A Brief Introduction to Gestalt Therapy

Frederick (Fritz) Perls, a psychologist, with the help of his wife, Laura Perls, formulated a type of therapy in the 1940s known as Gestalt therapy. "Gestalt" is a German term that means "whole". Through his therapeutic work, Perls discovered many clients were unable to acknowledge particular features of their psychological make-up and lacked awareness into some facets of their individual selves. He began to explore methods of instructing clients about how to identify body sensations and emotions they had been shutting out of their conscious minds.

Gestalt Philosophy

Perls thought that how an individual perceives experiences is far more relevant and helpful than the therapist's interpretations of those experiences. He believed that some clients needed to assimilate their feelings, thoughts, and behaviors, i.e. to become whole. In essence, "unity of mind and body" would assist the clients to increase self-awareness, according to Perls.

Proponents of Gestalt therapy eschew what people ought or should do. Instead, their focus is encouraging others to remain "in the moment." Learning to live in the present is one of the goals of Gestalt therapy.

Gestalt Technique: The Empty Chair

Although it can be used in group therapy settings, Gestalt therapy is most useful with individual clients. One particular technique in Gestalt therapy is known as the "empty chair" technique. The client sits in a chair in the middle of the room with an empty chair immediately across from her. The therapist, sitting adjacent to or behind the client, may ask the client to role play a situation related to current conflicts and people that cause her anguish.

For example, if the client is angry with her mother, she would look at the empty chair as if her mother were there. Next, she would identify and verbally express the feelings she experiences about the conflict with her mother. The therapist would pose helpful questions during the process, such as, "how do you feel inside when you tell her that?" Verbally expressing feelings is an important part of Gestalt therapy, as is learning to identify bodily sensations and feelings that accompany psychological distress. The purpose of such a session is to assist the client in developing awareness into her "whole" self and environment.

Perls referred to resolving longstanding conflicts and ambivalence as "taking care of unfinished business". He believed that it is the bane of human existence to carry unresolved conflicts, i.e. "excess baggage" from one relationship to the next, re-enacting them in subsequent relationships. Becoming more aware and integrated, i.e. "whole" decreases psychological distress and improves one's ability to cope with the challenges life brings.

Summary

Gestalt therapy effectively assists people in developing self-awareness and insights into their conflicts. Still practiced in therapists' offices all over the world, Gestalt therapy continues to be respected by working professionals in the field of psychology all over the world.

Reference
Association for the Advancement of Gestalt Therapy