Gestalt Therapy: What You Need to Know

Gestalt therapy refers to phenomenological-existential cure discovered by Frederick (Fritz) together with Laura Perls in the early 1940s (Kraft, 2016). It guides patients and therapists the phenomenological awareness mechanisms, where the feeling, perception, and action are separated from interpretation and reshuffling pre-available attitudes. Interpretations and explanations are rendered less applicable than what is directly felt and perceived. Therapists as well as patients in Gestalt cure dialogue, talk on their phonological views. Variations in views become the aim of experimentation as well as continued dialogue (Kraft, 2016). The goal of the process is for the client to be aware of their activity, methods of doing the activity and the processes of doing the activity which is significant in the process of client's change. Similar, it allows the client to learn to admit and value themselves. Gestalt cure aims more on the process, that is, what is taking place as opposed to the content, that is, what is being deliberated. The stress is on what is done, felt and thought at the moment as opposed to the past actions, future actions or what actions should be done. 

Theoretical Summary: Basic Concepts 

The Existential Viewpoint 

Existentialism is founded on the method of phenomenology. Existential phenomenologists aim at the existence of people, their relations with one another, sufferings and joys among others as directly felt. The majority of people carry on themselves in the unspecified context of the conventional belief that protects and avoids recognizing the processes of the world. This is mostly apparent of an individual's relations in the world as well as individual's decisions. Inauthenticity is founded on the grounds of self-deception. It is living that lacks truth of an individual self in the world leading to dreadful feelings, anxiety, and guilt. Gestalt cure provides a means of being meaningfully and authentically responsible for individual self. Thus, by being aware, an individual can make choices and organize their individual existence in a responsible and meaningful way. The existential viewpoint maintains that individuals are tirelessly discovering and remarking themselves. There is no need of the nature of humans to be examined completely. There are usually new opportunities, new horizons and new problems. 

The Phenomenological Viewpoint 

Phenomenology refers to a discipline that assist persons isolate themselves from their normal way of thinking. Thus, they can differentiate between what is being felt and alleged in the present state and what is remaining in the past. Gestalt therapy cures that which is felt subjectively in the present, and that which is observed objectively as important and existing data (Palmer, 2011; Yontef, 2002). The perspective differs with the methods that cure what the patient undergoes as insignificant appearances as well as apply interpretations to establish the existing meaning. The aim of Gestalt phenomenological research is insight or awareness. Insight is the modeling of the field of perceptions in a manner that the substantial realities are superficial. It is the planning of a Gestalt where the applicable features are categorized with regards to totality. In Gestalt, cure perception is the apparent understanding of the situational structure under study. Awareness in the absence of sequential research is insufficient to create insight (Yontef, 2002). Thus, Gestalt cure applies fused awareness as well as experimentation to get insight. How an individual is enlightened is essential to any phenomenological research. Phenomenologists study both individual awareness and the processes of awareness. The patient is expected to learn the ways of becoming insightful of awareness. However, the means and methods of the patient and therapist in experiencing their relationship are of importance in Gestalt therapy (Mishara, & Schwartz, 2013). 

Dialogue 

The relationship between the client and the therapist is the key significant feature of psychotherapy. Existential dialogue makes up the crucial component of Gestalt cure's approaches and is an indication of existential view on the relationship. Relationships develop out of contacts. Through the contacts, people develop and create identities. Contact refers to the experience of the line between an individual and non-individual. It is the experience of interacting with the non-individual while upholding a self-identity distinct from the non-individual. An individual has meaning only in relation to other people. Gestalt therapists decide to undertake patients through dialogue to apply therapeutic manipulation (Lahood, 2014). 

Gestalt cure assist clients form their individual support for preferred contact or withdrawal. Support is anything that makes the withdrawal or contact possible. Support is instrumental in mobilizing resources for withdrawal and contact. The resources can be body support, information, energy, breathing, concern for another person and language. For instance, an individual has to breathe in oxygen to support the excitement associated with the contact. The Gestalt therapists conduct the activities by dialogue as opposed to manipulation of the patient towards specific therapeutic goal. The contact is manifested by forthright caring, acceptance, warmth and self-responsibility (Yontef, 2002). When therapists focus patients towards a certain goal, the patient is never in control of their individual development and self-support. Dialogue is grounded on undertaking the other person as they are and manifesting the true self and sharing awareness of phenomenology. The therapists state what they mean as well as encourage the patient to imitate. Gestalt dialogue incorporates responsibility and authenticity. The curative relationship in Gestalt cure stresses four features of dialogue which are listed below (Lahood, 2014). 

