notes below

Original class announcement

The speakers

Introduction
John Leary Joyce uses the Gestalt framework extensively within his coaching practice, based on his 30 years experience with Gestalt

The Gestalt approach to blame and envy is about taking responsibility. Problems arrive when there is an avoidance of responsibility. This is often done through projection, where we locate in others qualities that we deny in ourselves

The exercise
The key to a successful intervention is to get your client to become the person that they are complaining about

An excellent way of doing this is by taking your client through the following steps:

1. Think of the person you are having difficulties with
2. Think about their qualities, and write them down (for instance "stubborn", "overpowering", etc)
3. For each of their qualities, write down "I am ... (those qualities)"
4. Reflect on what it feels like to have those qualities
5. Notice what happens in yourself and in your attitude towards the person you are (or were) having difficulties with

Applications
This exercise will work in cases of blame and envy. It can also be used to explore and take on the qualities of someone you admire, or even of an object that catches your eye

John reported that he has successfully done this exercise on the "Tricia Show" (a UK television show) with a violent couple. He also uses it a lot in the corporate environment. So this exercise is quite flexible

Results
John Leary Joyce took the participants on the Masterclass through this exercise. Afterwards participants reported that they felt themselves "smiling at the other" instead of feeling blame or envy, feelings of compassion and disappearance of judgement

Future Masterclasses