Steve Vinay Gunther on Romania, Emotions and Working with People

We had as our guest Steve Vinay Gunther, an international psychotherapist and trainer, a specialist in Gestalt therapy – a therapy that enjoys immense popularity among people with the ordinary problems of our days (related to stress, lifestyle, separations, coming to terms with the past, etc.), thanks to its concrete and deep effects.

Over two days Steve guided us in discovering the similarities and differences between personal and spiritual development. Theoretical concepts were discussed – some general and easy to absorb for those less familiar with psychological terms, but also specific terms for “professionals.” Even so, the warmest moments were the practical ones, when Steve encouraged us to discover for ourselves, with concrete examples from our lives, what personal and spiritual mean for each of us.

Although at the end of the workshop no solemn verdicts were pronounced about what should take precedence in a person's development – the spiritual side or the personal one – each of us went home with a few very profound answers about ourselves.

Impressed by Steve's character and method, after his visit we addressed a few words to him, which took the form of an interview:

R: This was your first time coming to Romania. How was it? Did you come with any expectations or preconceptions? What does Romania mean to someone who has just arrived from Australia?

S. V.: Australians don't know much about Romania. It is a rather distant country, after all. “Gypsies.” And a rather dark notion of a grim, sinister dictator, sometime in the past. That is roughly what is generally known about Romania. So I didn't know exactly what to expect.

R: Having had the chance to work with Romanians, did you discover a kind of cultural, social, anthropological pattern? If so, what would that pattern be, and what do you think are the influences that generate it?

S. V.: My trip did not last very long, so I could not form a complete, deep opinion, but from what I managed to perceive, I think Romanians are too quiet, too inward, perhaps even culturally depressed. There are certain separations, certain limits have been raised; I did not come across an instant openness. If I had to give a diagnosis, it would be collective post-trauma syndrome.

R: Your method – Gestalt therapy – is very concrete, with immediate results. The way of working with the patient is very practical and efficient. It relies on honest, open dialogue with the things that trouble the patient, and the therapist is only a guide who facilitates the journey of confronting, verbalizing and thus overcoming certain impasses. Could these characteristics be what makes Gestalt therapy so popular these days?

S. V.: It is immediate, but equally deep, profound. It involves relating, not just guiding. Its working material is reality, that of the patient as well as that of the therapist. It is active, not just talk. It is existential – we work with what is, instead of aiming at something illusory, forcing things to change.

R: Taking part in your workshop on the connection between the personal and the spiritual, held at Morningstar, I was overwhelmed by the amount of emotions and feelings that arose during the two days. How do you manage such flows of emotion? Is it uplifting for you – as a therapist, but also as a human being – to take part in and facilitate such intense, pure exchanges of human emotions?

S. V.: Emotions and feelings are liberating, opening, part of authentic human expression. Taking part in, or facilitating for people, the road toward this kind of authentic, open expression also motivates me to live, to feel, to rejoice alongside people.

R: The first thing I noticed about you is your serene, peaceful state, your inner balance. It seems you have mastered the art of being at peace with yourself and with the world. How do you manage to do this? Can you give us a few simple tips for reaching this state of calm?

S.V.: Meditate, twice a day. That is the absolute rule! Over time, by including this practice in the daily routine, it will create wonderful, profound effects.

R: What are your future plans? What are you working on now? Do you intend to return to Romania?

S. V.: I intend to travel and to teach. For example, I am now in Hong Kong on business – I am holding workshops – and I will travel on to Shanghai. In parallel I also want to continue my doctoral studies. I am already thinking about planning in more detail what I will do next year, so it is possible that I will return to Romania as well. If so, I will come back in April.

Regards,

Vinay