Stepanova Mariya

My professional path in Gestalt therapy began with a tender love for people and the space created together many years ago, in the distant shaggy 2005. A couple of years earlier, I came as a client to a therapeutic group, I was 23, I was pregnant, gave birth, was on maternity leave with a baby and I wanted to be with people. I began to study in the program and every year I liked this business more and more, it was captivating and captivating. Theory, practice, long conversations that became meaningful, as I like, there was no place for iPhones and there was no point in talking about them either. Specializations opened up new worlds, family, group, business worlds, and these worlds began to open up in a completely different way, with secrets, breakdowns and repairs, with their own formulas for success or failure, complex relationships between people and events. I worked, studied and prepared to move from one profession to another, which I succeeded in 2012, by the way, thanks to the organizational consulting program, where I had to go to Moscow and the long road helped the onset of order in my head. That two professions are hustling on the same spot, that legal affairs bring money and devour time, that this does not advance me in psychology in any way.

Over the years of studying and practice, my own life has become much more orderly. I have become more responsible towards myself and others, actively building the future and making choices about who to be with and where to go. I never had a dream of moving to Germany, but my great love for a man and my fondness for this country helped me make the decision to move, which was a good one, and I'm happy with it.

Here in Germany, my private practice continues to develop, and it brings me a lot of pleasure to see how dreams of high demand and motivated clients come true. I even managed to start a Gestalt therapy program in Russian language here in Karlsruhe, and in November 2020, the first group of students finished the first stage. We are all waiting for external restrictions to allow us to gather and work in groups again, and then we will begin the second stage.

My clients come to me with different requests. It can be something like "I feel everything is fine, but something is missing," or more pronounced suffering like "I sleep poorly at night," or "my relationship is at a standstill," or "I feel lonely." Sometimes it can be very specific, like "my wife left me, what should I do now?" Together we try to understand the interconnections of events, meanings, feelings, and sensations related to choices and actions that were or were not made. Gradually, the attitude towards oneself becomes softer, the understanding of events becomes clearer, and the function of "choice" revives, and the person becomes the creator of their own life. It may take several years for this process. Perhaps it can be said that the theme of my work is more about family issues, relationships with parents, spouses, and children, but I think this is always the case in therapy, even since the days of Freud's grandfather. Of course, working with Russian-speaking immigrants, I come across the theme of adaptation in a different country and adaptation crises, as well as specific questions, mostly related to "how to move and stay." Seriously, moving to another country is the path of a hero, a lonely person who loses a lot and at the same time gains something. After a couple of years, the question arises, "why did I need this?" and it is important to find the answer to avoid falling from the adaptation plateau.

During the process, I pay attention to the client's relationship with work, and there are usually the first changes, people change for the better or grow in their current job. And you can't predict it in advance. For example, someone might say, "I want to change my job, but I don't know what to do," and suddenly, the person makes their contract for millions and stays in the same job, they broke through, it worked out, but not quite the way they expected.

The last year, 2020, brought about big changes. Personally, in March, I had to move all of my practice online, not only individual therapy which I had already been doing in both formats. I had to transition to online group therapy and discovered that it works. Yes, it's slightly different and without the usual pleasure of hugs, with emphasis on good internet, platform for work, sound in headphones, there are a thousand little things that are important. I have three therapeutic groups working online now and it is becoming familiar. I also give lectures online and conduct supervisory groups, I consider online as a wonderful opportunity and space for growth, although sometimes I criticize it.

I myself attend individual therapy, supervision, supervisory groups, develop clinical and group competencies, love to teach and learn, invest a lot in both of these processes. What I have long known about myself, firmly and unequivocally, is that gestalt therapy is my favorite job, which brings joy and passion to my life, and many wonderful people. To those who know me - a big hello. To those who do not yet know me - I would be happy to meet you, welcome.

Higher public education

1996 – 2001 – Pomeranian State University. M.V. Lomonosov, Faculty of Law, lawyer, specialty civil law.

2012 – 2015 – Interregional Academy of Personnel Management, Faculty of Psychology, psychologist.

