SR 2023 Faculty

Rita Resnick, Ph.D., Emeritus Faculty Chair of GATLA’s European Summer Residential Training Program.

From 1991 to 2019 Rita served as Chair and principal organiser of this program This was a herculean task by any measure … one which she carried out with great skill, patience, generosity and humour… and for which we are deeply grateful.

She plans to participate in the program in the future, but not organise it.   In addition to her private practice, Rita has been actively training psychotherapists in the United States, Australia, Europe and Central Asia in both Gestalt and Couples Therapy. Her professional interests include the exploration of innovative and supportive approaches to supervision (Rita published an article with Liv Estrup, M.A. “Supervision: A Collaborative Endeavor” in Summer 2000 issue (Gestalt Review) and a devoted, passionate (and self-serving) interest in the area of women growing older. – menopause and later-life vitality. Rita published a chapter in Women in Gestalt Therapy, eds. Adriana Fecova and Breatrice Wimmer- voices of female Gestalt therapists from Europe, USA and Israel who have contributed to the development of Gestalt therapy. The December 2018 issue of the British Gestalt Journal features Malcolm Parlett’s Interview with Rita and Bob about their model of relationships and couples therapy. 

Email: ritaresnick@gatla.org

Liv Estrup, M.A. is a Gestalt Therapist in private practice since 1971. She divides her time between Los Angeles and Atlanta. An AAMFT Approved Supervisor, Liv supervises/consults via Internet. She co-wrote (with Rita Resnick) Supervision: A Collaborative Endeavor, Gestalt Review (Vol 4, No 2), where she is an Associate Editor. Liv created the films What’s Behind the Empty Chair? Gestalt Theory and Methodology and Flying Without Wings: Life with Arnold Beisser, both available at Vimeo On Demand. Liv paints and writes and loves special moments with her grandchildren.

Helen Kennedy, BA (Hons.) has been in private practice in Edinburgh, Scotland since 1985. She is a founding partner of Teamwork Edinburgh Gestalt Institute where she works as a trainer, supervisor, consultant and psychotherapist. Helen is qualified as a psychotherapist, supervisor and trainer with GPTI (UK). She has a particular interest in creating community to enhance creative, spiritual and psychological growth.

Jay Levin, M.A. (Clin. Psych.), has practiced and taught counseling and psychotherapy for over 35 years. His interest is in how values shape personal behavior and therapeutic interventions. This is mirrored in published articles that reflect his vision of a more hospitable world. Jay has been trained in Gestalt therapy by Erving and Miriam Polster and is certified by the Gestalt Therapy Institute of Los Angeles. He is a Professional Member of the American Counseling Association (ACA) and an Accredited Supervising Member of the European Association for Gestalt Therapy (EAGT), as well as Training Director for the Gestalt Institute of the Gulf Coast (GIGC). A major aspect of his professional life is his ongoing affiliation with Gestalt Associates of Los Angeles (GATLA) where he has been Faculty for over 25 years. Jay now lives in Sarasota, Florida having immigrated to the USA from South Africa.

Email: jaylevin@jaylevin.net

Nadia Luyabitskaya, M. Psych. graduated in Clinical Psychology from Moscow State University. She is the Director of the Moscow Institute of Gestalt and Psychodrama. Nadia has been teaching gestalt for more than 18 years. She runs many educational groups and has a busy private practice. Her special interest is group dynamics from a Gestalt perspective.

Juraj (George) Rektor, M.D., psychiatrist, founder and director of Psychosocial Center in Prerov, Czech Republic. Originally trained as psychoanalyst, later trained and certified as gestalt therapist by GPTI (UK) and GATLA. Co-founder and co-director of Czech Gestalt Therapy Training Institute “Dialogue”. Interested in personality process and structure and neuroscience.

Claudia Rosenbach-Ziembinski, Diplom. Psych., trained as a Teacher, Clinical Psychologist and Gestalt Therapist in Berlin. Since 1988, she has worked as a Psychotherapist and Gestalt Trainer in Western Australia, where she is also the Co-Director of Gestalt Training Institute West Australia. She has run Gestalt training workshops in Australia, New Zealand, USA, Europe. When not working, Claudia dedicates her life to her grandchildren, her garden and to practicing Yoga, swimming and running.

Zish Rosenbach-Ziembinski, M.Psych. (Clinical), graduated in Clinical Psychology in 1976 and was certified as a Gestalt Therapist in 1983. He works in private practice as a psychotherapist and is a Co-Director of Gestalt Training Institute West Australia. He has been a Gestalt Therapy Trainer in Australia and overseas for 35 years, as well as a GATLA “European Summer Workshop” Faculty Trainer since 1995. His personal interests include Tai Chi, bike riding, gardening and learning to play a guitar.

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