Practice What You Preach

Gestalt therapy training includes a lesson that goes beyond technique: Gestalt isn't just an approach for therapeutic work, it's a philosophy for life, a systemic theme carried into every area of it. You live the Gestalt way.

That idea has stuck. Over the years, working with people who were gentle, warm and compassionate with clients, but genuinely difficult to work alongside in the office, made it clear why.

That same disconnect shows up in organisations too. Heavily promoted company values that don't align with how staff are actually treated. Mental wellness and wellbeing promoted for clients, while behind the curtain the dominant themes for staff are pressure, fear and anxiety.

If you're working somewhere like that, you'll know exactly what this means. An unscheduled meeting request from a manager lands in your inbox, and the first thing you feel is fear. You stay quiet in team meetings because you're wary of repercussions. The last place on earth you'd go for support is your own manager or HR.

What the good ones do differently

There are organisations that are genuinely authentic, that practise what they preach, and understand the real benefits of a healthy workplace culture. Take care of the team, and the team takes care of outcomes. The business thrives as a result.

It's sometimes said that in a plumber's house, the tap is often leaking. Worth making sure that, in this field, all the plumbing is sound, and that people and teams feel safe, trusted, protected and empowered. Every client feels the benefit of that, whether they ever know it or not.