Gestalt Therapy

1. GESTALT THERAPY
BY: ANUKRATI JAIN
MSC. HUMAN DEVELOPMENT
SNDT UNIVERSITY, MUMBAI

2. Introduction to
Gestalt
Introduction: Gestalt
according to Fritz
Perls / Laura Perls
Relational Gestalt
Therapy
The main goal
Key concepts
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
TOPICS TO BE
DISCUSSED

3. Gestalt is a German word meaning a
whole or completion, or a form that
cannot be separated into parts
without losing its essence.
GESTALT

4. Frederick (“Fritz”) S. Perls, a German-born
psychiatrist, founded Gestalt therapy in
the 1940s with his wife, Laura. Perls was
trained in traditional psychoanalysis, but
his dissatisfaction with certain Freudian
theories and methods led him to develop
his own system of psychotherapy.
He was influenced by the psychoanalysts
Karen Horney and Wilhelm Reich.
Also influential were ideas expressed in
existentialism and phenomenology, such
as freedom and responsibility, the
immediacy of experience, and an
individual’s role in creating meaning in
life.

5. WHEN ORGANISMS ARE CONFRONTED WITH A SET OF
ELEMENTS, THEY PERCEIVE A WHOLE PATTERN OR
CONFIGURATION, RATHER THAN BITS AND PIECES,
AGAINST A BACKGROUND.
PERLS APPLIED THIS CONCEPT TO HUMAN
EXPERIENCE, POSTULATING THAT HEALTHY PERSONS
ORGANIZE THEIR FIELD OF EXPERIENCE INTO WELL-
DEFINED NEEDS TO WHICH THEY RESPOND
APPROPRIATELY.
FOR EXAMPLE, WHEN VARIOUS PERCEPTIONS LEAD
HEALTHY PERSONS TO EXPERIENCE THE GESTALT OF
HUNGER, THEY EAT ON THE OTHER HAND, A PERSON
WHO HAS JUST RECEIVED AN INSULT MAY BE ANGRY
BUT MAY PARTIALLY OR COMPLETELY REPRESS
AWARENESS OF THIS ANGER.
I
N
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R
O
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C
T
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6. THREE BIG IDEAS OF PERL
SELF-AWARNESS UNFINISHED
BUSINESS
RESPONSIBILITY

7. “FIVE LAYE R S O F NEURO S ES”
P h o n y - P r e t e n d i n g t o b e w h a t o n e i s n o t .
e . g . p r e t e n d p l a y
P h o b i c - A f r a i d t p b e r e j e c t e d i f t h e y
r e v e a l e d t h e i r t r u e s e l f .
I m p a s s e - N o s e n s e o f d i r e c t i o n w h a t t o d o i n
l i f e .
I m p l o s i v e - A w a r e o f h o w t h e y l i m i t
t h e m s e l v e s a n d t r y t o e x p e r i m e n t w i t h n e w
b e h e v i o u r .
E x p l o s i v e - T h e f o r c e o f t h e p e r s o n f i n d
e x p r e s s i o n , e x p l o d i n g i n t o t h e i r o w n
a u t h e n t i c i t y o f b e i n g t h e i r t r u e s e l f .
1 .
2 .
3 .
4 .
5 .

8. GESTALT EXERCISES
Words and Language Empty Chair
Role Play
Body Language
Exaggeration Locating Emotion
Creative Arts

9. WORDS AND
LANGUAGE
THE ATTENTION TO LANGUAGE
AND TONE IS IMPORTANT IN
GESTALT THERAPY
AS CLIENTS LEARN TO ACCEPT
RESPONSIBILITY, THEY LEARN TO
USE LANGUAGE THAT REFLECTS A
SENSE OF PERSONAL OWNERSHIP
RATHER THAN FOCUSING ON
OTHERS
THE USE OF "I" STATEMENTS ARE
IMPORTANT IN GESTALT THERAPY
E.G. I FEEL ______

10. This is a role-playing exercise that allows a
client to imagine and participate in a
conversation with another person or another
part of themselves
Empty chair can be very helpful in drawing
out important perceptions, meanings, and
other information that can help clients
become more aware of their emotional
experience and how to start healing.
ROLE PLAY/ EMPTY
CHAIR

11. BODY LANGUAGE
During a session, it might be
noticed by a Gestalt therapist
that the client is tapping their
foot, wringing their hands, or
making a certain facial
expression.
The therapist is likely to
mention their observation of
this and ask what is
happening for the person at
that moment.

12. In addition to giving body
language a voice, a Gestalt
therapist may inquire about the
client's body language.
If it is difficult for the client to
find words to put to what is
happening, they may be asked to
exaggerate that motion or repeat it
several times in a row for a period
of time during the session to draw
out some of their experience in the
counseling room in that moment.
EXAGGERATION

13. Talking about emotion is different than
experiencing an emotion, which is what the
Gestalt therapist is wanting the client to do in
sessions.
As a client talks about emotion, the therapist
may ask them where they feel that emotion in
their body.
An example of this could be, "a pit in my
stomach," or "my chest feels tight." Being able
to bring the emotional experience to awareness
in the body helps the client stay present and
process their emotions more effectively
LOCATING EMOTION

14. Activities such as painting,
sculpting, and drawing can
also be used to help people
gain awareness, stay present,
and learn how to process at
the moment.
CREATIVE ARTS

15. SOME OTHER EXERCISES
DREAMS
Significance of each role in the
dream and this allows clients to
take responsibility for the dreams
and increase awareness of their
thoughts and emotions.
FANTASY
Therapists use guided imagery
techniques (fantasy) to encourage
clients to imagine situations such
as what they would do in a certain
situation or by projecting
themselves into different roles.

16. CONFUSION
The technique of dealing with
confusion of the client is about
drawing attention to the client’s
hesitation in talking about
something unpleasant.
CONFRONTATION
Confrontation means ‘to challenge
or frustrate the client’
The client is challenged with
sensitivity and empathy on the part
of the therapist to face the issues
important to them.

17. STRENGTHS
Gestalt Therapy is equal to
or greater than other
therapies in treating various
disorders.
Beneficial impact with
personality disorders, and
the effects of therapy are
stable.
Works with the past by
making it relevant to the
present (Corey, 2005).
Versatile and flexible in its
approach to therapy.

18. WEAKNESSES
For Gestalt Therapy to be effective, the
therapist must have a high level of
personal development (Corey, 2005).
It has been considered to be a self-
centred approach which is concerned
with just individual development.
Potential danger for therapists to abuse
the power they have with clients (Corey,
2005).
Deals only with the here and now.
Does not deal with diagnosis and
testing.

19. REFERENCES WWW.VERYWELLMIND.COM
WWW.YOUTUBE.COM
WWW.COUNSELLINGCONNECTION.COM