Basic training programs for therapists

2005 – 2009 – Interregional Institute of Gestalt Therapy and Art (MIGIS), "Theory and Practice of Gestalt Therapy" (1, 2 Stages). Program led by Hrechka V. Certificate № II-ДН-0105-1.

2005 – 2009 – Moscow Institute of Gestalt Therapy and Counseling (MIGTIK), "Theory and Practice of Gestalt Therapy", Program led by Hrechka V. Certificate № II-ДНГ/5-1.

2010 – 2014 – Interregional Institute of Gestalt Therapy and Art (MIGIS), “Improvement in Gestalt Therapy” (3 Stage). Program led by Hrechka V. Certificate № III-ДН-0110-4.

Specialized training of therapists

2007 – 2008 – Moscow Institute of Gestalt Therapy and Counseling (MIGTIK). "Family Systemic Psychotherapy". The Program led by Burtseva E. Certificate № ССТ-ДН\3-K1.

2009 – 2011 – Interregional Institute of Gestalt Therapy and Art (MIGIS), "Integrative Group Psychotherapy". Program led by Hrechka V. Certificate № ИГТ-ДН-0109-13.

2011 – 2012 – Interregional Institute of Gestalt Therapy and Art (MIGIS), “Charm of Ericksonian hypnosis”. Program led by Palamarchuk S.V. Certificate № ОЕГ-ДН-0111-8.

2012 – 2013 – "Fundamentals of Consulting Organizations (Gestalt Approach)" Moscow Institute of Gestalt Therapy and Counseling (MIGTC) Program led by Silnova O.V. Certificate № OK - MO / 3-12.

2012 – 2014 – Human Systems Constellations Training Centre, Malta "Program on system constellations with human systems" Program led by Lidija (Popovic) Pecotic (Croatia).

Prof. trainings, seminars, courses of foreign teachers

15 – 18.04.2010 – Seminar B. Muller (Germany) "Theoretical and practical concepts of will in psychotherapy".

20 – 22.11.2010 – Seminar by J. Edward Lynch (USA) “From Resistance to Aggression and Personality”.

17 – 19.10.2014 – Seminar by Michael Vincent Miller (USA) “No and yes in love”.

25 – 27.09.2015 – Gianni Francesetti (Italy) “Pain and beauty. From psychopathology to the aesthetics of contact.

2015 – 2016 – St. Petersburg Gestalt Institute. Educational program "Gestalt approach in working with children and adolescents" (St. Petersburg).

20 – 23.04.2017 – Participation in the scientific and practical conference of the Moscow Institute of Gestalt Therapy and Counseling (MIGTC) “16+, community of individuals” (Moscow).

2018 – 2019 – Moscow Institute of Gestalt Therapy and Counseling (MIGTIK) Educational program “Gestalt approach in the therapy of psychosomatic disorders” (Moscow).

18 – 21.04.2019 – Participation in the scientific-practical conference of the Moscow Institute of Gestalt Therapy and Counseling (MIGTIK) “The Courage to Be Happy” (Moscow).

22 – 26.06. 2019 – Training program "Gestalt therapy and a phenomenological approach to psychopathology in clinical practice" at INSTITUTO INTERNATIONALE DI PSICOPATOLOGIA E PSICOTERAPIA DELLA GESTALT. First Seminar: "Field Perspective in Psychopathology and Clinical Practice" by Gianni Francesetti, Michela Gecele, "Coping with Relational Topics in Clinical Practice" by Lynn Jacobs (Turin, Italy).

19 – 22.09.2019 – Participation in the international conference of the European Association of Gestalt Therapists (EAGT) “Productive emptiness and creative predifference” (Budapest, Hungary).

23.09 – 01.10.2019 – Traveling international intensive course of the Moscow Institute of Gestalt and Psychodrama (MIGIP) “The Group as a Living Organism” (Cirali, Turkey).

