Gestalt psychology views the human being as a whole and not the mere sum of their behaviors or emotional states. This notion is also applied to human experiences whereby, all the bits of data (parts) in the environment are subjectively structured by individuals into a “whole” experience. The bits of data are interpreted differently from one person to another based on their needs, impulses, etc. This system forms the basis of all human experiences. Gestalt therapy considers awareness and acknowledgment of personal experiences as important elements of experiencing closure. The primary goal of gestalt therapy, therefore, is to increase the awareness and acknowledgment of personal experiences.
Gestalt View of Personality
The Gestalt school of thought considers the interpersonal relationship to be an intricate part of an individual’s life. According to this viewpoint, no individual (self) is separate from one’s environmental field. In this context, self refers to “self-in-relation”. The contact boundaries are therefore essential, as they help separate oneself from others. It is the disturbance of these contact boundaries that cause an individual to feel unbalanced. This disturbance can be manifested by different patterns such as accepting other people’s viewpoints without reviewing them (introjections), dismissing personal features oneself by assigning them to others (projection), etc.
Goals of Therapy
Gestalt therapy assists clients to:
Techniques Used:
The techniques used in gestalt therapy are not explicitly set. Almost all techniques are considered experiments under the Gestalt framework. This is because most of the techniques allow the client to imagine, or act out situations, feelings, and emotions. In addition, the main focus of these strategies is to facilitate awareness and psychological closure in clients to some degree. Thus, the key element of any Gestalt technique is it uses Gestalt therapy principles and facilitates therapy goals. Therefore, gestalt therapists are often encouraged to devise new and innovative ways as per client's needs.
Nevertheless, some common approaches are described below:
Gestalt therapy is quite distinct from other forms of therapy. Gestalt therapy provides the opportunity to apply various unique elements simultaneously. For example, allowing the use of cognitive, emotional, and behavioural techniques. With a growing evidence base, gestalt therapy can be successfully applied to issues such as anxiety, depression, and substance use. Get in touch with an online Psychologist and Therapist to know more about Gestalt therapy