Inclusion 

It is the placing of an individual as fully as possible in the activities of the other person without analyzing, interpreting or judging while maintaining a sense of an individual's different, self-directed presence. This is an interpersonal and existential use of the phenomenological trust in instant experience. Inclusion offers a setting of safety for the phenomenological work of the patient and by communicating as well as understanding the experience of the patient. It assists in sharpening the self-awareness of the patient (Yontef, 2002). 

Presence 

The Gestalt therapist shows themselves to the patient. Frequently, wisely and with discrimination, the therapist shows preferences, observations, individual experiences, feelings and personal thoughts. Thus, the therapist is able to share their viewpoints by planning phenomenological reporting, which assist the patient in learning about trust and application of instant experience to increase awareness (Yontef, 2002). In Gestalt therapy, the therapist inspires patients to control themselves autonomously rather than apply presence to control the patient to fit into pre-developed goals. 

Guarantee to dialogue 

The Gestalt therapist avails themselves to the interpersonal process to allow contact to take place as opposed to manipulating, controlling the results and making contact. 

Dialogue is lived 

Dialogue is an activity conducted rather than discussed. Lived, stresses the immediacy and excitement of conducting (Yontef, 2002). The method of dialogue could be a word, song, dancing as well as any method that expresses and manipulate the energy among the participants. A key contribution to phenomenological experimentation by Gestalt therapy is the broadening of the parameters to incorporate experience explication by expressions based on nonverbal. However, ethics, therapeutic duties, appropriateness among others limit interaction (Lahood, 2014). 

The Field Theory Viewpoint 

The field theory is the scientific perspective that underlies the view of Gestalt perception on phenomenology. Field theory is a mechanism of examining which defines the entire field of the current composition of the event as opposed to analyzing the event based on by its nature, the categorized class, for instance, Aristotelian classification, or historical, the cause-effect classification such as Newtonian mechanics and unilinear. The field is a totality in which the portions are in instant correlations as well as responsive to one another. Thus, an effect in one part affects the whole field. The field is the replaceable of the concept of discrete, separated particles. An individual in their life space composes a field. No act is at a distance in field theory. Thus, what has an impact, must affect that which is impacted in both space and time (Mishara, & Schwartz, 2013). 

The field of phenomenology is described by the witness and is significant in circumstances where an individual identifies the setting of references of the witness. The witness is important since what a person observes is somehow a function of when and how they look. Field models are definitive as opposed to interpretive, classificatory or speculative. The emphasis lays on observation, explication, and description of the precise model of what is being researched. In Gestalt cure, information inaccessible to direct observations by therapists are researched by phenomenological experimentation, focus, dialogue and report of participants (Mishara, & Schwartz, 2013). 

Personal Worldviews 

Gestalt views on therapy about the nature of human are based on four key ideas. The ideas include the theory of biological field, the organism's entity, the need for relationship and contact and the capacity for developing wholes. 

Theory of Biological Field 

The field idea is based on the belief that all organisms exist in the contexts of the environment with mutual impacts on one another. No organisms can be diminished to different parts; however, they can only be understood in their organized, interconnected, interactive and interdependent totality. Each field regardless of the cultural, social and experiential is part of the dynamic processes that are unitary. No organism can be powered from within nor affected from outside, rather are co-created. 

Organism's Theory 

An organism is organized totality, intrinsically self-controlling individual, pursuing development towards maturity as well as its nature's fulfillment. Organismic behavior has both purpose and goal. It is not random. Thus, external regulations, whether internalized or not, affect the effective performance of the organism as well as its self-control. Organismic tasks incorporate several dimensions such as cognitive, physical, aesthetic, emotional, interpersonal, spiritual, economic and social each of them being of mutual importance. 

