Gestalt TherapyGestalt TherapyFrederick and Frederick and

Laura PerlsLaura Perls

The Field Theory PerspectiveThe Field Theory PerspectiveThe Phenomenological The Phenomenological PerspectivePerspectiveThe Existential PerspectiveThe Existential Perspective

Gestalt Personality Theory Gestalt Personality Theory ConceptsConcepts

Gestalt psychology:Gestalt psychology: • A psychological approach that A psychological approach that

studies the organization of studies the organization of experience into patterns or experience into patterns or configurations. Gestalt psychologists configurations. Gestalt psychologists believe that the whole is greater believe that the whole is greater than the sum of its parts and study, than the sum of its parts and study, among other issues, the relationship among other issues, the relationship of a figure to its background. of a figure to its background.

Gestalt Personality Theory Gestalt Personality Theory ConceptsConcepts

• Ground:Ground: The background that The background that contrasts with the figure in the contrasts with the figure in the perceptions of a field.perceptions of a field.

• Figure: Figure: That part of a field that That part of a field that stands out in good contour clearly stands out in good contour clearly from the ground.from the ground.

The Field Theory The Field Theory PerspectivePerspective

• The field is a whole in which the parts are in The field is a whole in which the parts are in immediate relationship and responsive to each immediate relationship and responsive to each other and no part is uninfluenced by what goes other and no part is uninfluenced by what goes on elsewhere in the field. The field replaces the on elsewhere in the field. The field replaces the notion of discrete, isolated particles.notion of discrete, isolated particles.

• No action is at a distance: what has effect must No action is at a distance: what has effect must touch that which is affected in time and space.touch that which is affected in time and space.

• Work is in the here and now, with sensitivity to Work is in the here and now, with sensitivity to how the here and now includes residues of the how the here and now includes residues of the past, such as body posture, habits, and beliefs.past, such as body posture, habits, and beliefs.

• The phenomenological field is defined by the The phenomenological field is defined by the observer and is meaningful only when one knows observer and is meaningful only when one knows the frame of reference of the observer.the frame of reference of the observer.

The Phenomenological The Phenomenological PerspectivePerspective

• A method of awareness, in which perceiving , A method of awareness, in which perceiving , feeling, and acting are distinguished from feeling, and acting are distinguished from interpreting and reshuffling pre-existing interpreting and reshuffling pre-existing attitudes.attitudes.

• Phenomenology is a discipline that helps Phenomenology is a discipline that helps people stand aside from their usual way of people stand aside from their usual way of thinking so that they can tell the difference thinking so that they can tell the difference between what is actually being perceived and between what is actually being perceived and felt in the current situation and what is felt in the current situation and what is residue from the past (Idhe, 1977).residue from the past (Idhe, 1977).

The Existential The Existential PerspectivePerspective

• Existential phenomenologists focus on Existential phenomenologists focus on people’s existence, relations with each other, people’s existence, relations with each other, joys and suffering, etc., as directly joys and suffering, etc., as directly experienced .experienced .

• Most peopleMost people operate in an unstated context of operate in an unstated context of conventional thought that obscures or avoids conventional thought that obscures or avoids acknowledging how the world is.acknowledging how the world is.

• Self-deception is the basis of inauthenticity: Self-deception is the basis of inauthenticity: living that is not based on the truth of oneself living that is not based on the truth of oneself in the world leads to feelings of dread, guilt, in the world leads to feelings of dread, guilt, and anxiety.and anxiety.

Goal of Gestalt TherapyGoal of Gestalt Therapy

• By becoming aware, one becomes By becoming aware, one becomes able to choose and/or organize one’s able to choose and/or organize one’s own existence in a meaningful own existence in a meaningful manner. (Jacobs, 1978; Yontef, 1982, manner. (Jacobs, 1978; Yontef, 1982, 1983).1983).

Gestalt Personality Theory Gestalt Personality Theory ConceptsConcepts

• CONCERNS RELATED TO CONCERNS RELATED TO CONTACT CONTACT

•When there are disturbances in When there are disturbances in the contact boundaries, several the contact boundaries, several difficulties result. Awareness of difficulties result. Awareness of these disturbances is one focus these disturbances is one focus of Gestalt therapyof Gestalt therapy..

