Gestalt literally means shape, form, or whole. In Gestalt therapy, the belief is that the whole is always greater than the sum of its parts. In other words, while each part has its own specific characteristics, the whole carries a meaning beyond the individual components and can give meaning to those parts.
Gestalt Therapy is a human-centered approach that emphasizes the present moment of the client rather than delving into their past. Gestalt therapy focuses on unique human experiences and increases personal responsibility and self-awareness.
Gestalt suggests that humans experience all phenomena as a unified whole. For example, in examining a phenomenon like a car, one must consider its components such as the tires, steering wheel, engine, exhaust, etc., in order to understand its overall nature. If you call the exhaust the car, you would be mistaken, because the exhaust is just a part of the car, not the whole. In Gestalt psychology, the belief is that instead of breaking down thoughts, habits, and other aspects into isolated parts, one needs to view and understand the human mind as a unified whole. In other words, to gain full awareness of a phenomenon, it must be understood as a whole entity, not just as isolated parts.
History of Gestalt Therapy
Gestalt Therapy was founded by figures such as Wolfgang Köhler, Max Wertheimer, and Kurt Koffka. Influential thinkers like Johann Goethe, Immanuel Kant, and Ernst Mach also had an impact on the development of this approach. However, the Gestalt therapy approach was first introduced by the German psychiatrist Friedrich (Fritz) Perls in the 1940s. Perls, along with his wife Laura, initially studied and explored philosophical foundations, including existentialism, and then, inspired by existential philosophy, developed Gestalt therapy.
Perls had been trained in traditional psychoanalysis, but his dissatisfaction with some of Freud’s theories and methods led him to reconsider his therapeutic approach. He was influenced by psychoanalysts such as Karen Horney and Wilhelm Reich.
In fact, Gestalt therapy integrates the principles of existentialism and phenomenology and is based on concepts such as freedom and responsibility, immediacy of experience, the individual’s role in creating meaning in life, and more. Gestalt psychology, with an emphasis on perception, asserts that when living beings encounter a collection of elements or parts of a unified whole, instead of perceiving each individual component, they perceive a pattern or configuration in a background context.
Perls extended this concept to human experiences. He explained that healthy individuals can organize their experiences based on their defined needs and respond to them appropriately. For example, when the various perceptions of a healthy person lead them to the Gestalt experience of hunger, they satisfy this need by eating.
Although Gestalt therapy focuses on the here and now, the client can, upon becoming aware of the present moment, also confront past conflicts, experiences, and unfinished business. Perls introduced the concept of an “unfinished Gestalt,” where the client is encouraged to bring up past memories and concerns in the present moment.
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Gestalt Therapy Techniques
Empty Chair: In this technique, the client is asked to sit in front of an empty chair and use their imagination. They are encouraged to visualize a part of themselves sitting in the empty chair and begin a dialogue with the imaginary person, expressing their unspoken feelings and issues.
Two Chairs: In this technique, the client is asked to move between two chairs. They first sit in one chair and speak to the other chair, addressing it as if it represents another person or part of themselves. Then, they move to the second chair and respond from that perspective. This technique helps in exploring inner conflicts or unexpressed emotions.
Locating Feelings: In this technique, the client is asked to identify where in their body they feel the most intense sensations of a particular emotion during the session. For example, when discussing feelings of anger, they may notice a sense of tension or pain in the back of their head.
Creating Art: In this method, the client stays present in the moment by creating a work of art. This can include sculpture, drawing, painting, or other forms of creative expression. The goal is to engage the client in the here and now through the process of artistic creation.
Owning Feelings: This technique involves encouraging the client to take responsibility for their emotions. They are asked to use more “I” statements rather than blaming others. For example, instead of saying “His actions made me angry,” the client is encouraged to say, “I became angry because of his actions.”
Body Language: In this technique, the therapist helps the client focus on their body language, facial expressions, and movements during the session. For example, the therapist may point out, “When you were talking about losing your job, you crossed your arms. Why do you think you did that?”
However, the use of this technique should be done with great care, as it can trigger defensive reactions in some clients.
Confrontation: This technique is not as commonly used today, but when the therapist believes the client needs to confront something directly, they may use this method. It involves encouraging the client to face difficult truths or unresolved issues head-on.
Exaggeration: In this technique, the client is asked to exaggerate certain movements or words they have used. This helps the client become more aware of their emotions and behaviors, enabling them to explore their feelings more deeply.
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Goals of Gestalt Therapy
Gestalt therapy seeks to resolve conflicts and ambiguities arising from the lack of harmony between different personality traits. The goal of Gestalt therapy is to teach individuals to become aware of the important emotions within themselves and in their environment, so that they can respond to situations in a complete and rational way.
While engaging in Gestalt therapy techniques, individuals experience a heightened presence in the here and now, and through exploring and analyzing their movements, body language, words, and other expressions, they develop greater self-awareness.