The Gestalt Workshop: Working with Oppositional and Rebellious Behaviors is the 3rd workshop in a 5-part seminar series on the topic of working with youth, led by Bronagh Starrs.
This series of workshops encourages Gestalt therapists to deepen their clinical presence, creativity and ability to address the most pressing issues facing young people in contemporary practice. Each workshop combines theory, experiential learning and practical interventions based on Gestalt principles.
It is possible to attend a single workshop, although it is advisable to attend the online seminar first, which will be a theoretical introduction to the onsite events.
The online seminar, which is 1 of 5 events in the series, will present a phenomenological developmental model that places special emphasis on field dynamics, showing how relational and environmental influences shape adolescent development. It will give participants a framework for understanding the therapeutic approaches discussed during the in-person workshop.
Gestalt workshop: working with oppositional and rebellious behavior – Bronagh Starrs
In this workshop, “Working with Oppositional and Rebellious Behavior,” we will explore how energetic, oppositional behavior emerges as a creative form of self-defense in response to difficult relationship dynamics. We will look at predictable patterns of adult interactions, the brain factors of impulsivity, and practical strategies for fostering curiosity, cooperation and meaningful relationships.
Gestalt workshop: working with oppositional and rebellious behavior. Information about the presenter – Bronagh Starrs:
Bronagh Starrs is a mental health consultant and recognized expert on adolescence. She is an experienced psychotherapist, clinical supervisor, parenting consultant, writer and trainer. She lives in Omagh, Northern Ireland. Bronagh is the creator and director of the master’s program in adolescent psychotherapy at the Dublin Counselling & Therapy Centre in collaboration with the University of Northampton. She lectures and gives international presentations on the developmental processes and therapeutic dynamics of contemporary adolescents, and has extensive knowledge of women’s well-being, trauma recovery, workplace well-being and the psychological impact of medical trauma.
Bronagh’s first book, Adolescent Psychotherapy – A Radical Relational Approach (Routledge, 2019) (Polish edition planned for fall 2026 😊) has received international acclaim. Bronagh is the author of numerous articles, co-author of Relational Child, Relational Brain (Gestalt Press/Routledge, 2017) and the publication Adolescent Configuration Styles, Parenting and Psychotherapy A Relational Perspective (Routledge 2023). In 2026, two more books for parents will be published on school anxiety and adolescent parenting.