the student participates in a pre-diploma practicum, which includes a 20-minute dialogue demonstration to show essential professional skills for a Gestalt therapist.
- The dialogue includes:
  - Conducting a relational dialogue with a client
  - Applying Gestalt therapy techniques
  - Receiving professional and personal growth feedback and recommendations
Upon successful completion of the 4-year program, the student defends the diploma.

Fourth year

The Georgian National Gestalt Institute provides training in psychotherapy and psychological counseling through an EAGT-accredited international standard training program. The institute hosts trainers and psychotherapists accredited in Europe (EAGT, EAP) and the USA (AAGT).

The course curator is Prof. Nurith Levi, Chair of the EAGT Training Standards Committee.

The Georgian National Gestalt Institute prepares international-level professionals. Graduates receive European EAGT accreditation, which ensures international recognition of their professional status and qualifications.

In today’s world, psychotherapy is considered part of postgraduate university education. To become a psychotherapist, a bachelor’s degree in psychology or social sciences is required. For those without the necessary foundational knowledge in psychology, a preparatory specialized course recognized by EAGT has been developed. This course can be taken in parallel with the first year of the EAGT psychotherapy program.

At the Georgian National Gestalt Institute, completion of the EAGT training program, defense of the diploma, and obtaining European accreditation in psychotherapy can be achieved within the minimum internationally recognized timeframe – 4 years. The training schedule is designed to allow a balance between study and work.

Key features include:

Participation in exchange programs with European Gestalt institutes.
After 2 years, participants begin clinical practice in psychotherapy and psycho-consulting, in collaboration with EAGT-accredited supervisors.
Outstanding participants may work at the Georgian National Gestalt Institute.
Internship opportunities as professor’s assistants in a university setting.
Training in psychotherapy research methods and their practical application.
Participation in scientific conferences with presentations, as well as open lectures and workshops.
Discounts for trainings, international conferences, and symposiums.
Learning with original Georgian textbooks and access to a professional electronic library containing over 3,000 books.
Training and development through the institute’s proprietary course “Application of Mood Theory in Gestalt Therapy”.