The Idea of Contact 

Contact is essential for survival as well as change and is referred to as lifeblood of development. It is agreed that it is the meeting with the other, which include internal and environmental others such as omitted features, blocked thoughts, feelings, and memories, or anything that is nit mainstreamed and thus experienced as other in a responsive manner. It as well refers to the developing of a figure contrary to a ground describes as "the creative adjustment of the organism and the environment." No one can exist with in the absence of relating to as well as being alerted by the other. Subsequently, relationships are necessary with affiliation being a complicated existence fact. 

Capacity for Developing Wholes 

Human beings are known to be whole makers, creators of a total broader range of bodily, cognitive, perceptual, existential and behavioral gestalts. The outcome of the ways individuals organizes their experiences as well as assimilates novelty is learning and change. Since human beings will constantly have new experiences, they will never cease to make meaning or to organize as well as reorganize themselves. 

Cultural and Developmental Consideration of Gestalt Therapy 

Gestalt therapy believes that individuals cannot be regarded as distinct from interpersonal relations and their environment. The person is observed as being self-regulating as well as can motivate themselves to solve an issue. People have the capacity to work for their personal growth and development as their environments permit. Thus, a psychologically fit individual is that who is characteristically self-regulating through the transformations of life and have developed a wholeness sense between their mind and body (Roth, & Fonagy, 2013). 

Theoretical Strengths and Limitations 

Gestalt Theoretical Strengths 

First, findings from various research indicate that gestalt therapy is applicable to any patient that the therapists feels comfortable with and understands. In case the therapist relates well with the patient, Gestalt principles of therapy such as direct experiencing and dialogue can be used. Second, the individual therapist has a variety of option in Gestalt therapy. Improvements are developed by individual therapists in accordance to therapeutic personality, style, and diagnostic among others. Thus, it inspires as well as necessitates personal accountability by the therapist. Third, Gestalt cure has been traditionally been acknowledged the most efficient with excessively constricted, restrained and socialized individuals who were perfectionistic, anxious, depressed and phobic clients. The client's irregularity and limited functioning is mainly due to internal limitations and are associated with reduced living enjoyment (Van Lith, 2016). 

Gestalt Theoretical Limitations 

First, Gestalt therapy in the context of Perlsian workshop is accompanied by restricted use than the general Gestalt therapy. Thus, it requires that limitations applicable to the therapist must be highlighted in the workshop context, and especially by an inexperienced and untrained therapist with disturbed patients. Second, Gestalt therapy is challenging to apply with psychiatric and disorganized as well as seriously disturbed patients. Thus, it requires caution, patience, and sensitivity. Third, working with seriously disturbed patients' needs clinical skills on how to maintain a balance between frustration and support, character dynamics skills, auxiliary support needs which include a day medication and treatment. Fourth, Gestalt therapy is applicable in the intervention of crisis such as interaction groups, ghetto grown-ups in poverty alleviation program and psychotics (Van Lith, 2016). 

Theoretical Findings 

The previous works in psychology failed to provide comprehensive empirical studies on the merits of Gestalt therapy, however, currently there is hope in the future studies. According to Corey (2009) (cited in Palmer, 2011), New studies have enhanced Gestalt therapy’s practice and theory. Researchers have established that Gestalt therapy has positive impact on individuals suffering from substance addictions, personality disorders, and psychosomatic problems. Most studies have provided evidences suggesting that Gestalt therapy functions just in the same way as other therapies or even better in treating various psychological disorder (Palmer, 2011). 

Moreover, Clarke and Greenberg (1986; Cited in Palmer, 2011) established that empty chair dialogue to be effective in decision making and in eliminating interpersonal conflicts. Patients with the high-affect Gestalt dialogues had a high probability of agreeing that Gestalt treatment was of benefit to them when similarly taking part in comparative procedures (Palmer, 2011). 

Ethical Considerations 

ACA Code of Ethics I: Considerations Related to Application of Contact and Touch 

In consideration of the application of contact in Gestalt therapy, other than the common bar of sexual contact between the therapist and client, there seems to be a lack of exhaustive literature on the effective application of physical contact in the context of therapy. Thus, the (American Counseling Association (ACA), 2005) bars all therapists from creating sexual relationships with their clients. 

