Code of Ethics

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Fundamental Principles

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1. Equality and Respect
   1.1. The Gestalt therapist recognizes that every person is of equal value and deserves respect, regardless of their race, ethnic belonging, sex, sexual identity, age, disability, religion, language, economic or social status, and worldview.
   1.2. The Gestalt therapist ensures an equal and respectful attitude within the professional relationship.

2. Dignity and Uniqueness
   2.1. The Gestalt therapist recognizes each person as a unique individual who possesses inherent dignity.
   2.2. The Gestalt therapist respects the client’s autonomy and right to self-determination and supports the expression of their unique experience within the therapeutic process.

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Competence

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1. The Gestalt therapist/trainer/supervisor works only within the scope of their own professional competence.

2. If difficulties arise within the therapeutic process (e.g., insufficient competence or lack of experience), the Gestalt therapist/trainer/supervisor ensures that they:
   2.1. seek supervision (individual and/or group) and/or intervision;
   2.2. make a professional decision on the basis of the support received;
   2.3. refer the client, where necessary, to an appropriate professional.

3. The first stage of the above-mentioned process is the review of the terms of the agreement with the client and the formulation of a new agreement, in order to determine the subsequent format of the therapeutic process.

4. Continuing work with the client is permissible only after the appropriate improvement of competence.

5. In the event that the Gestalt therapist recognizes that the given field, its structure, boundaries, or aims limit or disrupt the effectiveness of the therapeutic process, or exceed their professional and personal resources, they refrain from continuing work in the given context.

6. The Gestalt therapist cooperates with other professionals and institutions in order to ensure, where necessary, appropriate diagnostic and/or therapeutic assistance for the client.

7. The methods and approaches used by the Gestalt therapist correspond to the client’s needs within the ongoing process and are directed toward protecting the client’s best interests.

8. The Gestalt therapist is aware of their own behaviour, communication, and takes responsibility for their impact within the relationship, in order to support a safe and respectful process.

9. The Gestalt therapist recognizes that emotionally intense, particularly expressive processes require de-dramatization and integration. 
   They ensure the regulation of the process, support the client in the gradual processing of the experience, and facilitate their return to contact with reality

10. If, in the therapeutic process, the Gestalt therapist notices their own emotional imbalance or personal difficulties (e.g., personal crisis, burnout, or difficulty in maintaining boundaries of intimacy with the client), they take responsibility for their own condition and seek individual therapy.

11. The Gestalt therapist/trainer/supervisor strives for the constructive and ethical resolution of disagreements, conflicts, and confrontations that arise with colleagues or among colleagues.
    By doing so, they contribute to the development of trust and cooperation within the professional space.

12. The Gestalt therapist/trainer/supervisor protects their profession and professional space from unqualified practice and from activities (e.g., lectures, interviews, media appearances, seminars) that do not correspond to professional standards.

13. The professional development of the Gestalt therapist/trainer/supervisor entails continuous care for the deepening and development of their professional competence and personal skills.
     

The Client–Therapist Relationship

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1. The therapeutic relationship is a professional and ethical partnership that develops in dialogical contact and serves to support the client’s experience and well-being.

2. The Gestalt therapist recognizes the importance of the therapeutic relationship and maintains the principle of equality and respect within the relationship. They perceive the client as an equal subject, respect the client’s experience, and refrain from judging, diminishing, or devaluing them. The therapist does not use their position to influence the client or to act against the client’s interests.

3. The Gestalt therapist does not use the therapeutic relationship to satisfy their own personal, professional, or other interests, and does not use the client, their profession, social status, or resources for their own benefit.

4. The Gestalt therapist recognizes when other relationships, obligations, or personal processes come into conflict with the client’s interests or with the therapeutic relationship. They also remain attentive to moments when they themselves find themselves in opposition or tension with the client. In such cases, the therapist brings this experience into the field of the therapeutic relationship, so that it may be brought into awareness, and makes appropriate professional decisions in order to protect the client’s interests.

5. Physical contact in the therapeutic process is used only on the basis of the client’s clear consent and in such a way that the client’s boundaries and the safety of the therapeutic relationship are maintained.

6. The therapeutic relationship is not compatible with relationships in which a personal, professional, or social connection already exists, for example with a colleague, friend, relative, neighbour, or partner. The Gestalt therapist recognizes the risk of role overlap and ensures the protection of professional boundaries.

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Confidentiality

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1. All communication between the therapist and the client is confidential, except in cases where its disclosure is required by the current legislation of Georgia or where there is a risk of serious harm to oneself or to others.

2. The storage of records related to the therapeutic process and of the client’s personal data is carried out in compliance with the relevant regulations, inaccessible to third parties, and on the basis of prior agreement with the client and/or, where necessary, with the consent of their legal representative.

