Integrative Gestalt Practice™: Embodied Presence, Connection, and Inner Guidance

In the liminal space between self-awareness and genuine transformation, something shifts. This five-day Integrative Gestalt Practice™ workshop at Esalen Institute invites you into that threshold—a container where presence becomes the path, and authenticity emerges naturally when judgment softens. Led by Perry and Johanna Holloman, master facilitators who have refined this work over three decades, this gathering offers far more than technique. It offers you back to yourself.

Gestalt, at its heart, is the practice of awareness itself: an invitation to be fully present with what is, without the burden of fixing or forcing change. In Big Sur's contemplative landscape, you'll learn to recognize the patterns that have shaped your choices, to move beyond the habitual self-judgment that clouds clarity, and to reconnect with the inner guidance that lives beneath habit. Whether you're navigating relationship dynamics, standing at a life threshold, or tending to questions that matter deeply, this workshop meets you exactly where you are—not to bypass difficulty, but to befriend it with presence.

Through breath work, embodied exploration, dyadic partnerships, small-group inquiry, and occasional open-seat sessions witnessed by the community, you'll practice the revolutionary skill of deep listening—to others and to the subtle movements of your own becoming. This is real work, held in genuine community, where transformation arises not from striving but from the natural unfolding that happens when we're truly seen and fully present.

What to Expect

Expect a rhythm that honors both introspection and connection. Each day weaves together somatic awareness practices, relational exercises, and guided inquiry—creating conditions for insight to emerge organically. You'll participate in dyadic work with peers, small-group explorations, and witnessing circles where authentic sharing is held with care. The facilitators, Perry and Johanna Holloman, create a field where vulnerability feels safe and patterns become visible without judgment.

By the end of five days, you'll carry practical tools for recognizing habitual responses, a deeper trust in your own inner knowing, and a sense of belonging cultivated through genuine community. This is not about becoming "better"—it's about becoming more present to the life already unfolding within you.

Venue & Logistics

This workshop takes place at Esalen Institute in Big Sur, California—a sanctuary nestled between redwoods and the Pacific Coast. The five-day intensive runs Monday, October 5, 2026 through Friday. Wear comfortable clothing that allows free movement; bring a journal and an open heart. Esalen is a residential retreat center with accommodations, meals, and a contemplative atmosphere designed to support deep inner work.