Negative Effect of Contact 

Violations of Boundary 

Irrespective of the possible gains of physical contact, certain researchers and therapists have claimed that the use of contact in Gestalt therapy is problematic. The main reason why perceiving physical touch in therapy is harmful is the main challenge of the argument. Though therapeutic lines may not be universal from client to client, the challenge position upholds that understanding the distinction between line crossing and violations of a boundary is important for preventing clients' harm. Line crossing is usually perceived from accepted clinical practices and may include acts such as giving gifts, exchanging for services and applying contact in therapy. Violations of boundary though are retreats from accepted practices that leave clients harmed as well as exploited, and the therapy relationship vulnerable. Violations as well include sexual relations between the client and the therapists (Corey et al., 2014). 

According to the changes of the argument, however, rare boundary crossings can improve the therapeutic out results, recurrent stretching, as well as the blurring of lines, may be a cause for more severe violations of the boundary. Physical contact between client and therapist may affect the therapeutic boundaries, and possibly leading to misinterpretation of sexual moves and eventually sexual contacts between the therapist and client. 

Power, Intimacy, and Possible Client Exploitation 

Within the therapeutic relations context, there is an unequal distribution of power with the therapists upholding characteristically greater power as well as a control than the client in the processes of therapy. It has been proposed that the application of contact in therapy emphasizes the imbalance of power between the client and therapist (Klontz, 2004). Thus, it is likely to result in clients being at risk of coercion. 

ACA Code of Ethics II: The Prohibition of Sexual Relationships with Clients 

Sexual as well as romantic relationships or interactions with the current clients are prohibited. 

Negative Effects 

Conflict of Interest, Exploitation, Power Abuse 

Just as in dual relationship characterized by sex, dual relationships with nonprofessional features have the possibility of blurring the boundary between the therapist and the client. Thus, it results into conflict of interest while increasing the possibility of exploitation, power abuse as well as the therapist and client having varied expectations regarding the therapy. 

Multiple Relationship with Clients 

There is the possibility of harming the therapy relationship as well as therapeutic processes. This may incorporate some of the fraternal, personal, financial, business or romantic and sexual relationships. 

Application of Theoretical Techniques 

The “Empty Chair” Gestalt Theory 

My fictitious client is John who is angry at his Dad for abandoning him together with the mother. John as well experiences much guilt, and as a therapist, I decide to use Gestalt therapy to assist him in enhancing self-awareness as well as realizing that he has a choice of, control over and accountability for his feelings. The following is an assessment of Gestalt therapy interventions: 

Stage I 

I will first identify where John is as opposed to where I think he may be. After introductions and building of relationship, I will try to aim at John’s attention to his instantaneous experience which include the what as well as how of his behavior alongside. I will also focus away from John’s assumptions as to causes. I will focus on John’s current experiences in awareness. Also, I will guide the client and encourage him to experience the relation between his non-verbal and verbal behaviors, such as patterns of breathing, hand gestures, postures and voice tones. I will also train John to admit increasing accountability such as responding and not reacting to his thoughts, feelings, and sensation by requesting him to repeat specific sentences such as “can’t” for “won’t” among others. 

Stage II 

After John has known how to emphasize on awareness as well as express sensations and feelings, I will request him to discover his conflict through external conversation with his father. I will set up two chairs and ask John to dialogue with the father. I will be listening keenly to the non-verbal and verbal discrepancies in John and assist him to become aware of their relation. I may ask John to act certain feelings of his anger. While closing this stage, John should be immersed in self-discovery as I will be guiding him to switch between chairs. The process is intended for John to express his feelings as he assesses his personal patterns of behavior. Here, John is expected to express feelings and issues he experiences in their relationship with the father, the hidden feelings viewed in the relationship and the anticipated solution to the situation. Stage III 

A difference of “The Empty Chair” method can be applied at this stage, for instance, those I had witnessed in stage II as John’s increasing power of his guilt feelings, thoughts and bodily reactions linked with anger. I will ask John to develop a conversation with himself to assess his inner tension. The success of this stage is John’s recognition of the conflict being assessed in the external conversation with the father is understood and fixed as a reflection of inner tension within him. Stage IV 

This is the integration stage. In this stage, if mainstreaming has been effective, John is aware of what he is undertaking and the ways he is able to change himself, learn to value and accept himself. 

