Gestalt Therapy – an outline Presented by: Abdul Rahim –1 Alok Kumar – 4 Siddhartha Sinha - 43

What is Gestalt? Gestalt: A configuration so unified as a whole that its properties cannot be derived from a simple summation of its parts. Gestalt Therapy: A psychotherapeutic approach that supports the process of developing awareness of the intrinsic nature of one's True Self.

Gestalt:

A configuration so unified as a whole that its properties cannot be derived from a simple summation of its parts.

Gestalt Therapy:

A psychotherapeutic approach that supports the process of developing awareness of the intrinsic nature of one's True Self.

Gestalt Max Wertheimer Law of prägnanz . We try to experience things in as good a gestalt way as possible. "good" can mean several things, such as regular, orderly, simplistic, symmetrical, etc

Max Wertheimer

Law of prägnanz .

We try to experience things in as good a gestalt way as possible.

"good" can mean several things, such as regular, orderly, simplistic, symmetrical, etc

Gestalt - design Illustration square parallelogram diamond

Illustration

Law of Figure-Ground Segregation Figures should stand out from the background in order to be seen.

Figures should stand out from the background in order to be seen.

Law of Closure Objects that are incomplete force the viewer to “fill in the gaps.”

Objects that are incomplete force the viewer to “fill in the gaps.”

Law of Symmetry Asymmetrical objects tend to force the viewer to search for symmetry.

Asymmetrical objects tend to force the viewer to search for symmetry.

Law of Good Continuation Viewers tend to continue shapes beyond their ending points.

Viewers tend to continue shapes beyond their ending points.

Gestalt Therapy

Fritz Perls 1893 - 1970 Berlin-Jewish-lower middle class MD in Psychiatry After WWI-worked in hospital for Brain Damaged Soldiers-realized view humans as a whole rather than sum of discreet parts 1946-came to USA Married Laura Perls in 1930 Founded New York Institute of Gestalt Therapy

Berlin-Jewish-lower middle class

MD in Psychiatry

After WWI-worked in hospital for Brain Damaged Soldiers-realized view humans as a whole rather than sum of discreet parts

1946-came to USA

Married Laura Perls in 1930

Founded New York Institute of Gestalt Therapy

Gestalt Therapy Existential & Phenomenological ~ it is grounded in the client’s “here and now” Initial goal is for clients to gain awareness of what they are experiencing and doing now Promotes direct experiencing rather than the abstractness of talking about situations Rather than talk about a childhood trauma the client is encouraged to become the hurt child

Existential & Phenomenological ~ it is grounded in the client’s “here and now”

Initial goal is for clients to gain awareness of what they are experiencing and doing now

Promotes direct experiencing rather than the abstractness of talking about situations

Rather than talk about a childhood trauma the client is encouraged to become the hurt child

Gestalt End Goal Our pressing needs need to be completed. This forms wholes / Gestalts, and is the one constant law of the world to maintain organism integrity

Our pressing needs need to be completed. This forms wholes / Gestalts, and is the one constant law of the world to maintain organism integrity

Therapist’s Goal in Gestalt Create experiments for client to assist their self-awareness of what they are doing and how they are doing it Awareness includes Insight Self-acceptance Knowledge of the environment Responsibility for choices

Create experiments for client to assist their self-awareness of what they are doing and how they are doing it

Awareness includes

Insight

Self-acceptance

Knowledge of the environment

Responsibility for choices

Major Principles of Gestalt Therapy Holism - interested in the whole person-emphasis on integration-thoughts, feelings, behaviors, body, & dreams. ORGANISM v OBJECT Phenomenology (Field Theory) -organism must be seen in its environment or its context as part of a constantly changing filed-relational, in flux, interrelated & in process Figure Formation Process - how individual organizes environment from moment to moment Organismic self-regulation - restore equilibrium or contribute to growth & change

Holism - interested in the whole person-emphasis on integration-thoughts, feelings, behaviors, body, & dreams. ORGANISM v OBJECT

Phenomenology (Field Theory) -organism must be seen in its environment or its context as part of a constantly changing filed-relational, in flux, interrelated & in process

Figure Formation Process - how individual organizes environment from moment to moment

Organismic self-regulation - restore equilibrium or contribute to growth & change

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

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

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

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

Contact and Resistances to Contact RESISTANCE TO GESTALTEN ~ the defenses we develop to prevent us from experiencing the present full Five major channels of resistance: Introjection Retroflection Deflection Projection Confluence

RESISTANCE TO GESTALTEN ~ the defenses we develop to prevent us from experiencing the present full

Five major channels of resistance:

Introjection

Retroflection

Deflection

Projection

Confluence

Introjection-channel of resistance Introjection Tendency to uncritically accept others’ beliefs and standards without assimilating them to make them congruent with who we are Projection Disown aspects of self by assigning them to environment Deflection Process of distraction-keep difficult to sustain sense of contact with reality

Introjection

Tendency to uncritically accept others’ beliefs and standards without assimilating them to make them congruent with who we are

Projection

Disown aspects of self by assigning them to environment

Deflection

Process of distraction-keep difficult to sustain sense of contact with reality

Confluence-channel of resistance Retroflection Doing to myself instead of the other Confluence Fitting in-absence of conflict-belief all people feel & think same way High need for acceptance, approval Boundary disturbance Dis-ease

Retroflection

Doing to myself instead of the other

Confluence

Fitting in-absence of conflict-belief all people feel & think same way

High need for acceptance, approval

Boundary disturbance

Dis-ease

Awareness in Gestalt Therapy Gestalt therapy is not linked to any single therapeutic technique May borrow from other “schools” of psychology, provided use promotes awareness in the present moment, the realization of potential, and personal responsibility

Gestalt therapy is not linked to any single therapeutic technique

May borrow from other “schools” of psychology, provided use promotes awareness in the present moment, the realization of potential, and personal responsibility

Goal of Counseling Awareness, becoming Centered Re-own disowned parts Finish unfinished business Integrate polarities Acceptance of pain Contact Issues Boundary issues Giving up trying to control others Responsibility: Response –Able Rather than reactive

Awareness, becoming Centered

Re-own disowned parts

Finish unfinished business

Integrate polarities

Acceptance of pain

Contact Issues

Boundary issues

Giving up trying to control others

Responsibility: Response –Able

Rather than reactive

Thank You