20 – 24.11.2019 – Training program "Gestalt therapy and a phenomenological approach to psychopathology in clinical practice" at INSTITUTO INTERNATIONALE DI PSICOPATOLOGIA E PSICOTERAPIA DELLA GESTALT. Seminar 2: "Panic, Panic Attacks and Anxiety" by Gianni Francesetti, "Personality Disorders: Borderline Experience" by Michela Gecele (Turin, Italy).

13 – 22.09.2020 – Traveling international intensive course of the Moscow Institute of Gestalt and Psychodrama (MIGIP) “The Group as a Living Organism” (Cirali, Turkey).

Lectures by foreign coaches

20.04.2020 – Lecture “Basic principles of the Gestalt approach in working with organizations” by Franz Melmeister

22.04.2020 – Lecture “Self Theory: rethinking and critical Application” by Giovanni Salonia

27.04.2020 – Lecture “The paradoxical theory of change” by Ioann Rizu

29.04.2020 – Lecture “Mania, hypomania and everyday options (with hints at the times of the coronavirus)” by Michela Gecele

30.04.2020 – Lecture “Family Gestalt Therapy: theoretical picture and clinical application” by Giovanni Salonia

04.05.2020 – Lecture “Psychology of money and Gestalt coaching in dealing with requests for self-realization in the context of professional activity” by Franz Melmeister, Ioanna Rizu, Evtushok Tatiana

06.05.2020 – Lecture “Obsessive experiences in postmodern times: social meaning, directions, shadows of trust and joy” by Michela Gecele

07.05.2020 – Lecture “Middle pledge and atmosphere of the middle pledge in Gestalt Therapy” by Giovanni Salonia, Vadym Hrechka, Tatiana Yevtushok

13.05.2020 – Lecture “Crime stories or thriller? Study of psychological incentives, addiction risks, social effects in literature and cinema” by Michela Dzhechele, Vadym Hrechka

14.05.2020 – Lecture “The concept of will and its trace in Gestalt therapy. Topical issues of the flow of volitional processes in quarantine” by Bertram Müller, Zakharyan Irina

19.05.2020 – Lecture “Weaving the Fabric of Community: Unfolding the Relational Self of Gestalt Therapy” by Dan Bloom

20.05.2020 – Lecture “How to deal with relationships in narcissistic times. What can we learn from films?” by Michela Dzhechele, Vadym hrechka

26.05. 2020 – Lecture “From the Night Before Genesis: Contacting the Other” by Dan Bloom

28.05.2020 – Lecture “Me and Us, Me or Us, Me and Us: The Ark of Proximity” by Michael Miller

02.06.2020 –  Lecture “Through Dawn to Night: Contacting the Other” by Dan Bloom

04.06.2020 – Lecture “Contact and reflexivity: a new theory of Self in Gestalt therapy” by Michael Miller

08.06.2020 – Lecture “Gestalt therapy in work with personality disorders. Style.” by John Edward Lynch

11.06.2020 – Lecture “Poetry and Gestalt Therapy” by Michael Miller, Vadym Hrechka

15.06.2020 – Lecture “Gestalt therapy in work with personality disorders. Traits and Pathology” by John Edward Lynch

26.11.2020 – Lecture “Two Forces Therapy” by Peter Philippson

03.12.2020 – Lecture “Sexuality: drive and relationship” by Peter Philippson

10.12.2020 – Lecture “Tyranny of the Senses” by Peter Philippson

21.01.2021 – Lecture “On Gestalt, Humor and Laughter” by Lenny Ravich

10.02.2021 – Lecture “Personal disorders in times of pandemic” by Michela Gechele

29.03.2021 - Lecture “Atmospheres, fields and clinical practice” by Gianni Francesetti

29.04.2021 – Lecture “Contact is not a relationship, because Self does not remain calm” by Michael Miller

25.11.2021 – Lecture series “Anxiety, shame, guilt: from burden to creative energy”. Lecture 1. “The Theory of Self and its possibilities in dealing with anxiety, guilt, shame: A Theoretical Basis” by Bertram Müller

01.12.2021 – Lecture series “Anxiety, shame, guilt: from burden to creative energy”. Lecture 2. “Anxiety: from Z. Freud and O. Rank to the latest achievements of neuroscience and psychotherapy” by Bertram Müller

