Gestalt Therapy London-Seekapsych

What is Gestalt Therapy

Gestalt Therapy is a positive and integrative approach. The practitioners of this approach assist people in focusing on their immediate feelings, behaviours, and thoughts so they have a better understanding of why they relate to others. It further helps people to look for new perspectives and begin to commence the transformation.

Founder of Therapy

It is a humanistic process of psychotherapy and takes a holistic approach to assessing human experience. In the approach, individual awareness about differences, such as physical and psychological needs and responsibility, is stressed. The theory was founded by a German-born psychiatrist in 1940.

Main Goal of Therapy

The therapy was developed in 1940 during the time of the Second World War. It was a time of post-war climate. The focus of therapy is to raise awareness about the individual himself with flexibility in terms of giving a response. The main emphasis of the therapy is to understand people through the lens of current experiences.

Four Pillars of Gestalt Therapy

The guidance for the therapists about what to do in each session could be taken from the four pillars of Gestalt Therapy. It further helps them to guide their clients in discovering their potential and truth.

The four pillars of Gestalt Therapy are

1. Phenomenology

The focus of the therapy is on here and now, and it takes their presence into consideration. Their presence is more important, and questions are asked of them rather than interpreting their behaviour. This methodology is known as Phenomenology, and it helps to enhance awareness and rational depth.

2. Dialogical relationship

The dialogical relationship is needed in the therapeutic relationship. The role of the Therapist must be present, validating, understanding and authentic. The Therapist must not only pay attention to the contact with the client but also pay attention to their internal process.

3. Field theory

Field Theory helps to explain holistic view and there are three kinds of field: wider field, relational field and experiential field. The fields must be closely analysed in order to understand the client interpretation of the experiences.

4. Experimentation

The therapy explores the individual not only through his words but also through his actions as people communicate in various ways, and most of the time, the communication is unconscious. Gestalt experimentation involves the client in certain action-based exercises. These exercises put them in the real environment, and they can increase awareness during their contact with the environment.

Five Layers of Therapy

The five layers that occur in Gestalt therapy are

Phony layer
Phobic layer
Impasse layer
Implosive layer
Explosive layer

Various techniques are used in each phase to help the client and increase his Self- Awareness.

Five Principles of Therapy

The five common principles are

Figure-ground
proximity
Similarity
Continuity
Closure

How Therapy works

Gestalt is a word in the German Language, and it means “Whole’. The contextual meaning of the word is the whole form rather than a thing that is divided into many parts, and according to the idea, the appreciation is for the whole. It is a holistic idea and considers the person in the totality of mind, body, spirit, and emotions.

During the therapy, therapists focus on the self-awareness of the Client, and the present moment is focused. The patient is trained to have a complete awareness of his feelings, emotions, behaviours, and immediate thought process, which enables him to bring a transformation in his life and think from a positive perspective.

For Therapist

It is a very lively and creative approach for the Practitioners as it focuses on the present time and moment.

For Client

The approach and therapy are very liberating for the Client as they provide holistic awareness and high insight into the individual. It helps to increase their confidence and helps them to live their life in their full capacity.

What isTherapy used for?

It has been effectively used in treating various issues, such as

Anxiety
Depression
Tension
Addiction
Stress

The Gestalt Therapy helps people to explore and understand their difficult feelings and behavioural patterns in a safe space and they make decisions to bring practical changes in their life. It is used to empower change in people’s lives by working in groups and organisations

The therapy is not only used in therapy rooms but also health and education care. It is being successfully employed in people-focused areas such as Organisational Development, coaching and HR, as it is an area where change can be easily implemented.

Duration of Therapy

These sessions could be long-term, or problems can be addressed in a few sessions.

Therapy Sessions

There is no specific method of conducting a Gestalt Therapy session, though therapists have the liberty to use their own style. During the session, clients must be provided with a non-judgmental and supportive environment. The therapy is interactive and is derived from feedback from clients. Therapists also use experiments.

Techniques Used in Gestalt Therapy

Some various techniques and exercises are used in Gestalt Therapy, including

The Empty Chair
The Exaggeration Exercise
Internal Dialogue Exercises
Rehearsal Exercises
Repetition Exercise

.The Empty Chair

The most common technique that is commonly used in therapy is the empty chair, and it is imagined that a person who is part of the Client is sitting on the chair. The Client is instructed to talk to the chair and explain his feelings to the chair. Likewise, the Client moves to the chair con, considers himself the therapist and gives answers on behalf of another person.

This activity helps the individual to vent the inner feelings and conflicts of the Client and leads to self awareness and resolution.

. The Exaggeration Exercise

The therapist encourages their clients to exaggerate any action during the session; some common examples of such behaviours are

Frowning
Tapping of feet
Voice tone
Clenched Fists

The approach is designed to make the Client aware of his behaviour and actions. It further helps to analyse the underlying issues related to this action.

. Internal Dialogue Exercise

The internal dialogue helps the patient to have a conversation among the two opposing roles of their personality. The two sides could be feminine and masculine side or aggressive or passive.

. Rehearsal Exercise

In these exercises clients are encouraged to try to take up roles they want to take and which are opposite of what they actually are. This technique helps them to accept different parts of themselves in a safe environment. It increases acceptance of these unfamiliar roles.

. Repetition Exercise

In the exercise, clients are told to repeat some words and phrases, and the effect of this exercise is like Exaggeration. It helps to intensify the feelings linked with the behaviour and assist the client in feeling it at the very moment.

Two Major Influences of Gestalt Therapy

In the history of Gestalt Psychology, there are two important developments. These developments are Köhler’s discussion of “physical Gestalten” (1920/1938) and Max Wertheimer’s proposal of “Gestalt laws of perceptual organisation.

Criticism

As it is considered a spontaneous approach, the method of treatment might not be suitable for everybody as it could be considered aggressive for some clients. Lack of monitoring during the sessions and overall interactions is also one major cause of criticism for the therapy.

Summary

Gestalt Psychology believes that the simplest forms of all the scenes and objects should be observed. It is also referred to as the Law of Simplicity, and according to this theory, the whole of an object is more important than the parts of it.

If you think you need Therapy call Seekapsych now to get connected to Best Therapist in London and London Counselling services.

FAQ’s

What is the main idea of Gestalt therapy?

This form of therapy focuses on the present rather than past Experiences.

Why is Gestalt therapy rarely used?

The therapy has no formal structure of sessions, and it focuses on the present, whereas most people think that they can be cured by resolving their past issues.

Is Gestalt therapy good or bad?

The therapy focuses on forming new perceptions, and it may help people suffering from depression and anxiety. There is, however, little research conducted on the efficacy of the therapy.

What is an example of the gestalt approach?

The most common example of Gestalt therapy is the Jigsaw puzzle, as it focuses on the result rather than focusing on each piece.

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Gestalt Therapy London