Gestalt Therapy: All you need to know about it

A Quick Guide

Gestalt therapy tends to focus on the present rather than the past experiences of an individual. It helps in self-awareness, freedom, and self-direction, etc. In this article, we will look at what gestalt therapy is, its core principles, techniques, benefits, and also how to get started.

What is Gestalt Therapy?

Gestalt therapy is a form of psychotherapy that is focused on awareness, freedom, and self-direction. Gestalt therapy is useful for issues such as depression, anxiety, low self-esteem, relationship difficulties, etc. It can also be useful for people who are looking to be more self-aware but may not understand their own role in their unhappiness.

The word “gestalt” comes from the German language with no direct English translation. It generally refers to “whole” or “form.” Hence, this idea views every individual person as a blend of emotions, mind, body, and soul with unique life experiences. Gestalt therapy was developed by Fritz Perlz and his wife at the time Laura Perlz in the 1940s and 1950s. It was an alternative method to the traditional psychoanalysis.

In practice, a mental health professional can apply this concept by helping the client focus on the present moment rather than living in the past. Gestalt therapy helps and teaches clients to live in the moment and focus on the here and now.

Core principles

The core principles of gestalt therapy are the following:  

The Present

The fundamental concept of gestalt therapy is focused on the present. In the session, the therapist builds a safe environment for the client to share their experiences. As the client dives into the past, a Gestalt therapist will be there to create a balance for the client if their anxiety is making them speed into the future or they are too focused on the past.

Context Matters

During a session, it is understood that context matters and the therapist helps the client with multiple techniques to understand their experiences in detail. A Gestalt therapist creates a safe space for the client to become aware and understand their own behavior. As there are no hard-set rules for this. The key is to make the client work through thoughts and emotions by providing an understanding and open environment.

Continuity

The law of continuity suggests that the elements on a line or curve are seen as more related than elements that are not on a line or curve. The saying, “the whole is greater than the sum of its parts,” is the most accurate description of Gestalt theory.

What is it more beneficial for?

Gestalt therapy has proven to be beneficial for mental health conditions such as;

Depression 

The main basis of gestalt therapy is self-awareness. It can be used for clients to recognize their triggers and possibly work through stressful situations that lead them to depression.

Anxiety 

Gestalt therapy focuses on the present moment to help clients gain insight into their thoughts and feelings. By examining the here and now, clients can explore their internal experiences and also develop new, more adaptive ways of thinking and behaving. This can help them deal with anxious situations.

Self-esteem issues

Gestalt therapy can help individuals with low self-esteem by exploring and understanding the root causes of their struggles. Through this therapy, the client can identify the factors contributing to their lack of confidence. And they may learn to develop coping mechanisms to overcome them. 

Relationship difficulties

Gestalt therapy may be able to help couples identify harmful patterns and behaviors that are affecting their relationship in a negative way. Through this therapy, they can work together to make positive changes and improve both their relationship and personal lives.

Techniques

In therapy, it’s common for the therapist to be viewed as the expert on the client’s distress and symptoms, with the client assuming a more passive role of learning from the therapist’s knowledge about their experiences and how to heal.

However, with gestalt therapy, clients have a safe and non-judgmental environment to explore their past. Clients are encouraged to discuss their life experiences with the guidance of the therapist to properly process all the emotions and feelings associated with them.

The Empty Chair

The empty chair exercise is a therapeutic technique that involves the client sitting across from an empty chair representing a person or a part of themselves. The aim of the exercise is to address unresolved emotions and conflicts by improvising a dialogue with the empty chair, either as oneself or as the person they are addressing. This helps bring past encounters and emotions into the present moment and allows the client to work through them in real time. By doing so, individuals can access feelings and perceptions in a way that traditional conversation may not allow.

Exaggeration

When working with a client, a gestalt therapist pays close attention to their body language and physical reactions as they talk. For instance, they may observe if the client is slouching, frowning, or bouncing their leg. In an exercise called exaggeration, the therapist may ask the client to repeat and amplify a particular movement. This technique aims to help the client explore the emotions and feelings linked to the movement, and to facilitate a deeper understanding of the relationship between their emotions and their physical responses.

Locating Emotions

When it comes to emotions and thoughts, the body plays a vital role. If you are working with a Gestalt therapist, they may ask you to visualize the location and sensation of your feelings within the body. This practice can assist you in connecting with your present experience.

Benefits

• It can increase the sense of self-control you may feel in yourself and your surroundings. 
• This increases your awareness of your own emotional needs.
• This is also helpful in regulating and processing your emotions.
• It increases mindfulness and brings you back to the present moment.
• Emotional understanding is heightened in individuals who have used the techniques of gestalt therapy.
• A noticeable increase in tolerance for negative emotions is also seen in clients.
• It improves the self-confidence of clients who suffer from self-esteem issues.
• The sense of acceptance is heightened and it is much easier to understand and implement new concepts.
• Improved ability to take responsibility for one’s actions rather than placing blame on others.

How to get started? 

If you are seeking psychotherapy with a gestalt approach, it may be beneficial to ask your primary care provider for a recommendation from a licensed and experienced therapist. While there is no official certification required for gestalt therapy, it may be helpful to seek out a medical professional who is knowledgeable about the latest information regarding this therapy method. It’s important to feel comfortable sharing personal issues with your therapist. If you feel that you’re not making progress, it’s crucial to remain hopeful and remain positive to continue your mental health journey.

Key Takeaway

Gestalt therapy is founded on the principle of present-moment awareness. This approach involves a range of techniques that can assist individuals in processing their life experiences. This therapy is highly versatile and has been found to be effective in a variety of contexts.