Gestalt Therapy A whole new approach

Goal of therapy To make whole Mind and body Emotional, behavioral, and cognitive Past and present

Theoretical assumptions Humans perceive things as wholes and the whole is more than the sum of its parts (i.e. holistic) Life is best understood by knowing the subjective, internal rather than the objective, external (phenomenological) Awareness is ever-changing and each moment is one of choice based on evolving awareness. We are the creators of our own destiny (existentialism) The path to wholeness and health is to interact with nature and with other people without losing one’s individuality (contact) People are manipulative, avoid self-reliance, and are not willing to accept their own perceptions as valid. Change happens in the present. If you want to go to Alaska, where do you start?

Theory of pathology All forms of human psychological dysfunction are attempts at simplifying experience, alleviating uncomfortable feelings, or managing difficult adjustments. Therefore, they are considered “creative adaptations to inhospitable situations in a person’s life” (Crocker, 1999, p.134). Unfinished business leads to psychological symptoms 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, resulting in Preoccupation Compulsive behavior Wariness Oppressive energy Self-defeating behavior

Layers of Neurosis Perls likens the unfolding of adult personality to the peeling of an onion Phony layer - stereotypical and inauthentic Phobic layer - fears keep us from seeing ourselves Impasse layer - we give up our power Implosive layer - we fully experience our deadness Explosive layer - we let go of phony roles

Pathway to pathology: Lack of awareness of some aspect of self Polarity = false distinction about different aspects of self Past-present Good-bad Lack of contact = superficial relation with the world (instead of aware and intimate) Confluence: the condition of no-contact. Instead of an ‘I’ and a ‘You’ there is a ‘we’ or a vague, unclear experience of self. Introjection: the individual experiences something as him/herself when in fact it belongs to the environment (false identification). Projection: the individual experiences something in the environment when in fact it belongs to him/her (false alienation). Retroflection: the individual holds back a response intended for the environment and substitutes it with a response for him/herself (e.g., self-harm, doing poorly in school).

Paradoxical theory of change Only by being what and who one is can one become something or someone else. Effort, self-control, or avoidance focused exclusively on the future will not bring about change. We must become our truth (ourselves) first before we can move from it (change).

Gestalt Awareness Model

Goals of therapy To become fully capable of organismic self-regulation (be “centered”) To have direct, immediate awareness of the total perceptual field To establish contact with the world Eating and digesting are treated as metaphors for what we do with every dimension of experience. Do I bite into something, chew it up thoroughly, spit out what I don't like, and assimilate what I find nourishing and healthy, or do I "swallow whole" what others have told me to whether I like it or not? (introjection.)

The mechanism of change and growth Path to awareness has two components Techniques to sharpen awareness Becoming aware of our defenses Focus on the present, rather than past or future Unfinished situations from past are worked in terms of person’s present experience of them Concerns about future regarded as manifestation of current anxiety “What” and “how” are the focus (not “why”) “Why did you do that?” is a statement concealed in a question Interpretations are avoided (self discovery has greater value)

Therapeutic Techniques The therapist’s attitude is more important than any technique Techniques are intuitively adapted to particular client/situation confrontation (to force client to attend to current functioning) Between verbal and non-verbal behaviors Often used in alcohol and drug treatment acting-out exercises (to enable client to establish contact) Falling into someone’s arms (trust) Arguing with spouse (communication) games of dialogue (to promote contact & suppress inauthenticity) Role-play both sides of polarity Play the projection (e.g., I can’t ask him out because...) “I take responsibility” May I feed you a sentence? Paradoxical comments: (e.g. “You’re probably not ready to grow up…”)

Influenced by psychoanalysis, but… Freud Perls Past Reductionistic Deterministic Unconscious Energy system seeking homeostasis Biological compulsion Present Holistic Phenomenological Disowned parts Energy system seeking homeostasis Closure

Comparisons with other therapies Some similarities with humanistic and existential therapies Focus is on the here and now Emphasis on individual freedom and responsibility Insight oriented The “I-Thou” relationship Holistic (integrated) But also different More confrontational and directive than humanistic More micro-behaviorally focused than existential