Contact:Contact:

– The relationship between "me" and The relationship between "me" and others. Contact involves feeling a others. Contact involves feeling a connection with others or the connection with others or the world outside oneself while world outside oneself while maintaining separation from it.maintaining separation from it.

Levels of Contact Levels of Contact (Neurosis)(Neurosis) : :The Polarity of Creating The Polarity of Creating

AdjustmentAdjustment

• 1. The 1. The Phony Phony layer: Reacting to layer: Reacting to others in unauthentic or patterned others in unauthentic or patterned ways: every day, casual interaction or ways: every day, casual interaction or “small talk.”“small talk.”

• 2. The 2. The Phobic Phobic layer: An avoidance of layer: An avoidance of psychological pain. “I’m fine, I’m psychological pain. “I’m fine, I’m fine.” (Similar to Denial)fine.” (Similar to Denial)

Levels of Contact Levels of Contact (Neurosis)(Neurosis)

The Polarity of Creating The Polarity of Creating AdjustmentAdjustment• 33. Impasse:. Impasse: Is the point at which we are Is the point at which we are

afraid to change or move. afraid to change or move.

An An impasseimpasse is a situation in which is a situation in which external support is not forthcoming external support is not forthcoming andand the person believes he cannot support the person believes he cannot support himself. himself.

The individual attempts to The individual attempts to manipulate the environment to do his manipulate the environment to do his seeing, hearing, thinking, feeling, and seeing, hearing, thinking, feeling, and deciding for him. deciding for him.

View of HealthView of Health

• An self-regulating person takes An self-regulating person takes responsibility for what is done for responsibility for what is done for self, what is done by others for self, self, what is done by others for self, and what is done for others by self. and what is done for others by self. The person exchanges with the The person exchanges with the environment, but the basic support environment, but the basic support for regulation of one’s existence is for regulation of one’s existence is by self.by self.

View of Mental illnessView of Mental illness

• When the person does not know how to When the person does not know how to self-regulate, external support becomes self-regulate, external support becomes a replacement for self-support rather a replacement for self-support rather than a source of nourishment for the than a source of nourishment for the self.self.

• In Gestalt therapy, clients get through In Gestalt therapy, clients get through the the impasseimpasse because of the emphasis on because of the emphasis on loving contact loving contact withoutwithout doing the client’s doing the client’s work. (No rescuing/infantilizing)work. (No rescuing/infantilizing)

Levels of Contact Levels of Contact (Neurosis)(Neurosis)

The Polarity of Creating The Polarity of Creating AdjustmentAdjustment• 4. At the 4. At the implosive implosive level, the client level, the client

may experience their feelings, start may experience their feelings, start to become aware of the real self, but to become aware of the real self, but may do little about the feelings.may do little about the feelings.

• 5. Contact with the 5. Contact with the implosive implosive level is level is authentic and without pretense.authentic and without pretense.

Contact boundaries:Contact boundaries:

• The boundaries that distinguish The boundaries that distinguish between one person (or one aspect between one person (or one aspect of a person) and an object, another of a person) and an object, another person, or another aspect of oneself. person, or another aspect of oneself. Examples include body-boundaries, Examples include body-boundaries, value-boundaries, familiarity-value-boundaries, familiarity-boundaries, and expressive-boundaries, and expressive-boundaries.boundaries.

CONTACT BOUNDARY CONTACT BOUNDARY DISTURBANCES DISTURBANCES

• Introjection: Introjection: This occurs when individuals This occurs when individuals accept information or values from others accept information or values from others with our evaluating them or without with our evaluating them or without assimilating them into one's personality. assimilating them into one's personality.

• Projection: Projection: When we ascribe aspects of When we ascribe aspects of ourselves to others, such as when we ourselves to others, such as when we attribute some of our own unacceptable attribute some of our own unacceptable thoughts, feelings, or behaviors to friends, thoughts, feelings, or behaviors to friends, projection takes placeprojection takes place..

