Relational Gestalt Practice: Presence, Contact and Communication

What if the quality of your relationships—with your partner, family, and closest friends—held the key to your deepest life satisfaction? This five-day immersive workshop at Esalen Institute in Big Sur, California invites you to explore the transformative power of presence and authentic communication. Drawing on decades of psychological research, including the landmark Harvard Study of Adult Development, this program reveals how our habitual patterns of connection and disconnection shape the intimacy available to us. Whether you find yourself repeating the same conflicts, feeling unseen in important relationships, or yearning for deeper contact with those you love, this workshop offers a proven pathway toward genuine relational transformation.

Led by Dorothy Charles—a accomplished facilitator trained by Esalen co-founder Richard Price—this five-day intensive weaves together body-centered Gestalt practice with contemporary relational theory. Rather than analyzing relationships from a distance, you'll work directly with the patterns that live in your body and speech, discovering how past conditioning may be limiting your access to authentic connection. Through dyadic exercises, repeating questions, and open-seat dialogues, you'll practice new ways of being with others while still in the presence of skilled teachers and a supportive community. This is not a lecture series; it's an embodied, relational practice that meets you where you are.

What to Expect

Over five days, you'll engage in carefully structured exercises designed to heighten your awareness of how you contact—or don't contact—the people closest to you. The workshop moves through progressive phases: developing present-moment awareness, recognizing habitual communication patterns, practicing direct dialogue, and integrating new relational capacities into your life. Each session includes periods of experiential practice, reflection, and integration. The atmosphere balances psychological depth with compassionate curiosity; there is no pressure to "perform" or share more than feels authentic to you. Dorothy Charles brings over four decades of teaching experience at Esalen and internationally, creating a container of safety and expertise. Participants leave with both intellectual understanding and embodied shifts—new tools for communication, increased capacity for presence, and concrete practices to deepen relationships back home.

Venue & Logistics

This workshop takes place at Esalen Institute in Big Sur, California—a sanctuary nestled on the stunning California coast where the mountains meet the Pacific Ocean. The retreat runs Monday, September 7, 2026 for five full days. Wear comfortable clothing suitable for sitting, movement, and dialogue work. Esalen's natural beauty and contemplative atmosphere support the deep relational work of the program. For accessibility information or specific logistical questions, contact the venue directly.