Saturday, May 26, 2012

Gestalt Therapy




What is Gestalt Therapy?

Gestalt therapy is an existential, phenomenological, and process-based approach created on the premise that individuals must be understood in the context of their ongoing relationship with the environment (Corey, 2012, p. 212). 


Fritz Perls


Key founders/Key figures:  Frederick S. "Fritz" Perls, MD, PhD (1893-1970), was the main originator & developer of Gestalt Therapy (Corey, 2012, p.211). Fritz Perls, later established a institute for Gestalt Therapy in New York with help from several of his colleagues. Laura Posner Perls, PhD (1905-1990),  was also a key person in the Gestalt Therapy and  she taught every Gestalt therapist needs to develop his or her therapeutic style (Corey, 2012, p. 212). The key figures: Miriam & Erving Polster.

Erving Polster






Laura Posner Perls





Key Concepts: According to a recent article (Corey, 2012, p.236) "Gestalt therapy is an experiential approach that stresses present awareness and the quality of contact between the individual and the environment." According to a recent  article (Corey, 2012, p. 213) "Perls's style of doing therapy involved two personal agendas: moving the client from environmental support to self-support and reintegrating the disowned parts of one's personality." In other words the clients need to gain control over their life. Some of the key concepts in Gestalt therapy is emphasis is placed on what is being done, thought, and feelings within the moment of the here and now of the client versus what has occurred in the past or should have or could have been when the therapists prompts the client with various questions or interactions.  


Goals of Theory:  According to a recent article (Corey, 2012, p. 236) "The Gestalt therapist is to help clients identify the most pressing issues, needs, and interests and to design experiments that sharpen those figures or that explore resistances to contact and awareness." The therapist teaches the client that what is directly experienced or felt is more accurate than various explanations placed on pre-existing feelings or experiences. The initial goal is for clients to expand their awareness of what they are experiencing in the present moment (Corey, 2012, p. 212).  Honestly the main goal to be gained from the Gestalt therapy is for clients to gain a sense of awareness within their own self.


Techniques:  With Gestalt therapy therapists initiate various experiments toward the clients to generate thought from the clients perspective to gain a better insight on what the client is thinking or doing.  Therapy sessions may vary with various exercises or homework lessons for the client to help the therapist see how the client is processing information, often clients are encouraged to talk about dreams or other various thoughts to the therapists and even relive the actions of the dreams or thoughts to help gain a better understanding of their overall awareness. The "Empty Chair" technique is typically used with interpersonal problems (i.e. a client angry at someone else, feels too submissive, lonely, etc.) it is a kind of role playing, but in in this case, the client plays both roles. Employing two chairs, the counselor asks the client to change places as the conversation unfolds. "The actual acting and movement helps the client to get in touch with deeper sensimotor emotions" (Ivey & Ivey, 1999, p. 300). 




Suggested links:  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OCUvXtSOZ84








References
Corey, G. (2012). Theory and Practice of Counseling and Psychotherapy (9th edition). Belmont, 
         CA:  Brooks/Cole.
Ivey, A. E. & Mary B. (1999). Intentional Interviewing and Counseling. Pacific Grove, CA:
          Brooks/Cole.
Whitlamm44. (2010, May). Gestalt Therapy - a tool for change. Retrieved May 26, 2012, from
           http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OCUvXtSOZ84







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