CONTACT BOUNDARY CONTACT BOUNDARY DISTURBANCESDISTURBANCES

• Retroflection: Retroflection: When we do to ourselves When we do to ourselves what we want to do to someone else or do what we want to do to someone else or do things for ourselves that we want others things for ourselves that we want others to do for us, then we experience to do for us, then we experience retroflection.retroflection.

• Deflection: Deflection: When individuals avoid When individuals avoid meaningful contact by being indirect or meaningful contact by being indirect or vague rather that being direct, deflection vague rather that being direct, deflection occurs.occurs.

CONTACT BOUNDARY CONTACT BOUNDARY DISTURBANCESDISTURBANCES

• Confluence: Confluence: When the separation When the separation between one's self and others between one's self and others becomes muted or unclear, we becomes muted or unclear, we experience confluence. Thus, it can experience confluence. Thus, it can be difficult to distinguish what is be difficult to distinguish what is one's own perception or values from one's own perception or values from those of another person.those of another person.

Awareness:Awareness:

• Attending to and observing what is Attending to and observing what is happening in the present. Types of happening in the present. Types of awareness include sensations and awareness include sensations and actions, feelings, wants, and values actions, feelings, wants, and values or assessments. or assessments.

Unfinished business:Unfinished business:

• Unexpressed feelings from the past Unexpressed feelings from the past that occur in the present and that occur in the present and interfere with psychological interfere with psychological functioning. They may include functioning. They may include feelings, memories, or fantasies from feelings, memories, or fantasies from earlier life (often childhood) that can earlier life (often childhood) that can be dealt with in the present.be dealt with in the present.

FOUR CHARACTERISTICS FOUR CHARACTERISTICS OF GESTALT DIALOGUE OF GESTALT DIALOGUE

1.1. Inclusion: Inclusion: This is putting oneself fully as This is putting oneself fully as possible into the experience of the other possible into the experience of the other without judging, analyzing, or interpreting without judging, analyzing, or interpreting while simultaneously retaining a sense of while simultaneously retaining a sense of one’s separate, autonomous presence. one’s separate, autonomous presence. Inclusion provides as environment of Inclusion provides as environment of safety for the client’s phenomenological safety for the client’s phenomenological work and, by communicating an work and, by communicating an understanding of the client’s experience, understanding of the client’s experience, helps sharpen the client’s self-awareness.helps sharpen the client’s self-awareness.

2. Presence:2. Presence:

• The Gestalt therapist expresses herself to The Gestalt therapist expresses herself to the client. Regularly, judiciously, and with the client. Regularly, judiciously, and with discrimination she expresses observations, discrimination she expresses observations, feelings, personal experience, and feelings, personal experience, and thoughts, modeling phenomenological thoughts, modeling phenomenological reporting. If the therapist relies on theory-reporting. If the therapist relies on theory-derived interpretation, rather than derived interpretation, rather than personal presence, she leads the client into personal presence, she leads the client into relying on phenomena not in his/her own relying on phenomena not in his/her own immediate experience as the tool for immediate experience as the tool for raising awareness. raising awareness.

3. Commitment to 3. Commitment to Dialogue:Dialogue:

• Contact is more than something Contact is more than something two people do to each other. two people do to each other. Contact is something that happens Contact is something that happens between people, something that between people, something that arises from the interaction between arises from the interaction between them. This is them. This is allowingallowing the contact the contact to happen rather than to happen rather than manipulating, manipulating, makingmaking contact, and contact, and controlling the outcome.controlling the outcome.

4. Dialogue is lived:4. Dialogue is lived:

• Dialogue is something done rather Dialogue is something done rather than talked about. “Lived” than talked about. “Lived” emphasizes the excitement and emphasizes the excitement and immediacy of doing. The mode of immediacy of doing. The mode of dialogue can be dancing, song, dialogue can be dancing, song, words, or any modality that expresses words, or any modality that expresses and moves the energy between or and moves the energy between or among participants, including the among participants, including the awareness of nonverbal expressions.awareness of nonverbal expressions.