3. The provision of information about the client to the legal representative, or agreement with the legal representative, takes place on the basis of the client’s informed consent.

4. The Gestalt therapist ensures that, in the process of supervision and intervision, the client’s personal information does not become identifiable; where necessary, the information is presented in a disguised form, for example by changing the name, surname, and other identifiable data, without altering the content of the case.

5. In the process of intervision and group supervision, if a therapist present recognizes the client in the shared case or discovers a personal or professional connection with them, they take responsibility to refrain from further participation in the process and to leave the discussion, in order to protect confidentiality and uphold the norms of the Code of Ethics.

6. If the therapist sharing the case knows in advance that there is a therapist in the group who may be connected to the shared case, or for whom the client may be identifiable, they ask that therapist, before the case discussion begins, to refrain from participating in the process and to leave the discussion.

7. A Gestalt therapist who, in the work environment, seeks intervision for the purpose of professional support from colleagues, takes care to choose a time and space that ensures the protection of confidentiality and anonymity; they do not discuss client-related information in an open and/or unprotected environment and avoid situations in which the client may become identifiable, including physically recognizable.

8. If the Gestalt therapist plans to use information obtained in the course of therapeutic work for educational, scientific, or professional purposes, it is necessary to obtain the client’s prior permission; even where consent has been given, strict anonymity must be ensured and masking techniques must be used in order to prevent the client from being identified.

9. The Gestalt therapist maintains confidentiality both with regard to the client and with regard to information related to third parties obtained within the framework of the therapeutic process.

10. In public or semi-public spaces, the Gestalt therapist refrains from any behaviour that could indicate that a person is their client; this includes not identifying the client and not acting in a way that makes their therapeutic relationship apparent.

11. When planning the therapeutic process, the Gestalt therapist takes care to minimize the risk of clients meeting and identifying one another.

12. The recording and storage of video, photographs, or audio is permitted only on the basis of the prior written consent of the client and/or their legal representative.

13. If the Gestalt therapist plans to obtain written or other types of information about the client from other professionals or institutions, they act in accordance with the current legislation of Georgia and ensure the protection of the client’s rights, including obtaining prior consent.

14. The Gestalt therapist takes into account the client’s right to access the records kept by the therapist about them; the therapist ensures the provision of information in accordance with the principles of professional responsibility and confidentiality.

15. When a state or private institution, for example a court, an insurance company, or another body, requests information related to the client, the Gestalt therapist acts in accordance with the current legislation of Georgia; discusses the matter with the client and, while observing the principle of confidentiality, makes a decision regarding the form and scope of disclosure of the information, in accordance with the norms of the Code of Ethics.

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*The protection of confidentiality is the responsibility of the Gestalt therapist, trainer, supervisor, and persons working in centres and institutes who have access to clients’ identities and their cases.

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Contract with the Client

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1. Any agreement concluded between the Gestalt therapist and the client — whether verbal or written — creates mutual responsibility.

2. In the process of making an agreement with a prospective client, the Gestalt therapist is open and transparent about their own competence, knowledge, and experience.

3. The therapy fee, payment schedule, location, and breaks are agreed upon mutually between the Gestalt therapist and the client.

4. The reasons for breaks may include vacation, professional obligations, illness, and other circumstances.

5. The duration of the therapeutic session, as well as the postponement or missed attendance of a therapeutic session, are discussed in advance between the Gestalt therapist and the client and are based on mutual agreement.

6. The therapist, as far as possible, informs the client in advance about the postponement or missed attendance of a session.

7. In accordance with the principle of professional confidentiality, the Gestalt therapist refrains from communicating with persons connected to the client without the client’s consent, including the referring person, family members, and others.

8. In the event of changes to the above-mentioned circumstances, the agreement between the Gestalt therapist and the client is reviewed again.

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Organization of the Therapeutic Space

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1. The Gestalt therapist/supervisor/trainer ensures that the therapeutic process takes place in a safe and protected environment, where the unexpected entry or intervention of third parties is excluded; the session space is organized in such a way that the content and sound of the conversation cannot be perceived outside the space.

2. The space of the therapeutic process must not be visually transparent to external persons.

3. The Gestalt therapist ensures that the therapeutic space is safe, stable, and conducive to the client’s sense of protection.

4. The Gestalt therapist takes care that the therapeutic space is separated from other everyday spaces and creates an environment that is perceived by the client as therapeutic, safe, and confidential.
   
   The Therapist’s Professional Role in Society and Advertising
    

5. Advertising must contain descriptive information about the available services and the qualifications of the persons who provide these services.

6. When advertising their services, the Gestalt therapist complies with national legislation and professional regulations; information may be disseminated through appropriate forms, including signage, online platforms, and social media.