Gestalt Exaggeration Exercise Therapy Technique 

Since everyone who suffers internally has superego, the issue of self-hate, self-control and self-manipulation ever exists in the neuroses. I will therefore focus at any important split that maintains the conflict. Thus, the process lends itself to many exercises as described below for equally assisted therapy. 

Stage I 

Since self-accusation is the cleansing of a range of the superego, I will use dramatization to make clear the hateful self-regulation that is usually contained in neurotic function as well as psychosomatic conditions. To begin the exercise, I frequently explain the channels of behavior for the indication of anger blockage through an internalized prevention. Thus, it will be challenging to experience emotional rage, and on the contrary, dramatization can enhance admittance to the feeling. 

Stage II 

As opposed to playing the normal top-dog game, the client is expected to try out underdog reversal. This is the most dramatic usage of reversal method I have identified in the implicit Gestalt legacy. Here I ask the client to impersonate his underdog, that is, the client that was the focus of top dog’s accusation in the former exercise rather than pleading guilty or suffering underdog. However, the client should be aware of deformity and destructions of top dog’s injunctions to pursue the side of the burdened not to stay burdened, to rebel and throw off the yoke of top dog and telling it off with complete show of anger in gesture and words. 

Stages III and IV 

This stage involves top dog reversal as well as focusing on a contract. When a client engages wholeheartedly in this exercise, it can be a key psychological breakthrough. Thus, it is a measure of freedom from a top dog which eventually increases the internal liberation. However, this is not a conclusive freedom neither is it a state of apparent liberation from top dog persistence. Some psychological layer of obstruction can become superficial in time and eventually not amputated rather assimilated. The top dog or underdog situation, with a reduction in every polarity, is a synthesis process, dialectic purification, and integration. 

Conclusion 

It is paramount to decide on a single idea for Gestalt model that would be the idea of authenticity, and the search for authenticity. Thus, if we consider the therapist and the therapy with regards to authenticity, it manifests that the therapist is incapable of teaching what he is not aware of. The awareness of the therapist, their acceptance and the sharing of the truths have high levels of persuasion of demonstrating personal authenticity. Therefore, it needs learning and training throughout life rather than in a person's career. 

References  

Corey, G., Corey, M. S., Corey, C., & Callanan, P. (2014).  Issues and Ethics in the Helping Professions with 2014 ACA Codes . Ontario: Nelson Education. 

Klontz, T. B. (2004). Ethical practice of group experiential psychotherapy. Psychotherapy: Theory, Research, Practice, Training, 41 (2), 172–179. 

Kraft, D. (2016). The relevance of gestalt therapy to clinicians who use hypnosis today. Journal of Integrative Research, Counselling and Psychotherapy, 2 (1), 1-11. 

Lahood, G. A. (2014). Toward the embodiment and enactment of phenomenology, field theory and dialogue in Gestalt group process: A literature review.  Gestalt Journal of Australia and New Zealand ,  10 (2), 38. 

Mishara, A. L., & Schwartz, M. A. (2013). Jaspers' Critique of Essentialist Theories of Schizophrenia and the Phenomenological Response.  Psychopathology ,  46 (5), 309-319. 

Palmer, A. K. (2011). Gestalt Therapy in Psychological Practice. Inquiries Journal, 3 (11), 1/1. 

Roth, A., & Fonagy, P. (2013).  What works for whom? A critical review of psychotherapy research . New York, NY: Guilford Publications. 

Van Lith, T. (2016). Art therapy in mental health: A systematic review of approaches and practices.  The Arts in Psychotherapy ,  47 , 9-22. 

Yontef, G. (2002). The Relational Attitude in Gestalt Therapy Theory and Practice. International Gestalt Journal, 25 (1), 15-3.