Photo Gestalt: Exploring Self Through Family Photographs
With Dorothy Charles
June 22 - 26, 2026
Family photographs carry stories, both spoken and unspoken, about where we come from and who we have become. In this experiential workshop, participants will use personal family photos as catalysts for reflection, emotional awareness, and a deeper understanding of identity.
Through guided exercises, gentle inquiry, and shared witnessing, you will explore:
- The emotional signatures carried in family images.
- Patterns of belonging, loss, resilience, and connection.
- How family roles are expressed visually.
- The stories we inherited and the ones we are ready to update.
- Moments of beauty, ambiguity, and mystery that live in our lineage.
In this workshop, you’ll have the opportunity to gain new insights, renewed compassion for your family system, and an expanded sense of your own narrative. No artistic or Gestalt experience is required.
About the Leader
Dorothy Charles
Dorothy Charles has been a student and teacher at Esalen since 1982. A student of Esalen co-founder Richard Price, she combines Esalen body-centered Gestalt with relational Gestalt theory, and leads workshops in Asia, Europe and the U.S. Email Me www.dorothycharles.com
Learn more about Dorothy CharlesCategories : FF/NC, Psychology & Self-Awareness, Psychology, Healing & Inner Development