Research into working conditions of Gestalt therapists in Ukraine in modern conditions

Introduction. In modern conditions, it is important to provide timely psychological services, taking into account approaches that have proven effective in dealing with crisis conditions. Gestalt therapy is one of such approaches. The study of the working conditions of Gestalt therapists allows predicting the activities of these specialists as well as the possibilities for their effective training to provide quality services to Ukrainians who need psychological support in times of war. Aim: To study the working conditions of Gestalt therapists for a clear understanding of the market of Gestalt therapeutic services, its prospects, taking into account the specifics and problems of training Gestalt therapists. Methods: To conduct the study, a toolkit for an online survey of Gestalt therapists was developed (Vinogradov, O., Sikorska, O.). Results. Gestalt therapists who moved abroad had difficulties with building an individual practice. It was shown that basic education affected the pricing of psychotherapy services. Thus, 90% of therapists in our survey had a complete higher education, and the average cost of their session was UAH 1,200. Those who have a scientific degree (6% of the respondents) charged one and a half times more - 1,900 UAH. The number of clients a Gestalt therapist had did not depend on whether the therapist visited their personal supervisor. The psychotherapists who visited a supervisor earned significantly more per month (50,000 UAH) than those who did not (35,000 UAH). That was probably due to the fact that seeing a supervisor had a positive impact on the quality of work, because clients were more likely to make appointments with such therapists. The average median cost of Gestalt therapy in Ukraine and abroad does not differ. The average cost of therapist services in Ukraine varies greatly depending on the region. Conclusions. Studies of the working conditions of Gestalt therapists show that specialists in this field are competitively paid. Given the favorable working conditions (the ability to work online, free schedule), as well as the significant public demand for psychotherapeutic services because of the traumatic experience caused by the full-scale war, more people are choosing the specialty of a Gestalt therapist. We believe that there are currently certain conditions for this trend to continue (and even grow) in the coming years.