09.12.2021 – Lecture series "Anxiety, shame, guilt: from burden to creative energy". Lecture 3. "Guilt in the concept of will: practical application in psychotherapeutic practice" by Bertram Müller

16.12.2021 – Lecture series "Anxiety, shame, guilt: from burden to creative energy". Lecture 4. "Shame and identity in new experience: from intolerance of being to life's resources" by Bertram Müller

24.01.2022 – Lecture "Hope – sustenance the life of relationship" by Alfried Lenglet

27.01.2022 – Lecture "How Existential Analysis and Logotherapy work" by Alfried Lenglet

10.02.2022 – Lecture "Basic models of relations" by Giovanni Salonia

17.02.2022 – Lecture "The Theory of Self" by Giovanni Salonia

03.03.2022 – Lecture "Evolutionary Theory" by Giovanni Salonia

10.02.2022 – Lecture “Family Gestalt Therapy” by Giovanni Salonia

02.03.2022 – Lecture “Conducting groups of psychological support. Lesson 1” by Irena Goluba

03.03.2022 – Lecture “Trauma. Crisis. War” by Giovanni Salonia

04.03.2022 – Webinar “Therapist's bodily experiences during the war. Lesson 1” by Ruella Frank

06.03.2022 – Lecture “Crisis Support” by Artur Dombrovsky

06.03.2022 – Lecture “Conducting groups of psychological support. Lesson 2” by Irena Goluba

07.03.2022 – Webinar “Therapist's bodily experiences during the war. Lesson 2” by Ruella Frank

09.03.2022 – Lecture “Individual history and culture as a support during the war and other non-obvious resources” by Gustav Elmberger

11.03.2022 – Lecture “Working with parents as a focus of crisis support” by Artur Dombrovsky

14.03.2022 – Webinar “Therapist's bodily experiences during the war. Lesson 3” by Ruella Frank

15.03.2022 – Lecture “Working with Guilt as a Focus of Therapy in Wartime” by Artur Dombrovsky

18.03.2022 – Lecture “How to help yourself – using the body and its skills to create stability and resilience in a humanitarian crisis and war. Lesson 1” by Judy Berman Zeligson

19.03.2022 – Lecture “Do you love a malingerer?” by Iosif Zislin

21.03.2022 – Lecture “What is the content of tests?” by Galiya Kostinskaya

22.03.2022 – Lecture “Issues of adaptation and psychotherapeutic work with them” by Artur Dombrovsky

23.03.2022 – Lecture “Therapist’s self-support resources in a difficult and painful field” by Jan Rubal

24.03.2022 – Lecture “Working with trauma according to the Jim Kapner model” by Brigita Kaleckaite

25.03.2022 – Lecture “Meaning and hope in wartime” by Alfrid Langley

28.03.2022 – Webinar “Therapist's bodily experiences during the war. Lesson 4” by Ruella Frank

29.03.2022 – Lecture “Me and freedom of choice: awareness in a stressful situation” by Artur Dombrovsky

30.03.2022 – Webinar lecture “How to help yourself – using the body and its skills to create stability and resilience in a humanitarian crisis and war. Lesson 2” by Judy Berman Zeligson

31.03.2 022 – Lecture “Creative adjustment in time of war” by Bertram Müller

03.04. 2022 – Lecture “Psychopathology of war, its features and resources” by Georgy Smolin

05.04.2022 – Lecture “How to survive the pain, fear and despair without freezing yourself?” by Franz Melmeister

06.04.2022 – Lecture “Psychotherapy of the injured and traumatized vs psychotherapy of the mobilized and warring” by Irena Goluba

08.04.2022 – Lecture “Therapist's self-help in times of crisis” by Amit Orenн

10.04.2022 – Lecture “How to survive trauma with dignity” by Sofia Verulashvili

11.04.2022 – Webinar “Therapist's bodily experiences during the war. Lesson 5” by Ruella Frank

12.04.2022 – Lecture “What support is needed to survive the night?” by Giovanni Salonia