7. Advertising presents information in such a way that no comparisons are used, nor any other form of expression suggesting that the offered service is more effective than services offered by other colleagues, schools, or therapeutic organizations.

8. Advertising must comply with national legislation and the regulations established by the relevant professional organizations.

9. Advertising is presented in such a way that it does not create the impression of a prior guarantee of the outcome of the therapeutic process.

10. The use of a client’s experience or feedback for advertising purposes is permitted only on the basis of their informed consent and with full protection of anonymity.

11. Advertising reflects the therapist’s professional role and distinguishes it from other roles, such as coaching, counselling, and others, in a way that is not confusing for the user.

12. Advertising clearly reflects the therapist’s/supervisor’s qualification, status, for example trainee/certified, and professional affiliation.

13. The information presented in advertising is based on scientifically substantiated data; if the opinions presented are not scientifically verified, it must be clearly indicated that they represent the therapist’s personal professional opinion.

14. The Gestalt therapist/trainer/supervisor supports the development of professional research and, in research activities, acts in accordance with ethical and professional standards:
    ● is prepared to support research that will make a significant contribution to the development of therapeutic and diagnostic fields;
    ● ensures that the research work they conduct is accessible to the psychotherapeutic community;
    ● in the process of research activity, respects the work of colleagues and protects professional copyright.

15. The Gestalt therapist/trainer/supervisor maintains respect toward colleagues, both within their own modality and in relation to representatives of other theoretical modalities and approaches; in professional relationships, they express opinions in a correct and ethical manner.

16. The Gestalt therapist approaches with caution any involvement in a relationship or project in which another colleague is already participating, especially when a therapeutic agreement is in effect between the client and another therapist. In such cases, the Gestalt therapist, where necessary, seeks supervision, intervision, or professional recommendations in order to determine the anticipated steps.

17. The Gestalt therapist/trainer/supervisor approaches their own conduct responsibly, both in professional and personal spaces, and assesses its possible impact on their professional role, ethical standards, and the public perception of the profession. They ensure that their conduct does not create a contradiction with their professional positions and does not cause harm to the therapeutic process, while taking into account the context, intensity, and impact of the conduct.

18. The Gestalt therapist/trainer/supervisor recognizes the social and political context of therapeutic work and its possible impact on both the client and the therapeutic process; they also take into account the social and political factors that influence the client’s experience and relationships.

19. The Gestalt therapist/trainer/supervisor takes care to create an environment in which individuals and groups do not experience exclusion or segregation on the basis of their behaviour, political views, country, or origin.

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Psychotherapeutic Training and Education

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1. The aim of psychotherapeutic education is to provide students, in an objective and understandable form, with theoretical, methodological, and technical knowledge of psychotherapy and Gestalt therapy.

2. Trainers recognize and clearly indicate that their personal views represent their individual professional position.

3. In the educational process, false expectations must not be created regarding students’ professional status, the right to use the title “psychotherapist,” or the funding of psychotherapeutic services; the information provided must be accurate and in accordance with national legislation and official regulations.

4. The Gestalt training institute assesses the extent to which the candidate is suitable for the training, including their experience, expectations, and general readiness, and provides them in advance with complete and understandable information about the content of the programme and the conditions of the educational process.

5. The Gestalt institute ensures a high standard of competence of trainers and supervisors and their correspondence with the curriculum; it also takes care of the regular assessment and development of the quality of teaching and creates space for reviewing and updating the teaching methodology.

6. The relationship between students and trainers, as well as between institutes, is based on transparency and professional responsibility and includes:
   ● awareness and protection of role boundaries, which contributes to a safe and professional learning environment;
   ● mutual respect and ethical communication in both the educational and professional space;
   ● respect for the material and experience shared by the trainer, including the use of educational material, exercises, and methods in such a way that they are not copied or presented as one’s own work without acknowledging the author;
   ● protection of copyright and the use of material created or shared by the trainer with consideration of its context and professional ethics.

7. The institute periodically assesses whether the student has reached the required level defined by the training and, for this purpose, ensures appropriate and transparent assessment processes.

8. The student recognizes that the educational process may continue up to the diploma stage; however, this stage does not in itself determine the awarding of the diploma, which depends on the outcome of the final assessment.

9. In the process of teaching Gestalt therapy, the trainer takes care to maintain role clarity and participates in assessment processes so that the student has a clear understanding of their progress and level of development.

10. The Gestalt trainer maintains respect for the work of colleagues in public spaces and, in professional communication, expresses opinions in a correct and non-diminishing manner, including with regard to their experience, work, theoretical models, and schools.

11. A trainer who becomes aware of a colleague’s conduct that may cause harm to students, other colleagues, or the professional space approaches the matter responsibly and, where necessary, addresses the relevant colleague and/or professional association.
     

