Gestalt Therapy

Gestalt Therapy- Fritz Pearls is responsible for the development of Gestalt Therapy. This approach is based on existential principals as well, and has a here and now focus.  Gestalt is a German word that means something as an organized whole is perceived as more than the sum of its parts. Pearls believed that people have needs and when these needs are met it contributes to the wholeness of a person, but then another need takes its place. The goal of Gestalt Therapy is for the individuals to become “whole beings.” Focus is on the inner wisdom of the client, the importance of emotion, and a keen awareness of the here in now. The counselor must be authentic, exciting and energetic. The focus on the here and now is believed to help the client complete unfinished business. The counselor assists the client in being aware of their verbal and nonverbal messages in order to bring them to congruence. The emphasis is on making choices now, growing up mentally, and shedding neuroses.  Techniques include the use of experiments, frustration actions, fantasy, role playing, psychodrama, dream work, exaggeration, using the phrase “ I take responsibility…” and the empty chair technique. The empty chair technique is used when the client has a conflict with another person. They imagine the person setting in the empty chair and have a safe place to examine the dynamics of the conflict. The client can shift between chairs and imagine they are the other person. The key goal here is self-awareness of how one is functioning in regard to the conflict. The strengths of Gestalt Therapy include the many techniques available to use, and the fact that it stresses doing and being in the here and now. Limitations of Gestalt Therapy include the lack of a strong theoretical base, it does not allow for passive learning, does not allow for testing or diagnosis. In addition, Gestalt Therapy  has a self-centeredness to the approach.