1. Gestalt psychotherapy Presented by: Noor Al-Modihesh Dr. Mayada Banaja team

2. History. Purpose. Theoretical concepts. Skills in Gestalt. Assessment. Treatment phases.

3. Who is Gestalt ? So, what's the meaning ?

4. Gestalt BY ; Frederick (Fritz) and Laura Perls in the 1940s seems to be more “animated” than mere form or object, implying a sort of "reaching out" to its environment

5. knowledge of an "other,” a sort of "dialogue" between me and that "other," and a sort of connection that draws me into that "dialogue.“ A presentation of a "Gestalt" suggests the involvement of my perception and awareness in an act of identification of reality. A Gestalt can thus be identified as a kind of knowledge.

6. Gestalt is A structured entity that is more than & different from its parts. It is the foreground figure that stands out from its ground, it exists” Laura Perls

7. It encompasses existential & person-centered. Promotes awareness in HERE & NOW The present receive more attention than past Exploring & experiencing emotions are integral to treatment.

8. Purpose : To help people got aware about those neglected parts & restore wholeness, integration & balance.

9. Important theoretical concepts : 1. View of humankind : people are basically good & had capacity to cope with their lives BUT !! At times need help. 2. Wholeness & integration : we are not a summation of parts BUT !! coordination.

10. 3.integrating polarities : need for homeostasis viewed people &their world either good or bad. what is important is integrating body & mind. 4.Integrating figures & ground : the world around us is ground.

11. 5. Ego boundary : definition in relation to environment (in relation to situation) 6.Awareness : Awareness is a form of experience that may be loosely defined as being in touch with one's own existence, with what is

12. The person who is aware knows what he does & how he does it, that he has alternatives and that he chooses to be he is. As its best, non-verbal knowing what is happening HERE & NOW. Self awareness.

13. exercise

14. 7.Responsibility : accepting responsibility for our own lives, people must make their own choices rather than allowing others.

15. Theraputic alliance : I-thou relationship. Both fully present in here & now. Paradoxical principle of change: change occur when one becomes what he is & not when he tries to become what he is not. Observation without judgment. Listen & help to find own way.

16. Assessment : Not diagnosis. Process of how he is behaving now. Client in process. Clients relational patterns. Field condition.

17. Client in process: Embodied process : description in room including movement, voice…. Support system; his setting in room & confidence. Belief system ; introjects, meaning of circumstances..

18. Client relational patterns: Describe his way in relating to you. Note any transferential response. Field conditions ; Cultural factors,race….

19. So in conclusion, Gestalt diagnosis is an understanding or assessment of all ways that client makes meaning or contact with his world.

20. Treatment phases: Beginning :  Working alliance.  Awareness  Dialogic relation.  Cultural differences.  Planning for special conditions.

21. Clearing the ground:  Introjects.  Unfinished business.  Self-expression  Experiment with new behavior.

22. Existential encounter:  Re-owning lost parts,  Live & move.  self-limiting core beliefs.  Live with courage of uncertainty  Spiritual meaning.

23. Integration :  Re-organize with new insights  Improve relational contact  Connecting to community  Accepting anxiety with newness  Responsibility for choices.

24. Ending ;  Loss of relation  Re-cycling of issues  Celebrating what achieved  Accepting things not achieved  Planning for future crises

25. Experimenting : Identifying emerging figure or theme. Suggesting: (safe emergency), has right to refuse. Grading amount of challenge.

26. If difficult start with emotions Remind of support Change situation. RULE : convey non judgmental attitude to experiment & avoid being invested. No right outcome

27. Use language carefully by emphasis on statements Using what, how BUT never why? ‘I’ statement. The present tense

28. Large Group exercise :

29. Unfinished business; Traumatic events not achieved resolution. Need great awareness with enough support. Examining the impasse ---reactivate. Trace clearest memory. Where is the maximum energy. Encourage to bring feelings,thougths…. Identify interruptions.

30. Working with imagination. Working with introjects : identify opposite polarity, two chair & role- play….

31. Dreams: Royal road to integration. It is existential messenger. Projections of some aspects of dreamer, or relation with therapist. Ask to present it in present form.

32. As a real story! Express it non verbally( body posture, moving…. Retell dream from other perspective.. Create dialogues bet. Characters in dream Use different outcome. Is it a message about therapist?

33. Fantasy : Make people more aware. Help to be more productive. Represent projections or aspects of person. Encourage people to be part of dream.

34. Ending : Tasks for ending: Raise awareness, remind what brought him. Acknowledge & celebrate what has been achieved. Acknowledge what hasn’t achieved yet. Feed back.

35. Conducting reviews : Original contract. Check if relevant. New issues emerged. What aspects helped him. Any change in contract. Offer f\u at least after 3-6 months.

36. Summary : Gestalt focuses on unification & wholeness of a person through feeling, senses & fantasies. This awareness yields personality changes by means of problem solving & identifying impasses.

37. It is a here & now experimental modality which is a process for individual to be in touch with him self. Future & past important BUT their significance is in relation to their influence on present.

38. Inquiry by how, what & NEVER why.. It is when client assume responsibility for what they feel & think (the greatest value)

39. Gestalt modality specify that person passes through 5 levels of neurosis: 1. Phony layer : not being them selves. 2. Phobic level : fear of seeing who one really is 3. Impasse level ; stuck in dependency position where he seek for others to make decision.

40. 4. Implosive level: accept responsibility & develop courage to face their personal defenses as they come close to real selves ( full awareness) 5.Explosive level : letting go of the false image the individual has created.

41. It promotes in dependence rather than dependence on therapist & the most provocative technique is Empty Chair.

42. Thank you