Gestalt Therapy

Summary

The video discusses Gestalt therapy, a humanistic-existential model developed by Fritz Perls. It highlights how this therapy focuses on the present moment and the organizing power of the mind. Key concepts include the figure formation process, dis-ease, and holism. Techniques like the empty chair exercise and role-playing are used to help clients become aware of phony behaviors and achieve personal growth. The script also references a case study and compares Gestalt therapy with other models covered in the course.

Takeaways

• 🧩 Gestalt therapy focuses on the organizing power of the mind to perceive the surrounding world and make sense of it, developed by Fritz Perls.
• 📅 The therapy emphasizes the importance of the present moment, encouraging clients to gain awareness of their current actions and feelings.
• 👁️ The figure formation process describes how individuals organize their environment from moment to moment, focusing on the most relevant aspects.
• 🌾 Dis-ease in Gestalt therapy involves layers of neurosis or defenses against negative aspects of the world, which need to be peeled away to find the real person.
• 💡 Holism in therapy focuses on integrating thoughts, feelings, behaviors, body, and dreams, emphasizing authentic contact with others.
• 🎭 Gestalt exercises include games of dialogue (empty chair), reversals, rehearsals, exaggeration exercises, and staying with the feelings to help clients address internal conflicts.
• 🏋️ The therapy process includes stages like liberation from Maya (phony behaviors), cathartic explosion (intense emotional expression), and corrective emotional experience.
• 🤹 Techniques help clients role-play different aspects of themselves to understand and accept personal attributes they've denied.
• 🧠 Clients are encouraged to confront and experience their feelings deeply, which can unblock new levels of growth and awareness.
• 🔄 The ultimate goal of Gestalt therapy is for clients to take responsibility for their actions and live authentically in the present moment.

Q & A

What is Gestalt therapy and who developed it?

Gestalt therapy is part of the humanistic existential school and focuses on the organizing power of the mind to perceive the surrounding world and make sense of it. It was developed by Fritz Perls during the mid-20th century.

What is the basic philosophy of Gestalt therapy?

The basic philosophy of Gestalt therapy is that human beings are responsible organisms and prone to disease. We use creativity and spontaneity when solving problems and have an innate tendency towards personal fulfillment and actualization. Therapy is grounded in the client's here and now.

What does Gestalt therapy assume about people's focus on the present?

Gestalt therapy assumes that many people lose the power of the present because they spend too much time thinking about past mistakes or future resolutions, making it impossible to be fully present to the world around them.

What is the figure formation process in Gestalt therapy?

The figure formation process refers to how individuals organize their environment from moment to moment. The figure is the emerging focus of attention, while the ground is the undifferentiated field or background.

How does Gestalt therapy define 'dis-ease'?

'Dis-ease' in Gestalt therapy refers to the state of being stuck and avoiding emotional pain. It includes concepts like Maya (phony existence), impasse (being stuck), unfinished business, and the balance of life poles (positive and negative aspects).

What is holism in Gestalt therapy?

Holism in Gestalt therapy focuses on integrating thoughts, feelings, behaviors, body, and dreams to treat the whole person. It emphasizes authentic contact with others and living in the here and now.

What are some techniques used in Gestalt therapy?

Techniques in Gestalt therapy include games of dialogue or empty chair, reversals, rehearsals, exaggeration exercises, and staying with the feelings. These exercises help clients become aware of and confront their emotions and behaviors.

What is the purpose of the empty chair exercise in Gestalt therapy?

The empty chair exercise helps clients role-play and experience conflicts symbolically by moving between two chairs to represent different aspects of themselves or to express unspoken feelings.

How does Gestalt therapy address 'unfinished business'?

Gestalt therapy addresses 'unfinished business' by encouraging clients to stay with their feelings and confront unresolved issues, allowing them to process and complete the gestalt, or whole, of their experiences.

What are the stages of the Gestalt therapy process?

The stages of the Gestalt therapy process include liberation from Maya (becoming aware of phony behaviors), cathartic explosion (intense expression of emotions), and the corrective emotional experience (accepting new behavior changes and taking responsibility for progress).