Special Circumstances

 

1. If, in the course of therapy, the Gestalt therapist notices that the client’s condition or behavior may pose a danger to the client themselves and/or to their social environment, the therapist takes appropriate and proportionate measures to ensure safety, while protecting, to the greatest extent possible, the client’s dignity, confidentiality, and right to self-determination.

2. The Gestalt therapist shares information about the client with a third party only with the client’s consent, except in cases where there is a reasonable suspicion of a real threat to the safety of the client, the therapist, and/or other persons. In a crisis situation, the therapist acts urgently and for the purpose of ensuring safety; where possible, they make decisions on the basis of supervision or appropriate professional consultation.

3. In special or crisis situations where it is necessary to inform a third party, the Gestalt therapist, where possible, determines together with the client the person whose involvement the client considers acceptable. In such cases, the boundaries of confidentiality are changed temporarily and only to the necessary extent, in order to support the client’s safety, stabilization, and restoration of responsibility.

4. In the event of individual and/or collective unforeseen circumstances — including threats to life and health, social unrest, war, natural disaster, or other emergency situations — the Gestalt therapist temporarily suspends the therapeutic process as necessary to ensure safety and acts with the maximum possible protection of the client’s autonomy, dignity, and professional confidentiality, insofar as the existing circumstances allow.

5. In a professional, institutional, or team context — for example, in a hospital, organization, research project, when working with minors, or when cooperating with other specialists — the Gestalt therapist protects the client’s autonomy, dignity, and professional confidentiality. At the initial stage of the therapeutic contract, they determine, together with the client and, where necessary, with the relevant persons involved in the process, the purpose, scope, form, and boundaries of confidentiality regarding the sharing of information.

6. The psychotherapist is prohibited from engaging in a sexual or romantic relationship with a person with whom they are in a professional relationship. This includes a therapeutic relationship, training, supervision, research relationship, or any professional context in which there is an asymmetry of power, influence, dependency, or professional authority within the relationship.

7. In the event that criminal or civil proceedings are initiated against a GNAGT member, if the case is related to their professional activity or may affect the reputation of the Association and the profession, the member is obliged to inform the Executive Committee thereof.

8. In such a case, the Ethics Committee assesses those aspects of the case that may be related to a violation of the norms provided for by the Code of Ethics. Where necessary, the Ethics Committee acts in accordance with the established ethical procedures of the Association and is authorized to refer the matter to the Complaints Committee for further consideration.
    

Relationship with Former Clients

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1. After the completion of the therapeutic process, the Gestalt therapist maintains professional responsibility toward the former client: they protect confidentiality, respect the former client’s dignity, autonomy, and personal boundaries, and take into account that the experience of the therapeutic relationship may continue to have an influence even after its completion. The Gestalt therapist refrains from any social, personal, business, or other type of relationship that may cause harm to the former client, exploitation, the renewal of dependency, or a violation of the boundaries of the therapeutic relationship.

2. The Gestalt therapist does not use the former therapeutic relationship to obtain personal, emotional, social, financial, professional, or any other kind of benefit. The completion of the therapeutic process does not eliminate the dynamics of power, trust-based relationship, and influence that may remain in the field of the relationship with the former client.

3. In the case of any social, professional, or personal contact with a former client, the Gestalt therapist is responsible for assessing whether there is a risk of dependency, influence, vulnerability, expectation, or ambiguity of boundaries. Where necessary, they refrain from such contact or seek supervision/intervision in order to make an ethically appropriate decision.

4. The Gestalt therapist does not establish a sexual or romantic relationship with a former client for at least one year after the completion of the therapeutic process. Even after the expiry of this period, such a relationship may be considered only if there is no remaining dependency from the therapeutic relationship, professional influence, trust-based asymmetry, or risk of causing harm to the former client.

5. The ethical responsibility for a sexual or romantic relationship with a former client rests fully with the Gestalt therapist. They are obliged to take into account not only the formally completed therapeutic contract, but also the influence remaining in the field of the relationship, the former client’s possible vulnerability, and how such a relationship may reasonably be perceived as exploitative, harmful, or as a violation of professional boundaries.

6. The Gestalt therapist approaches with particular caution any relationships with a former client that may create role confusion — including relationships that develop in friendly, business, educational, collegial, public, or social spaces. In such cases, the therapist is responsible for protecting the former client’s dignity, confidentiality, and freedom of choice.

7. If the Gestalt therapist has doubts that a relationship with a former client may involve an ethical risk, they are obliged to seek supervision, intervision, or guidance from the relevant professional body in a timely manner and to refrain from any action that may cause harm to the former client or to trust in the profession.