13.04.2022 – Lecture with the inclusion of the personal experience of the participants “If a friend suddenly turned out to be ... Communication with loved ones who ended up in another camp” by Irena Goluba

14.04.2022 – Lecture “Helping children and adolescents in Ukraine with Gestalt Play Therapy by Violet Oaklander. Lesson 1” by Lynn Stadler

15.04.2022 – Webinar lecture “PTSD and its impact on the mind and body” by James Krall (USA, first cycle)

16.04.2022 – Lecture "Did Oedipus suffer from an Oedipus complex?" by Joseph Zislin

18.04.2022 – Webinar “Therapist's bodily experiences during the war. Lesson 6” by Ruella Frank

19.04.2022 – Lecture “The phenomenon of narcissism” by Artur Dombrovsky

20.04.2022 – Lecture “How did my family survive and survive? Finding Resources in Family History by Irena Goluba

21.04.2022 – Lecture “Helping children and adolescents in Ukraine with Gestalt Play Therapy by Violet Oaklander. Lesson 2” by Lynn Stadler

22.04.2022 – Webinar lecture “Collecting information on admission and assessment of mental status” by James Krall (USA, second cycle)

26.04.2022 – Webinar lecture “Helping psychologists and psychotherapists during the humanitarian crisis and war. Lesson 1” by Judy Berman Zeligson

27.04.2022 – Lecture “Life schedule as a way of working with post-traumatic stress disorder” by Ismini Ohm-Zalitis (Stockholm)

29.04.2022 –Webinar lecture “Overview of the EMDR Treatment Model and EMDR Imaging Resource” by James Krall (USA, third cycle)

30.04.2022 – Lecture “From sexual addiction to penis loss” by Iosif Zislin

30.04.2022 – Lecture “Integration of spirituality in a conflict and dangerous field” by Philip Brownell (USA)

02.05.2022 – Webinar “Therapist's bodily experiences during the war. Session 7” by Ruella Frank

03.05.2022 – Lecture “Mothers and Children” by Sherry Skyler Kelly

04.05.2022 – Lecture “From regular psychotherapy to crisis one and back. Changes in the contract, framework and therapeutic relationship during the war” by Irena Golub

06.05.2022 – Webinar lecture “Developing an Injury Treatment Plan” by James Krall (USA, fourth cycle)

09.05.2022 – Webinar “Therapist's bodily experiences during the war. Session 8” by Ruella Frank

11.05. 2022 – Lecture “Verbs in the context of dialogue and dialogue in the context of evidence” by Artur Dombrovsky

17.05.2022 – Webinar lecture “Helping psychologists and psychotherapists during the humanitarian crisis and war. Lesson 2” by Judy Berman Zeligson

18.05.2022 – Lecture “Experiencing losses. Losses of various kinds” by Irena Goluba

19.05.2022 – Lecture “How to restore the language of emotions when they are frozen. Anger and hatred: for how long? Why?" by Sherry Skyler Kelly, Phoebe Atkinson

23.05.2022 – Webinar “Therapist's bodily experiences during the war. Session 9” by Ruella Frank

30.05.2022 – Lecture-webinar “Body safety as a basic state. How to learn from him to return” by Judy Berman Zeligson

10.06.2022 – Lecture “How to live with uncertainty, cultivate resilience and hope” by Amit Oren

13.06.2022 – Webinar “Therapist's bodily experiences during the war. Session 10” by Ruella Frank

23.06.2022 – Webinar Lecture “The importance of movement – to prevent or exit a frozen state” by Judy Berman Zeligson

04.07.2022 – Webinar “Therapist's bodily experiences during the war. Session 11” by Ruella Frank

06.07.2022 – Webinar Lecture “The importance of movement – to prevent or exit a frozen state” by Judy Berman Zeligson

13.07.2022 – Lecture “Dilemmas of settlers: when to go, where to stay, relations with others” by Irena Goluba

18.07.2022 – Webinar “Therapist's bodily experiences during the war. Session 12” by Ruella Frank

28.07.2022 – Webinar Lecture “The importance of movement – to prevent or exit a frozen state” by Judy Berman Zeligson