Theory and Practice of Counseling and Psychotherapy TENTH EDITION Gerald Corey Cengage Learning

Chapter 8 Gestalt Therapy

Gestalt Therapy (slide 1 of 2) An existential and phenomenological approach Initial goal is for clients to expand their awareness of what they are experiencing in the present moment Increased awareness is curative Through becoming aware of one’s denied parts and working toward owning their experience, clients can become integrated, or whole Theory and Practice of Counseling and Psychotherapy - Chapter 8 (1)

Gestalt Therapy (slide 2 of 2) This approach focuses on: The here and now The what and how of experiencing The authenticity of the therapist Active dialogic inquiry and exploration The I/Thou of relating Theory and Practice of Counseling and Psychotherapy - Chapter 8 (2)

Principles of Gestalt Theory (slide 1 of 2) Holism: The full range of human functioning includes thoughts, feelings, behaviors, body, language, and dreams Field theory: The field is the client’s environment which consists of therapist and client and all that goes on between them Client is a participant in a constantly changing field Theory and Practice of Counseling and Psychotherapy - Chapter 8 (3)

Principles of Gestalt Theory (slide 2 of 2) Figure Formation Process: How an individual organizes experiences from moment to moment Foreground: figure Background: ground Organismic self-regulation: Emergence of need sensations and interest disturb an individual’s equilibrium Theory and Practice of Counseling and Psychotherapy - Chapter 8 (4)

The Now Our “power is in the present” Nothing exists except the “now” The past is gone and the future has not yet arrived For many people the power of the present is lost They may focus on their past mistakes or engage in endless resolutions and plans for the future Theory and Practice of Counseling and Psychotherapy - Chapter 8 (5)

Unfinished Business Feelings about the past are unexpressed These feelings are associated with distinct memories and fantasies Feelings not fully experienced linger in the background and interfere with effective contact Result: Preoccupation, compulsive behavior, wariness oppressive energy, and self-defeating behavior Theory and Practice of Counseling and Psychotherapy - Chapter 8 (6)

Energy and Blocks to Energy Gestalt therapists focus on where energy is located, how it is used, and how it can be blocked Blocked energy is a form of defensive behavior that may result in unfinished business Clients are encouraged to recognize how their resistance is being expressed in their body and transform their blocked energy into more adaptive behaviors Theory and Practice of Counseling and Psychotherapy - Chapter 8 (7)

Contact and Resistances to Contact Interacting with nature and with other people without losing one’s individuality Boundary disturbances/resistance to contact The defenses we develop to prevent us from experiencing the present fully Theory and Practice of Counseling and Psychotherapy - Chapter 8 (8)

Contact Boundary Phenomena Five different kinds of contact boundary disturbances: Introjection Projection Retroflection Deflection Confluence Theory and Practice of Counseling and Psychotherapy - Chapter 8 (9)

Six Components of Gestalt Therapy Methodology Continuum of experience The here and now Paradoxical theory of change The experiment The authentic encounter Process-oriented diagnosis Theory and Practice of Counseling and Psychotherapy - Chapter 8 (10)

A Focus on Language “It” talk “You” talk Questions Language that denies power Listening to clients’ metaphors Listening for language that uncovers a story Theory and Practice of Counseling and Psychotherapy - Chapter 8 (11)

Therapeutic Techniques The experiment Internal dialogue exercise Rehearsal exercise Reversal technique Exaggeration exercise Staying with the feeling Making the rounds Dream work Theory and Practice of Counseling and Psychotherapy - Chapter 8 (12)

Application to Group Counseling (slide 1 of 2) Encourages direct experience and action Here-and-now focus allows members to bring unfinished business to the present Members try out experiments within the group setting Theory and Practice of Counseling and Psychotherapy - Chapter 8 (13)

Application to Group Counseling (slide 2 of 2) Leaders can use linking to include members in the exploration of a particular individual’s problem Leaders actively design experiments for the group while focusing on awareness and contact Group leaders actively engage with the members to form a sense of mutuality in the group Theory and Practice of Counseling and Psychotherapy - Chapter 8 (14)

Strengths from a Diversity Perspective Gestalt experiments can be tailored to fit the unique ways in which clients perceive and interpret their culture Gestalt therapy helps people integrate the polarities within themselves, which can assist bicultural clients in reconciling diverse aspects of their cultures Creative experiments can emphasize nonverbal behaviors Theory and Practice of Counseling and Psychotherapy - Chapter 8 (15)

Limitations from a Diversity Perspective Clients who are culturally conditioned to be emotionally reserved may find the emphasis on feelings to be off putting Those who use Gestalt techniques in a mechanical way to elicit certain effects (e.g., intense emotions) may lead clients to terminate from therapy prematurely Theory and Practice of Counseling and Psychotherapy - Chapter 8 (16)

Contributions of Gestalt Therapy (slide 1 of 2) It is a creative and lively approach that uses experiments to move clients from talk to action and experience Clients are provided with a wide range of tools for discovering new facets of themselves and changing their lives It is a holistic approach that values each aspect of the individual’s experience equally Theory and Practice of Counseling and Psychotherapy - Chapter 8 (17)

Contributions of Gestalt Therapy (slide 2 of 2) The Gestalt approach to working with dreams is a unique pathway for people to increase their awareness of key themes in their lives A key strength of Gestalt therapy is the attempt to integrate theory, practice, and research Theory and Practice of Counseling and Psychotherapy - Chapter 8 (18)

Limitations of Gestalt Therapy The approach has the potential for the therapist to abuse power by using powerful techniques without proper training This approach may not be useful for clients who have difficulty abstracting and imagining The emphasis on therapist authenticity and self-disclosure may be overpowering for some clients Theory and Practice of Counseling and Psychotherapy - Chapter 8 (19)